The Lord Is My Shepherd from Psalm 23: Lyrics and meaning explained
MANY people, even those who don't regularly attend church services, will recognise the hymn The Lord Is My Shepherd from the opening titles of The Vicar of Dibley.
But it far outdates Geraldine Granger and her hilarious antics as it originated from the 1600s.
What are the lyrics to The Lord is my Shepherd?
Hymns, as an act of worship hold a special place in many people's hearts - whether that's because their personal faith resonates with the lyrics or because of the nostalgia of school assemblies.
That's why many choose these songs at weddings and funerals.
Indeed, the Queen selected The Lord Is My Shepherd to be sung at her funeral on Monday, September 19, 2022.
The song, based on the words of Psalm 23, is believed to be one of her favourites.
Read more about hymns
Here are the lyrics so you can sing along:
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,
e’en 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 me 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 forevermore
my dwelling place shall be.
and in God’s house forevermore
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Who wrote The Lord Is My Shepherd?
The song itself was written by Francis Rous, a lawyer and scholar who was born in 1579.
Francis was from Halton in Cornwall and was a devout Puritan.
He became a lawyer and the MP for Truro during the reigns of King James and Charles I.
He was appointed a member of the Westminster Assembly; of the High Commission; and of the Triers for examining and licensing candidates for the ministry - which basically means he was the Simon Cowell of vicars for a while.
He also held other appointments under Oliver Cromwell, including that of Provost of Eton College.
He died in Acton on January 7, 1659, and is buried in the Chapel of Eton College, in Oxford.
It is commonly sung to the tune Crimond, which is thought to be composed by Jessie Seymour Irvine.
A more modern adaptation of the classic hymn was written by Start Townend in 1996.
It includes the chorus: "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."
What is the meaning of the Lord is my Shepherd?
The song itself is a reworking of the words of Psalm 23 from the Bible.
It's an incredibly famous passage of the Holy text and has lent itself to many other pop culture moments.
This includes, but is not limited to, the opening line of Coolio's Gangsta's Paradise "As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death" which is taken from verse 4 of the Psalm.
The first line of the Psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing," was both a message of gratitude and a declaration of trust by King David for God.
It was his recognition that he could rely on God to look after him and care for him, just as a sheep relies on a shepherd to feed and care for his flock.
His statement "I lack nothing" doesn't refer to financial riches or assets (although as a king he wasn't running low) but that when he was relying on God, he was spiritually fulfilled and needed nothing more than God's love in his life.
Has The Lord Is My Shepherd been sung at other royal occasions?
The Queen's funeral was not the first royal occasion when the famous hymn was sung.
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In a touching and profound gesture, the song was picked as it was also played during Queen Elizabeth's wedding to Prince Philip in 1947.
In order to mark the momentous occasion, a special descant was composed for the young royal couple.