The popular hymn, 'The Lord's my Shepherd' comes from the 23rd Psalm in the Bible, and was first published in the 1650 Scottish Psalter. Today it is usually sung to the tune, 'Crimond', which is thought to have been composed by Jessie Seymour Irvine in 1871. The hymn is also famous for being the theme tune to the sitcom the Vicar of Dibley, which starred Dawn French. Let's look into the history and lyrics of 'The Lord is my Shepherd'.
What is the meaning of the 'The Lord is my shepherd'?
In this hymn the Lord is the shepherd who will protect his flock, the people on earth.
What are the lyrics to the hymn 'The Lord is my Shepherd'?
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.
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.
What psalm does 'The Lord is my Shepherd' come from?
The lyrics for 'The Lord is my Shepherd' are taken from Psalm 23, or the 23rd psalm in the Book of Psalms from the Old Testament of the Bible.
Like many other psalms, Psalm 23 features in both Jewish and Christian religious liturgy. In the words of Haredi educator Tziporah Heller, its status as one of the best-known and best-loved psalms is probably due to '"'its universal message of trust in God, and its simplicity'.
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You can find lyrics to more famous hymns here