Hymn Story: There is a Balm in Gilead
“There Is A Balm in Gilead” is a traditional spiritual. While the date of composition is unknown, the song dates back to at least the 19th Century. A version of the refrain can be found in Washington Glass’s 1854 hymn “The Sinner’s Cure”.
A “balm in Gilead” is a reference from the Old Testament taken from Jeremiah 8:22.