Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley

Jesus Walked this Lonesome Valley

White Spiritual recorded by Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Pete Seeger, Mississippi John Hurt and the King’s Heralds.

Being a true “folk song,” versions vary somewhat. Most include the following verses.

Jesus walked this lonesome valley.
He had to walk it by Himself;
O, nobody else could walk it for Him,
He had to walk it by Himself.

We must walk this lonesome valley,
We have to walk it by ourselves;
O, nobody else can walk it for us,
We have to walk it by ourselves.

You must go and stand your trial,
You have to stand it by yourself,
O, nobody else can stand it for you,
You have to stand it by yourself.

Pete Seeger added the following verses in performance

Now Daniel was a Bible hero

Was a prophet brave and true

In a den of hungry lions

He showed what faith can do for you.

Now some folks say John was a Baptist

Some folks say he was a Jew;

But the Holy Bible tells us

That he was a preacher too.

And, bless his heart, he added another verse about "union" stuff, but you know Pete and I'm not going to be critical.

Mississippi John Hurt plays this song finger picking style, using the G position with fingers 2, 3 & 4 and sliding that position up and down the fretboard forming the chords, with his little finger tracing the melody on the first string. This is how he does it.

You got to walk that lonesome valley,

Well, you got to walk it for your self;

Ain’t nobody else can walk if for you,

You got to walk that valley for your self.

My mother had to walk that lonesome valley,

Well, she had to walk it for herself;

Nobody else could walk it for her,

Yes, she had to walk that valley for her self.

Oh, yes, you got to walk this lonesome valley,

You got to walk it for your self’;

Yes, nobody else can walk it for you,

You got to walk….

My father had to walk that lonesome valley,

He had to walk it for himself;

Yes, no body else could walk it for him,

He had to walk….

Oh, Jesus had to walk that lonesome valley,

He had to walk it for himself;

Yes, nobody else could walk it for him,

He had to walk that valley for his self.

Oh, yes, you got to walk that lonesome valley,

Yes, you got to walk it for your self;

Yes, nobody else can walk it for you,

You got to walk that valley for yourself.

Billy Ed Wheeler, (with Mike Stoller and Jerry Lieber) used “Lonesome Valley” as the core of a song he called “The Reverend Mister Black,” which was released by the Kingston Trio in 1963 becoming a top ten hit on the Billboard that year. “Mr. Black” was also recorded by Bobby Darin (1963), Faron Young (1963), and Johnny Cash (1981). Others who have recorded this song are Tex Ritter, Lonnie Donegan, John Stewart, Tim Grimm, and Sherwin & Pam Linton.

On a biblical note, the only version of the song that is delivered spiritually accurately is the rendition sung by Mississippi John Hurt. The simple insertion by others of the word “by” renders the song unbiblical. In using the word "for" John Hurt puts the song on a solid foundation.

A Christian must never, never think that he is walking this “Lonesome Valley” by himself. Jesus has told us that He will never leave us (John XIII. 18); “I will fear no evil for thou are with me.” (Psalm XXIII. 4); and He assures us that He will be with us even unto the end of the world, (Matt. XXVIII. 20).

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."
                                      Isaiah XLI. 10

Jesus will always walk this “Valley” with us; but he cannot and will not walk it for us. He walked it for us once; now, in faith and trust, we must follow Him. No one can walk it “for” us; we must walk it “for” ourselves, but, praise the Lord, not “by” ourselves.”

                               GD