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Facts:
- Lyricist: Scottish Psalter
Lyrics Date: 1850
Key: F
Theme: God's Faithfulness
- Composer: Jessie S. Irvine
Music Date: 1871
Tune: CRIMOND
Meter: C.M.
Scripture: Psalm 23
Devotional:
In a beautiful paraphrase of Psalm 23, this week's hymn gives us a reassuring-and challenging-image of God. He's celebrated as our shepherd, the One who provides for all our needs. And those words wash us with the "quiet waters" of peace because they assure us that God will never leave us in want.
But the image of God as shepherd also confronts us with this challenging question: If God is our shepherd, are we sheep who follow and trust? Or do we wander our own way?
The ...
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In a beautiful paraphrase of Psalm 23, this week's hymn gives us a reassuring-and challenging-image of God. He's celebrated as our shepherd, the One who provides for all our needs. And those words wash us with the "quiet waters" of peace because they assure us that God will never leave us in want.
But the image of God as shepherd also confronts us with this challenging question: If God is our shepherd, are we sheep who follow and trust? Or do we wander our own way?
The gentle shepherd promises to lead us to pasture-to fill our every need. Yet how often have we looked for food somewhere else? Some neglect their faith and family to work long hours, not trusting God to provide in another way. Others hold onto unhealthy relationships, fearful of being left alone.
In hundreds of such ways, Christians wander from the Shepherd. And at the root of our wanderings lies a lack of trust in God-a fear that he won't come through. Not content with the quiet pasture God's provided for today, we start worrying about tomorrow and devising our own plans to fill our needs.
When you struggle with those doubts, sing the words of our hymn often and let them rest in your soul. You don't need to worry about tomorrow's needs. Your Shepherd has provided enough for today. And he'll do the same for tomorrow and every day beyond.
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Hymn Story:
"The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want" first appeared in print in the Scottish Psalter of 1650. This Psalter was assembled by the Westminster Assembly, which also gave us the Westminster Confession and the Book of Common Prayer. In it, portions from various sources were combined to create the beautiful hymn we know today.
Though it was well-loved in Scotland, "The Lord's My Shepherd" did not enjoy popularity outside the Church of Scotland for nearly 300 years. It finally appeared i...
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"The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want" first appeared in print in the Scottish Psalter of 1650. This Psalter was assembled by the Westminster Assembly, which also gave us the Westminster Confession and the Book of Common Prayer. In it, portions from various sources were combined to create the beautiful hymn we know today.
Though it was well-loved in Scotland, "The Lord's My Shepherd" did not enjoy popularity outside the Church of Scotland for nearly 300 years. It finally appeared in the Methodist Hymnal of 1876 and later the Congregational Hymnal of 1916. But it wasn't included in an Anglican hymnbook until 1965.
The hymn version of Psalm 23 remains faithful to David's psalm. Its popularity in England grew in part because of its use during the 1947 marriage ceremony between Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. Since that time, it's become a well-known hymn, often requested for weddings and funerals today.