The Lord’s My Shepherd

The Lord’s My Shepherd Lyrics

Francis Rous

1 The Lord’s my shepherd; I’ll not want.
He makes me down to lie
in pastures green; he leadeth me
the quiet waters by.
He leadeth me, he leadeth me
the quiet waters by.

2 My soul he doth restore again
and me to walk doth make
within the paths of righteousness,
e’en for his own name’s sake;
within the paths of righteousness,
e’en for his own name’s sake.

3 Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale,
yet will I fear no ill;
for thou art with me, and thy rod
and staff me comfort still;
for thou art with me, and thy rod
and staff me comfort still.

4 My table thou hast furnished
in presence of my foes;
my head thou dost with oil anoint,
and my cup overflows.
My head thou dost with oil anoint,
and my cup overflows.

5 Goodness and mercy all my life
shall surely follow me,
and in God’s house forevermore
my dwelling place shall be;
and in God’s house forevermore
my dwelling place shall be.

The Lord’s My Shepherd Hymn History

There are so many versions of this hymn out there but the one I have here is by Francis Rous. Francis Rous was born at Halton, Cornwall, in 1579.

It is the musical version of Psalms 23, and most versions strictly follow the text and only play around with the placement of some words for musical effect.

The story behind the decision to add music to the Psalm 23 that I like most is the one from the Scottish missionary, Alexander Duff.

He was on his way by ship from Britain to India in 1830 when the ship was wrecked in a violent storm at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

Fortunately, no lives were lost but almost everything else was lost.

Alexander Duff lost all his books except his Bible and a Scottish Psalm book which were washed ashore.

In India, he and his household began a habit of singing the psalms.

One day he saw a shepherd with his sheep on the mountains.

The shepherd carried a rod with a hook to help the sheep and an iron band for beating off wild animals.

From this experience his mind was now set on adding music to Psalm 23. Psalm 23 talks of God as a Shepherd for his people.

It says even though we walk through some dangerous terrain we will not be afraid because our Shepherd is with us.

Francis Rous - the lord's my shepherd author
Francis Rous

Below are more hymns’ stories and lyrics: –

A Safe Stronghold Our God Is Still

Through All the Changing Scenes of Life

Brethren We Have Met to Worship

At Calvary

‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

The Lord’s My Shepherd Hymn Video

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