The King of Love My Shepherd Is, ELW 502
Devotion
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.
Thou spreadst a table in my sight;
thine unction grace bestoweth;
and, oh, what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!
And so, through all the length of days,
thy goodness faileth never.
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
within thy house forever.
This sacred hymn mirrors the 23rd Psalm and is considered one of its most beautiful renditions. It was written by Henry W. Baker in the early 1800s and set to an ancient Irish melody; yet it is contemporary in every way. In fact it appears over and over on YouTube. In one YouTube rendition the hymn is beautifully heard on piano. The pianist wrote, "I absolutely love this song, a true musical gem." A viewer responded, "A lovely hymn, I would like it played at my funeral." It turns out that it was sung at a very public funeral—at the funeral of the late Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, in Westminster Abbey, London, on September 6, 1997.
As we sing this hymn we can't help but be swept up in the picture of the strong faith expressed by Henry Baker. We are enfolded in that faith from the words of the first verse, "The king of Love my shepherd is," to the final line of the hymn, "Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise within thy house forever." With his words Henry Baker is calling us to sing, play, and dance those words in our heart.
When Henry Williams Baker passed away in 1877, he must have been playing the hymn in his heart. His friend, John Ellerton, reported that his last words were: "Perverse and foolish oft I stayed, But yet in love He sought me, And on His shoulder gently laid, And home, rejoicing, brought me."
Prayer
Dear Lord, You are our Good Shepherd. Hold me close today as I live my life. May I reflect a faith that helps me to be without fear even in the midst of tough times, to be hopeful even when I feel weak and alone. Then, as always, hold me gently in your love. Amen.