The Lord's My Shepherd

Last updated
The Lord's My Shepherd
Christian hymn/Metrical Psalm
StJohnsAshfield StainedGlass GoodShepherd Portrait.jpg
Stained glass window depicting Jesus as the Good Shepherd
Writtenc. 1650
TextMetrical translation attributed to Francis Rous
Based on Psalm23
Meter8.6.8.6
MelodyCrimond by Jessie Seymour Irvine
Composedc.1872

"The Lord's My Shepherd" is a Christian hymn. It is a metrical psalm commonly attributed to the English Puritan Francis Rous and based on the text of Psalm 23 in the Bible. The hymn first appeared in the Scots Metrical Psalter in 1650 traced to a parish in Aberdeenshire. [1]

Contents

It is commonly sung to the tune Crimond, which is generally credited to Jessie Seymour Irvine. [2]

History

Francis Rous (1579-1659), credited as the author of "The Lord's My Shepherd" FrancisRous.jpg
Francis Rous (1579–1659), credited as the author of "The Lord's My Shepherd"

"The Lord's My Shepherd" is based on the words of Psalm 23:

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

—  Psalm 23

During the Protestant Reformation in Scotland, the practice of exclusive psalmody made Psalm singing a central part of public worship. The Book of Common Order , introduced in the Church of Scotland by reformer John Knox in 1564, contained metrical versions of all the Psalms, adapted from John Calvin's Genevan Psalter (1539). Psalms were sung to Genevan tunes and were only permitted to be sung in unison. Many revisions were published, but by the mid-17th century, the Churches of England and Scotland were both in need of a new translation. [3]

The English lawyer and politician Francis Rous authored a new metrical paraphrase of the Book of Psalms which he published in 1641. Under Oliver Cromwell, Rous had been appointed a member of the Westminster Assembly and was a prominent figure among the English Puritans. [4] Before his Psalms could be approved, they were subjected to scrutiny by the Long Parliament, and a committee of translators was formed to review submissions by Rous and by his rival, William Barton. The committee deliberated for six years and made extensive alterations to the texts. [4]

Although Rous is now credited as the author of "The Lord's My Shepherd", his text was substantially edited after publication. Rous's original version of Psalm 23 read: [5] [6]

My Shepherd is the Living Lord And He that doth me feed
How can I then lack anything whereof I stand in need?

It is estimated that only 10% of Rous's original text was retained in the final version. [5] In England, Barton's version found favour with the English Parliament but it was the Rous version that won approval in Scotland due to its perceived accuracy in translating source texts, and in 1650, General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the church's ruling body, approved the Rous version for the Scots Metrical Psalter . [4]

Tune

Gnome-mime-audio-openclipart.svg
The tune Crimond
"The Lord's My Shepherd"
sung to the tune Brother James's Air
"The Lord's My Shepherd"
sung to the tune Amazing Grace
Problems playing these files? See media help.
Crimond Parish Church Parish Church of Crimond 11.JPG
Crimond Parish Church
David Grant (1833-1893) plaque David Grant (1833-93) plaque.JPG
David Grant (1833–1893) plaque

"The Lord's My Shepherd" is in common metre (a metre of 8.6.8.6) and it is most commonly sung to the hymn tune Crimond, named after Crimond Church in the Aberdeenshire town of Crimond. [7] It is thought that this tune was composed by Jessie Seymour Irvine, daughter of Rev. Alexander Irvine, minister of the Crimond Parish. Jessie was a keen musician and was undergoing training as an organist at the nearby town of Banff. According to some accounts, she composed the tune in 1871 as an exercise for a composition class and it was first performed at evening worship at Auchterless Parish Church. Dissatisfied with her own harmonisation, she asked David Grant, a musician from Aberdeen, to reharmonise it for her. [8]

At the time, Grant was collaborating with a group of associates compiling hymns and metrical psalms from across the North of Scotland with the intention of publishing them in a new hymnal. His colleagues were Robert Cooper, precentor of Peterhead Parish Church, William Clubb, precentor at Crimond, and William Carnie, a journalist from Aberdeen. Irvine submitted the tune to Carnie. The Northern Psalter was published in 1872, but with Crimond credited solely to David Grant as its composer. The new hymnal was very successful and sold over 70,000 copies. [9]

