Lord, I have a heavy burden
Of all I've seen and known.
It's more than I can handle
But your word is burning like a fire
Shut up in my bones
And I can't let it go

And when I'm weary and overwrought
With so many battles left unfought
I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
And when the saints go marching in
I wanna be one of them

Lord, it's all that I can carry
Can I leave behind
It all can overwhelm me
But when I think of all who've gone before
And lived the faithful life
Their courage compels me

And when I'm weary and overrun
With so many battles left unfought
I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
I see the sheperd, Moses, in the pharoah's court
I hear his call of freedom for the people of the Lord
And when the saints go marching in
I wanna be one of them
And when the saints go marching in
I wanna be one of them

I see the long, quiet walk along the underground railroad
I see the slave awaken to the value of his soul
I see the young missionary and the angry spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear
I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sister standing by the dying man's side
I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kickin down that door
I see the man of sorrow and his long troubled road
I see the world on his shoulders and my easy road
And when the saints go marching in
I wanna be one of them
And when the saints go marching in
I wanna be one of them
I wanna be one of them
I wanna be one of them
I wanna be one of them