After being freed from bondage in Egypt, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. They finally found refuge across the River Jordan in a promised land. It was centuries later, that songs would be sung to encourage others who also longed for deliverance. This unique expression of music, known as the spiritual, has reached far beyond its original audience to touch many people in many lands.
Loved for their rhythms and melodies, spirituals resonate in our hearts because of their message. Despite the circumstances that inspired the songs—or maybe because of them—the words encourage us, they lift us. They proclaim hope to our weary souls. They celebrate the joy that comes from knowing God, loving Him, not just fearing Him.
One of the most popular spirituals is “Deep River.” It tells of a desire to cross the River Jordan and find peace and safety in the “campground,” or place of refuge. While this song was intended to express the longings of a people in physical bondage, the song also captures the yearnings for something better that all people feel when they are hurting. Because spirituals can express our shared human longings, generations have loved them and sung them. They are a gift to us—a reminder that even in the depths of difficulty, there is hope.
Program #3946