Irvine died in 1887, and the attribution of the tune to Grant went unchallenged for many years. In the 1940s, a rival claim emerged in form of a letter written in 1911 by Jessie's sister, Anna Irvine, to the Rev Robert Monteith, then the minister of Crimond Church. In the letter, Anna claimed that the tune had been composed by Jessie and that Grant had only provided the harmony. Anna's account was contested by the editors of The Northern Psalter, who wrote to Monteith claiming that she had confused the tune with another entitled Ballantine that Jessie had composed and submitted to them for publication. After the account provided by Anna's letter was published in the Bulletin of the Hymn Society and The Scotsman newspaper, many hymnals began to credit Irvine instead of Grant as the composer, and the hymn is now regularly—but not universally—attributed to Jessie Seymour Irvine. Anna's claim has latterly been disputed by some scholars who favour Grant, and some hymnals still credit Grant as the composer. [10] [9] [11] [12] [2] The controversy was discussed in Ronald Johnson's 1988 article in the Hymn Society Bulletin, "How far is it to Crimond?", [13] and by the newspaper columnist Jack Webster in the Glasgow Herald , in which he expressed support for the Jessie Irvine claim in his column, based on accounts from Crimond inhabitants who had been personally connected with Irvine. [14] [15]

The putative composers both have memorials; a memorial plaque at St Clement's East Church in Aberdeen commemorates David Grant, a former parishioner there, as the composer, [16] while inside Crimond Parish Church, a set of four etched glass panels installed in 2002 commemorate Jessie Seymour Irvine as the composer. [8] [17]

A later publication of the hymn tune in the 1929 Scottish Psalter was re-harmonised by the editor, Thomas Cuthbertson Leithead Pritchard (1885–1960). [18]

The Crimond setting has proved to be very popular, and has been sung at many notable religious occasions, such as the Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten in 1947, [8] for which occasion a special descant was composed. [19] [20] It was again sung at the State funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. [21]

The hymn is sometimes also sung to other tunes such as Brother James's Air by James Leith Macbeth Bain or Martyrdom by Hugh Wilson (1824).

Text

Biblical text (King James Version, 1611)Rous paraphrase (1641) [6] Hymn text (Rous, 1650) [7]
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

My Shepherd is the Living Lord
And He that doth me feed
How can I then lack anything
whereof I stand in need?

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.

2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.

|2. In pastures green and flourishing

He makes me down to lye:
And after drives me to the streames
Which run most pleasantly.

 

3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me
in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

3. And when I feele my selfe neere lost,
Then home He me doth take,
Conducting me in His right paths,
Even for His owne Names sake.

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.

4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

4. And though I were even at death's doore,
Yet would I feare none ill;
Thy rod, Thy staff do comfort me,
And Thou art with me still.

3.Yea, though I walk through death's dark vale,
yet will I fear none ill,
for thou art with me; and thy rod
and staff me comfort still.

5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence
of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.

5. Thou hast my table richly stor'd
In presence of my foe;
My head with oile Thou dost anoint,
My cup doth overflow.

4. My table thou hast furnished
in presence of my foes;
my head thou dost with oil anoint,
and my cup overflows.

6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

6. Thy grace and mercy all my daies
Shall surely follow me;
And ever in the house of God
My dwelling place shall be.

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

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hymnal</span> Collection or book of religious hymns

A hymnal or hymnary is a collection of hymns, usually in the form of a book, called a hymnbook. They are used in congregational singing. A hymnal may contain only hymn texts ; written melodies are extra, and more recently harmony parts have also been provided.

