The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want

"The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want" (LSB 710) is a rendition of Psalm 23.

The inverted word order and awkward turns of phrase are deliberately an attempt to keep the hymn as close to the Biblical text as possible, while allowing the English translation to rhyme.

As King David considered himself a lamb in the tender care of his Shepherd, so we also take our place among the flock in stanza one. Also, the Sacramental character of the text becomes possible as we here see the meadows of the mountain heights of Israel rolling with plush paddock, and the Lord, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), leading us to the superior grazing land He provides, where He causes His flock to lie down to feed and be restored (Ezekiel 34:11-15).

In stanza two, the tension of paradise lost because of our fall into sin (Genesis 2:8-17) is present, but it is joyfully eclipsed by the absolution, re-creation, and restoration earned by the sacrifice of the Shepherd (2 Corinthians 5:21) and given in such sacramental feeding. This feeding is a divine right for those who bear the holy name. The sheep are righteous, marked as holy by the placing of His name.

Stanza three tells of the peace of God into the context of this world's suffering.

Stanza four treats the abundance of God's gifts given to those He now calls friends (John 15:15) as they recline at His table (Matthew 8:11) and partake of the feast rejected by and now forbidden to unbelievers, the enemies of God (Matthew 8:12). And with the banquet comes the anointing of oil, the oil of gladness and superabundance, of eternal salvation overflowing in our chalice because the Shepherd suffered the cup in our place. The benefits of this "cup" are now being made available to the believer in the prime grazing land of the Lord's Supper.

Stanza five puts the finishing touches on the beautiful portrait presenting the Lord's faithfulness throughout our earthly journey (Psalm 25:6), with His purpose (1 Timothy 2:4) that we would be gathered before His throne for all eternity!

1 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.

2 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.

3 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.

4 My table Thou hast furnishèd
In presence of my foes;
My head Thou dost with oil anoint,
And my cup overflows.

5 Goodness and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me;
And in God’s house forevermore
My dwelling place shall be.

Text: Public domain