Go Down, Moses

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When Israel was in Egypt's Land

Author: Anonymous
Tune: GO DOWN MOSES
Scripture Songs
Published in 36 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, Sibelius
Audio files: MIDI

Piano/Organ
	Bread of Life - Hymn Settings for Piano

Full Text

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, Moses, way down in Egypt's land,
tell old Pharaoh: Let my people go.

2 The Lord told Moses what to do,
Let my people go,
to lead the Hebrew children through,
Let my people go. [Refrain]

3 As Israel stood by the waterside,
Let my people go,
at God's command it did divide,
Let my people go. [Refrain]

4 When they had reached the other shore,
Let my people go,
they let the song of triumph soar,
Let my people go. [Refrain]

5 Lord, help us all from bondage flee,
Let my people go,
and let us all in Christ be free,
Let my people go. [Refrain]

Psalter Hymnal, 1987

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Author: Anonymous

In some hymnals, the editors noted that a hymn's author is unknown to them, and so this artificial "person" entry is used to reflect that fact. Obviously, the hymns attributed to "Author Unknown" "Unknown" or "Anonymous" could have been written by many people over a span of many centuries. Go to person page >

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Related Texts

For the Healing of the Nations

First Line:	When Israel was in Egypt's Land
Title:	Go Down, Moses
Author:	Anonymous
Meter:	Irregular
Source:	African-American spiritual
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	Go down, Moses
Copyright:	Public Domain
Liturgical Use:	Scripture Songs

Year B, Ordinary Time, Proper 7 (12)

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Notes

Scripture References:
all st. = Ex. 7

This African American spiritual dates from before the Civil War. It was published in the Jubilee Songs (1872), made popular by the Jubilee Singers of Fisk University in their concert tours (see also PHH 356). Often known by its refrain line, "Go down, Moses," the spiritual was also published in J. B. T. Marsh's The Story of the Jubilee Singers with their Songs (1876). "When Israel Was in Egypt's Land" originally had twenty-four stanzas of which the Psalter Hymnal (as well as other modern hymnals) include four narrative stanzas and one stanza of application. Commenting on the spiritual’s message, John Lovell, Jr., writes:

"Go Down, Moses" does not employ the undercurrent symbolism of "Steal Away to Jesus" and other such poems. Only a very obtuse listener can miss its point. It says flatly that Moses freed these Egyptian slaves boldly and justly because slavery is wrong. It clearly projects the principles of this experience to all the world: wherever men are held in bondage, they must and shall be freed. The "Let my people go!" refrain is thunderous. It does not argue economic, sociological, historical, and racial points. . . . It wastes no words and moves relentlessly toward its goal of filling every listener with a pervasive contempt for oppression and a resounding enthusiasm for freedom.
-from Black Song, 1972, pp. 326-327

A stanza not printed in the Psalter Hymnal reiterates Lovell's point:

We need not always weep and moan
Let my people go!
And wear these slavery chains forlorn
Let my people go!

Psalter Hymnal is a prayer to God for freedom for all who are oppressed, a petition for liberation in Christ.

Liturgical Use:
Worship that focuses on the Old Testament Exodus event or on redemption for the oppressed and freedom in Christ; Easter Vigil service.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

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Tune

GO DOWN MOSES

The spiritual is in the call-and-response pattern: a leader sings the verses with some rhythmic freedom, either unaccompanied or with only light accompaniment; the entire congregation sings the phrases "Let my people go!" and the refrain, probably in harmony. That practice fits well for stanzas 1-4,…

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All tunes published with 'Go Down, Moses'^ top

For Leaders

Worship Notes
Bulletin Blurb
Scores

Text:

The text of this spiritual originated among the slaves in the South of the United States before the Civil War. It was transcribed by Lewis Lockwood from the singing of some refugee slaves in 1861, and was published in December of that year in the National Anti-Slavery Standard. The original text was quite long, with over twenty stanzas. Modern hymnals typically print four or five stanzas. The theme of the song is fairly uniform. It is about demanding freedom from oppression in unequivocal terms.

Tune:

The tune presumably developed with the words. It is often named GO DOWN MOSES after the text, but sometimes it is called TUBMAN, after Harriet Tubman, the ex-slave who helped others escape and who was called the “Moses of her people.” This spiritual tune is designed for call-and-response singing. The music for the unique lines of the stanza text should be sung by a solo voice or by a group in unison, with the entire congregation singing in harmony on “Let My people go” and the refrain.

