The King of love my Shepherd is

1
The King of love my Shepherd is,
  Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am His,
  And He is mine forever.
2
Where streams of living water flow
  My ransomed soul He leadeth,
And, where the verdant pastures grow,
  With food celestial feedeth.
3
Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
  But yet in love He sought me,
And on His shoulder gently laid,
  And home rejoicing brought me.
4
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.
5
Thou spread'st a table in my sight;
  Thy unction grace bestoweth;
And oh, what transport of delight
  From Thy pure chalice floweth!
6
And so through all the length of days
  Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
  Within Thy house forever.
25
Steve Miller

Detroit, MI, United States

The original "Hymns Ancient and Modern" (1861) owed its existence to Sir Henry Williams Baker, in which he contributed 25 hymns, both original and translated. He was especially gifted as a hymn-mender. Many of the hymns submitted for this compilation were altered and improved by him. In spite of the fact that these were improvements, some people accused him of mutilating their hymns. His hymns have a freshness, simplicity, and rhythmic ease, the best-known being "The King of love my Shepherd is". - Songs of the Spirit by Martin


Steve Miller

Detroit, MI, United States

When Henry Baker, an Anglican clergyman, was asked to compile a new hymnal for his church, he added this hymn, a paraphrase of Psalm 23, to the appendix of the hymnal. The fact that this hymnal sold more than 60 million copies indicates that he did his job well.

As Baker was dying, his last words came from the 3rd stanza of this hymn: "Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed, but yet in love He sought me." - Great Songs of Faith by Brown & Norton


Robert Johnson

Port Richey, Florida, United States

"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not WANT."

We moderns seem to be consumed with WANTING!

Evidently we do not know the Shepherd.


John Semple

Largs, Ayrshire, United Kingdom

Just retired and wondering what the future holds but it's nice to know that the Shepherd is still leading. Praise His Name.


Siling Zhou

United States

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall lack nothing." Psa. 23:1