Sunday Singing: Deep River

Today’s hymn is of traditional origin. Deep River is a song about longing for heaven, written over 150 years ago. The earliest printed evidence is from 1867. It’s performed above by Wilford Kelly.

” Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24 ESV)

Deep river, my home is over Jordan,
Deep river, Lord,
I want to cross over into campground.
Oh, don’t you want to go to that gospel feast,
That promised land where all is peace?
Oh, deep river, Lord,
I want to cross over into campground.

2 thoughts on “Sunday Singing: Deep River”

  1. Thank you for this!

    Tangentially, I really enjoyed singing the oratorio, A Child of Our Time (1944), by Michael Tippett, including his setting of “Deep River” (using spirituals where Bach would have used chorales).

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