There is a Balm in Gilead ELW 614 and With One Voice 737
Refrain
There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole; there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.
1 Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work's in vain, but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again.
Refrain
2 If you cannot preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus and say, "He died for all."
Refrain
3 Don't ever be discouraged, for Jesus is your friend; and if you lack for knowledge, he'll ne'er refuse to lend.
Refrain
Devotion
“There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole,
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.”
If you go to the site TheBible.com, you can order “Balm of Gilead Healing Cream” directly from Israel. It apparently has skin-healing qualities.
However, this old spiritual hymn is not about skin problems in need of cream. It’s about our sin-sick souls. This balm of Gilead has healing powers that go beyond the physical realm.
We know this balm by a New Testament name … Jesus. Those oppressed by sin and slavery will find freedom and hope and reconciliation through him. Those who first sang this hymn found in Jesus the balm to heal their sin-sick souls. Even as we sing its words, we find it makes the wounded whole.
Prayer
Balm of Gilead: heal, forgive, reconcile, and free us. Amen.