“Blind Man Lay Beside the Way”

Description

"Blind man lay beside the way, He could not see the light of day, The Lord passed by and heard him say: 'O Lord, won't you help-a me?'" "A man he died, was crucified, They hung a thief on either side, One lifted up his voice and cried, 'O Lord...'"

Supplemental text

Blind Man Lay Beside the Way
  Complete text(s)

          *** A ***

From Carl Sandburg, The American Songbag, pp. 452-453. No source
indicated.

  Blind man lay beside the way,
  He could not see the light of day....
  The Lord passed by and heard him say:
  "O Lord, won't you help-a me!
  O Lord, won't you help-a me!"

2 A man he died, was crucified,
  They hung a thief on either side;
  One lifted up his voice and cried:
  "O Lord, won't you help-a me!
  O Lord, won't you help-a me!"

3 A blind man lay by the way and cried,
  "O Lord, won't you help-a me!"
  And the thief cried out before he died,
  "O Lord, won't you help-a me!
  O Lord, won't you help-a me!"

Notes

The miracle most associated with Jesus was healing -- especially "casting out demons" (curing epilepsy and/or insanity) and giving sight to the blind.

There are several accounts in the gospels of curing the blind (e.g. Matt. 9:27f., 20:29f.; Mark 7:22f.; John 9:1). The account here is most reminiscent of that in Mark 10:46f.=Luke18:35 (Bartimaeus; in the parallel in Matthew there are *two* blind men).

Although Matt. 27:38, Mark 15:28, Luke 23:32, John 19:18 all mention the criminals crucified along with Jesus, only Luke 23:39 mentions one of them repenting. - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "Blind Man" (theme)

References

1. Sandburg, pp. 452-453, "Blind Man Lay Beside the Way" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. ST San452 (Full)
3. BI, San452