The United Methodist Hymnal · No. 448 · Words: Traditional African American Spiritual · Tune: TUBMAN
Go Down, Moses
Create PowerPoint slides from this hymn →Go Down, Moses is a traditional African American spiritual retelling the biblical story of Moses demanding Pharaoh free the Israelites from bondage. Long associated with the Underground Railroad, it became one of the most powerful freedom songs of the 19th century.
Verse 1
When Israel was
in Egypt’s land,
let my people go;
oppressed so hard
they could not stand,
let my people go.
Refrain
Go down, (go down)
Moses, (Moses)
way down in Egypt’s land;
tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
Verse 2
“Thus saith the Lord,”
bold Moses said,
let my people go;
“if not I’ll smite
your firstborn dead,”
let my people go.
Refrain
Go down, (go down)
Moses, (Moses)
way down in Egypt’s land;
tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
Verse 3
No more shall they
in bondage toil,
let my people go;
let them come out
with Egypt’s spoil,
let my people go.
Refrain
Go down, (go down)
Moses, (Moses)
way down in Egypt’s land;
tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
Verse 4
We need not always
weep and mourn,
let my people go;
and wear those slavery
chains forlorn,
let my people go.
Refrain
Go down, (go down)
Moses, (Moses)
way down in Egypt’s land;
tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
Verse 5
Come, Moses, you
will not get lost,
let my people go;
stretch out your rod
and come across,
let my people go.
Refrain
Go down, (go down)
Moses, (Moses)
way down in Egypt’s land;
tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
Verse 6
As Israel stood
by the water’s side,
let my people go;
at God’s command
it did divide,
let my people go.
Refrain
Go down, (go down)
Moses, (Moses)
way down in Egypt’s land;
tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
Verse 7
When they had reached
the other shore,
let my people go;
they sang a song
of triumph o’er,
let my people go.
Refrain
Go down, (go down)
Moses, (Moses)
way down in Egypt’s land;
tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
Verse 8
O Moses, the cloud
shall cleave the way,
let my people go;
a fire by night,
a shade by day,
let my people go.
Refrain
Go down, (go down)
Moses, (Moses)
way down in Egypt’s land;
tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
Verse 9
Your foes shall not
before you stand,
let my people go;
and you’ll possess
fair Canaan’s land,
let my people go.
Refrain
Go down, (go down)
Moses, (Moses)
way down in Egypt’s land;
tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
Verse 10
This world’s a
wilderness of woe,
let my people go;
O let us on
to Canaan go,
let my people go.
Refrain
Go down, (go down)
Moses, (Moses)
way down in Egypt’s land;
tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
Verse 11
O let us all
from bondage flee,
let my people go;
and let us all
in Christ be free,
let my people go.
Refrain
Go down, (go down)
Moses, (Moses)
way down in Egypt’s land;
tell old Pharaoh
to let my people go!
Appears in these collections
Go Down, Moses is in the public domain. Make a free PowerPoint, PDF, or image set for church projection with Song Slides — no signup.