Peace In The Valley
Johnny Cash (With The Carter Family) Lyrics
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But I must go alone
Till the lord comes and calls, calls me away, oh yes
Well the morning's so bright
And the lamp is alight
And the night, night is as black as the sea, oh yes
There will be peace in the valley for me, some day
There'll be no sadness, no sorrow
No trouble I see
There will be peace in the valley for me, for me
Well the bear will be gentle
And the wolves will be tame
And the lion shall lay down with the lamb, oh yes
And the beasts from the wild
Will be lit by a child
And I'll be changed, changed from this creature that I am, oh yes
There will be peace in the valley for me, some day
There will be peace in the valley for me, dear Lord I pray
There'll be no sadness, no sorrow
No trouble I see
There will be peace in the valley for me, for me
The lyrics to Johnny Cash & The Carter Family's song "Peace In The Valley" speak of a tired and weary soul who longs for a peaceful existence. The first verse expresses a sense of loneliness as the singer feels they must go on this journey alone until the Lord calls them home. The second verse paints a picture of opposites – the brightness of morning and the darkness of night. The chorus offers hope for the future, where there will be peace and no more sadness, sorrow or trouble.
The third verse uses imagery from the book of Isaiah in the Bible, where enemies will become friends and predators will no longer attack their prey. The line "And the beasts from the wild will be lit by a child" refers to a verse in Isaiah that reads, "The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain" (Isaiah 65:25, ESV). The final line of this verse "And I'll be changed, changed from this creature that I am" speaks to the transformative power of peace and the hope that one day we can all become better versions of ourselves.
Overall, the song speaks to the human desire for peace in a world often marked by conflict, pain, and suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh well, I'm tired and so weary
I am exhausted and drained both physically and mentally.
But I must go alone
I must travel alone on this journey.
Till the lord comes and calls, calls me away, oh yes
I will continue until the time of my departure comes when the Lord calls upon me.
Well the morning's so bright
The daylight is shining bright, dazzling and colorful.
And the lamp is alight
The light from the lamp is a guide, and it is shining brightly.
And the night, night is as black as the sea, oh yes
At night, the darkness is as deep and dense as the ocean.
There will be peace in the valley for me, some day
I am hopeful that one day there will be peace in my surroundings.
There will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord I pray
I pray to the Lord that there will be peace in my life and surroundings.
There'll be no sadness, no sorrow
There will be no anguish nor despair.
No trouble I see
I will not confront any problems or challenges.
There will be peace in the valley for me, for me
Peace will come upon me regardless of my sins and shortcomings.
Well the bear will be gentle
The fierce wild bear will become mild and gentle.
And the wolves will be tame
Even the untamed ferocious wolves will be transformed and subdued.
And the lion shall lay down with the lamb, oh yes
The king of the beasts, a lion, will lay with a harmless lamb, displaying peace and harmony.
And the beasts from the wild
Even the wildest animals and beasts-
Will be lit by a child
Will be guided and pacified by a child.
And I'll be changed, changed from this creature that I am, oh yes
As a result of this change, I myself shall be transformed into a new being, free of the evil habits that afflict me currently.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Tratore
Written by: Thomas A. Dorsey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind