Psalm 23

This last version of Psalm 23 by Stuart Townend is the version I often find myself humming. It has a very catch melody, and I’m sure it will leave you humming too! Have a blessed Lord’s Day.

The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want;
He makes me lie in pastures green.
He leads me by the still, still waters,
His goodness restores my soul.

Refrain
And I will trust in You alone,
And I will trust in You alone,
For Your endless mercy follows me,
Your goodness will lead me home.

He guides my ways in righteousness,
And He anoints my head with oil,
And my cup, it overflows with joy,
I feast on His pure delights.

Refrain

And though I walk the darkest path,
I will not fear the evil one,
For You are with me, and Your rod and staff
Are the comfort I need to know.

Refrain

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Shepherd

This penultimate song is from CityAlight and draws on many of the themes from Psalm 23; enjoy!

Though I walk through the valley
And I can’t see the way;
When the shadows surround me
I will not be afraid.

For I know You are with me,
You will always provide;
Though the path may be lonely,
You will stay by my side.
I will rest my soul;
I’ll trust in You alone.

Refrain
For the Lord my Shepherd
Leads me, leads me
And He is all I need
In the darkest valley
I know, I know
My Shepherd is all I need

Lord I know that You seek me,
When I’m trying to hide;
And Your love it pursues me,
All the days of my life.
I will rest my soul
I’ll trust in You alone

Refrain

I rest my soul
In You alone
You light my way
You lead me on

Refrain

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The King of Love My Shepherd Is

Sir Henry Williams Baker (1821-1877), the author of this hymn and also the vicar of Monkland Priory Church in Herefordshire, England. He wrote many hymns of fine emotion and intellect, and yet his lyrical transcription of the 23rd Psalm was what came to him as he approached “death’s dark vale.” He died in 1877 in the parsonage of the church where he had served for more than thirty years – he is said to have spoken stanza three of this hymn as his last words before dying1.

The King of love my shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never.
I nothing lack if I am his,
And he is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow,
My ransomed soul he leadeth;
And where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed,
But yet in love he sought me;
And on his shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.

In death’s dark vale I fear no ill,
With thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.

And so through all the length of days,
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
Within thy house forever.

1umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-the-king-of-love-my-shepherd-is

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The Lord’s my Shepherd (1650 Scottish Psalter)

This song is a versification of the Authorized (King James) Version of the Bible (1611), now often ascribed to Cornish nobleman Francis Rous (1580–1659); it appeared only four decades after the KJV and remains one of the most assuring versions of Psalm 23 nearly four centuries later. I have included 2 modern versions below.

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.

My soul He doth restore again
and me to walk doth make;
Within the paths of righteousness
ev’n for His own name’s sake.

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, my comfort still.

My table Thou hast furnished
In presence of my foes;
My head Thou dost with oil anoint
And my cup overflows.

Goodness and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me;
And in God’s house for evermore
My dwelling-place shall be.

1worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/michael-hawn-ten-favorite-hymns-on-psalm-23/

He Leadeth Me

This hymn based on Psalm 23 was written during the American Civil War by Joseph Gilmore (1834–1918), a New England seminary professor and Baptist minister. Preaching at First Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Gilmore described the hymn’s origins: “I set out to give the people an exposition of the twenty-third psalm, which I had given before on three or four occasions, but this time I did not get further than the words ‘He leadeth me.’ Psalm 23:2, ‘he leadeth me beside the still waters,’ became the theme of the song.” The hymn lyrically follows the flow of the psalm and is anchored in the refrain added by composer William Bradbury (1816–1868), which states the theme “He leadeth me” four times, offering abiding assurance1.

He leadeth me: O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

Refrain:
He leadeth me, he leadeth me;
by his own hand he leadeth me:
his faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me.

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
sometimes where Eden’s flowers bloom,
by waters calm, o’er troubled sea,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

Refrain

Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
nor ever murmur nor repine;
content, whatever lot I see,
since ’tis my God that leadeth me.

Refrain

And when my task on earth is done,
when, by thy grace, the victory’s won,
e’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
since God through Jordan leadeth me.

Refrain

1worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/michael-hawn-ten-favorite-hymns-on-psalm-23/

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Jesus the Shepherd of My Soul

The next song based on Psalm 23 is this song from Sovereign Grace’s latest album; I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one!

Jesus the shepherd of my soul,
All of my needs supplies;
By living waters gives me rest,
Keeping me by His side.
Bringing my wandering spirit back,
When I forsake His ways;
Leading me for His mercy’s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.

Jesus the shepherd of my soul,
When in the valley deep;
Death like a shadow hides my way,
Still You are leading me.
I will not fear the darkest hour,
Faithful You will remain;
Comforting with Your rod and staff,
Driving my fears away.

Jesus the shepherd of my soul,
Keeping me from all harm;
Ever until He leads me home,
Safely into His arms.
When I behold Him face to face,
Then I will look and see;
Goodness and mercy from His hand,
Surely have followed me.

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My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

One of the blessings we have as God’s church is a song book originally given to Israel, then to us, in the form of the book of Psalms. My husband has been working on a playlist to collect a song for every Psalm, as close to the ESV translation as he can find, so he can mediate on the truth throughout the day. Inspired by this endeavour, this week will be dedicated to hymns and songs based on probably is the most famous Psalm – Psalm 23!

My favourite song based on Psalm 23 is “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need” written by Isaac Watts, who wrote many hymns based on the Psalms. I have included my favourite version, as well as a more traditional one, below.

My Shepherd will supply my need;
Jehovah is His Name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wand’ring spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy’s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.

When I walk through the shades of death,
Thy presence is my stay;
A word of Thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows;
Thine oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be mine abode,
And all my work be praise!
There would I find a settled rest
While others go and come,
No more a stranger or a guest,
But like a child at home.

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Glory be to God the Father

This hymn was written by Horatius Bonar in 1866, and was published in his Hymns of Faith and Hope in 4 stanzas of 6 lines, and entitled “Praise.” It is included in several collections in Great Britain and America, in its original form. The last stanza is sometimes used as a doxology distinct from the hymn itself1. The hymn was written for an English Presbyterian Church hymn book. It is based on the 4th-century ‘conclusion’, Gloria Patri, known as the ‘Lesser Doxology’, sung at the end of psalms and canticles2.

Glory be to God the Father,
Glory be to God the Son,
Glory be to God the Spirit:
Great Jehovah, Three in One!
Glory, glory while eternal ages run!

Glory be to him who loved us,
Washed us from each spot and stain;
Glory be to him who bought us,
Made us kings with him to reign!
Glory, glory to the Lamb that once was slain!

Glory to the King of angels,
Glory to the Church’s King,
Glory to the King of nations;
Heav’n and earth your praises bring!
Glory, glory, to the King of glory sing!

Glory, blessing, praise eternal!
Thus the choir of angels sings;
Honour, riches, pow’r, dominion!
Thus its praise creation brings.

1hymnary.org/text/glory_be_to_god_the_father_glory_be_to
2music.churchofscotland.org.uk/hymn/110-glory-be-to-god-the-father

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Commit Thou All Thy Griefs

This hymn was written by Lutheran an famous author of Lutheran evangelical hymns, Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676), and was later translated by John Wesley. Gerhardt’s hymn is a Lutheran acrostic, and Wesley makes no attempt to follow that (the omission of stanzas, and the change of language, would have made it impossible). The translation was first published in Hymns and Sacred Poems in 1739, with the title ‘Trust in Providence. From the German.’ Gerhardt experienced much suffering in his life;­ he and his parishioners lived in the era of the Thirty Years’ War, and his family experi­enced incredible tragedy: four of his five children died young, and his wife died after a prolonged illness. In the history of hymnody Gerhardt is considered a transitional figure-he wrote at a time when hymns were changing from a more objective, confes­sional, and corporate focus to a pietistic, devotional, and personal one1

Commit thou all thy griefs
And ways into His hands,
To His sure truth and tender care,
Who earth and heaven commands.

Who points the clouds their course,
Whom winds and seas obey,
He shall direct thy wandering feet,
He shall prepare thy way.

Thou on the Lord rely,
So safe, shalt thou go on;
Fix on His work thy steadfast eye,
So shall thy work be done.

No profit canst thou gain
By self-consuming care;
To Him commend thy cause, His ear
Attends the softest prayer.

Thy everlasting truth,
Father, Thy ceaseless love,
Sees all Thy children’s wants, and knows
What best for each will prove.

Thou everywhere hast sway,
And all things serve Thy might,
Thy every at pure blessing is,
Thy path unsullied light.

1hymnary.org/text/commit_thou_all_thy_griefs

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O Church, Arise

This song is written by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty. It’s inspired by the many allusions of God’s church waging war – not against flesh and people, but against the sin that still dwells within us and the devil who desires to devour us. Praise God that in Christ and by the Spirit we have the guaranteed victory!

O Church, arise, and put your armour on;
Hear the call of Christ our Captain.
For now the weak can say that they are strong
In the strength that God has given.
With shield of faith and belt of truth,
We’ll stand against the devil’s lies;
An army bold, whose battle-cry is Love,
Reaching out to those in darkness.

Our call to war, to love the captive soul
But to rage against the captor;
And with the sword that makes the wounded whole,
We will fight with faith and valour.
When faced with trials on every side
We know the outcome is secure,
And Christ will have the prize for which He died,
An inheritance of nations.

Come see the cross, where love and mercy meet,
As the Son of God is stricken;
Then see His foes lie crushed beneath His feet,
For the Conqueror has risen!
And as the stone is rolled away,
And Christ emerges from the grave,
This victory march continues till the day
Every eye and heart shall see Him.

So Spirit, come put strength in every stride,
Give grace for every hurdle,
That we may run with faith to win the prize
Of a servant good and faithful.
As saints of old still line the way,
Retelling triumphs of His grace,
We hear their calls and hunger for the day
When with Christ we stand in glory.

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