When/Why/How:

This hymn is obviously well-suited to worship services on the themes of the Exodus story or, more generally, freedom and oppression. The authority of God to compel Pharaoh to “let My people go” is brought across quite well in a fiery, energetic arrangement of this spiritual for organ and piano duet as the first movement of "A Symphony of Spirituals." More typical choral arrangements include a short a capella setting of "When Israel Was in Egypt's Land," with an ostinato line for the bass voices, and "Go Down, Moses," a dynamically expressive arrangement for choir and soloists in call-and-response style with subtle organ accompaniment.

Tiffany Shomsky
Hymnary.org

This song is about freedom from bondage. In the story of the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt, God sent Moses to Pharaoh repeatedly to carry the divine message, “Let My people go,” but each time Pharaoh refused. Sometimes the bondage of the Israelites became worse, yet God told Moses to persist, and eventually, the Israelites were freed after God had shown His power through the ten plagues. True freedom never comes unless the power of God is behind it; yet when God moves, He is irresistible.

Full Score	Bulletin Score	Bulletin Score (melody only)

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Timeline

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Arrangements

Media

Scores
Audio

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #476

Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF, SIB, Scorch)
Bulletin Score (PDF, SIB, Scorch)
Full Score (PDF, SIB, Scorch, XML)

Timeless Truths #89

Let_My_People_Go.sib (SIB, Scorch)

Worship and Rejoice #618

Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF, SIB, Scorch, XML)
Bulletin Score (PDF, SIB, Scorch, XML)
Full Score (PDF, SIB, Scorch, XML)

MIDI file from Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #476
MIDI file from Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #476
MIDI file from Worship and Rejoice #618

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Page Scans

African American Heritage Hymnal (2001), p.862

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Instances

Meter	First Line	Instances (11)	Text Title	Refrain First Line	Composers	Scripture	Tune Title	Tune Key	Languages	Publication Date
8.5.8.5 with refrain	When Israel was in Egypt's land	Presbyterian Hymnal #334	When Israel Was in Egypt's Land	Go down, Moses	Melva W. Costen	Exodus 8:1; Exodus 11:4	GO DOWN MOSES	f minor	English	1990
8.5.8.5 with refrain	When Israel was in Egypt's land	The United Methodist Hymnal #448	Go Down, Moses	Go down, Moses	William Farley Smith	Exodus 3:7-12	TUBMAN	g minor	English	1989
8.5.8.5 with refrain	When Israel was in Egypt's land	African American Heritage Hymnal #543	Go Down, Moses	Go down, Moses, 'Way down in Egypt's land		Exodus 6:10-11	GO DOWN MOSES	B Flat Major	English	2001
8.5.8.5 with refrain	When Israel was in Egypt's land	The New Century Hymnal #572	When Israel Was in Egypt's Land	Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt's land		Exodus 3:7-12; Exodus 10:3; Exodus 9:1-13; Exodus 8:1-20	GO DOWN, MOSES	g minor		1995
8.5.8.5 with refrain	When Israel was in Egypt's land	Hymnal 1982: according to the use of the Episcopal Church #648		Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt's land	Horace Clarence Boyer, b. 1935		GO DOWN, MOSES	A Flat Major	English	1985
8.5.8.5 with refrain	When Israel was in Egypt's land	With One Voice #670	When Israel Was in Egypt's Land	Go down, Moses	John R. Work, 1871-1925; David Cherwien, b. 1957	Exodus 13; Exodus 8:1; Exodus 14; Exodus 15	TUBMAN	g minor or modal	English	1995
Irregular	When Israel was in Egypt's land	Lift Up Your Hearts: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs #42	When Israel Was in Egypt’s Land	Go down, Moses	John W. Work, 1871-1925	Exodus 15:1-18	GO DOWN MOSES	g minor		2013
Irregular	When Israel was in Egypt's land	The Covenant Hymnal: a worshipbook #119	When Israel Was in Egypt's Land	Go down, Moses	John W. Work, 1871-1925		GO DOWN MOSES	g minor		1996
Irregular	When Israel was in Egypt's Land	Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #476	When Israel Was in Egypt's Land	Go down, Moses	John W. Work, 1871-1925	Psalm 114:1; Exodus 7	GO DOWN, MOSES	g minor	English	1987
Irregular	When Israel was in Egypt's land	Worship and Rejoice #618	Go Down, Moses	Go down, Moses		Exodus 5:1-2; Exodus 3:10-13	GO DOWN, MOSES	f sharp minor	English	2001
Irregular	When Israel was in Egypt's land	Chalice Hymnal #663	Go Down, Moses	Go down, Moses		Exodus 3:7-12	GO DOWN MOSES	f minor	English	1995