Peace in the Valley

Scripture Meditation

Isaiah  11:6  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.


Oh well, I'm tired and so weary
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 will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord I pray
There'll be no sadness, no sorrow
No trouble, 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 by the lamb, oh yes
And the beasts from the wild
Shall 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, oh Lord I pray
There'll be no sadness, no sorrow
No trouble, trouble I see
There will be peace in the valley for me, for me

Words and Music: Thomas A. Dorsey 1937

With a music teacher for a mother, and a Baptist minister for a father, it seems only natural that Thomas Dorsey would be likely to write sacred music.  He started, however, playing piano in Chicago speakeasies with historic jazz and blues figures like Ma Rainey and Tampa Red Whitaker.  He wrote over 400 jazz and rhythm and blues tunes, including the blues hit, "Tight Like That" in 1928.  Becoming dissatisfied with his life, he turned to the Lord's will.  Dorsey became a publisher of black Gospel music and established the Dorsey House of Music in 1932 in Chicago. 

He wrote Peace in the Valley for Mahalia Jackson in 1932.  In October 1979 he was the first black elected to the Nashville Songwriters International Hall of Fame.  In 1981 he was elected to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

Summing up his life, he says all his work has been from God, for God, and for his people.