<i>Bay Psalm Book</i> Psalter first printed in 1640 in Cambridge, Massachusetts

The Whole Booke of Psalmes Faithfully Translated into English Metre, commonly called the Bay Psalm Book, is a metrical psalter first printed in 1640 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was the first book printed in British North America. The psalms in it are metrical translations into English. The translations are not particularly polished, and none have remained in use, although some of the tunes to which they were sung have survived ; however, its production, just 20 years after the Pilgrims' arrival at Plymouth, Massachusetts, represents a considerable achievement. It went through several editions and remained in use for well over a century.

"Old 100th" or "Old Hundredth" is a hymn tune in long metre, from the second edition of the Genevan Psalter. It is one of the best known melodies in many occidental Christian musical traditions. The tune is usually attributed to the French composer Louis Bourgeois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metrical psalter</span> Kind of Bible translation

A metrical psalter is a kind of Bible translation: a book containing a verse translation of all or part of the Book of Psalms in vernacular poetry, meant to be sung as hymns in a church. Some metrical psalters include melodies or harmonisations. The composition of metrical psalters was a large enterprise of the Protestant Reformation, especially in its Calvinist manifestation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 23</span> 23rd psalm in the Book of Psalms

Psalm 23 is the 23rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "The Lord is my shepherd". In Latin, it is known by the incipit, "Dominus regit me". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 22.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Sternhold</span> Member of the Parliament of England

Thomas Sternhold (1500–1549) was an English courtier and the principal author of the first English metrical version of the Psalms, originally attached to the Prayer-Book as augmented by John Hopkins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crimond</span> Village in Scotland

Crimond is a village in Aberdeenshire, in the northeast of Scotland, located 9 miles (14 km) northwest of the port of Peterhead and just over 2 miles (3.2 km) from the coast.

Decisions concerning the conduct of public worship in the Church of Scotland are entirely at the discretion of the parish minister. As a result, a wide variety of musical resources are used. However, at various times in its history, the General Assembly has commissioned volumes of psalms and hymns for use by congregations.

<i>Genevan Psalter</i>

The Genevan Psalter, also known as the Huguenot Psalter, is a 1539 metrical psalter in French created under the supervision of John Calvin for liturgical use by the Reformed churches of the city of Geneva in the sixteenth century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">While shepherds watched their flocks</span> Christmas carol

"While shepherds watched their flocks" is a traditional Christmas carol describing the Annunciation to the Shepherds, with words attributed to Irish hymnist, lyricist and England's Poet Laureate Nahum Tate. It is listed as number 936 in the Roud Folk Song Index.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 95</span>

Psalm 95 is the 95th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation". The Book of Psalms starts the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and, as such, is a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system in the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible, and in the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 94. In Latin, it is known as "Venite exultemus" or simply "Venite". The psalm is a hymn psalm, one of the Royal psalms, praising God as the King of His people. Psalm 95 identifies no author, but Hebrews 4:7 attributes it to David. The Vulgate also names David as the author.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crimond Church</span> Church in Scotland, UK

Crimond Church is a Christian, Church of Scotland Presbyterian church, located on the east side of the A90 road in the centre of the village of Crimond, Aberdeenshire, Scotland at location NK0556. It was built in 1812, to a design by Robert Mitchell, and is a Category A listed building. It is associated with the popular hymn tune "Crimond".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hymn tune</span> Musical melody of a Christian hymn

A hymn tune is the melody of a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Musically speaking, a hymn is generally understood to have four-part harmony, a fast harmonic rhythm, with or without refrain or chorus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tate and Brady</span> 1696 metrical psalm book by Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady.

Tate and Brady refers to the collaboration of the poets Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady, which produced one famous work, New Version of the Psalms of David (1696). This work was a metrical version of the Psalms, and largely ousted the old version of T. Sternhold and J. Hopkins' Psalter. Still regularly sung today is their version of Psalm 34, "Through all the changing scenes of life". As well as the 150 Psalms they also wrote metrical versions of the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles' Creed.

Jessie Seymour Irvine was the daughter of a Church of Scotland parish minister who served at Dunottar, Peterhead, and Crimond in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. She is referred to by Ian Campbell Bradley in his 1997 book Abide with Me: The World of Victorian Hymns as standing "in a strong Scottish tradition of talented amateurs who tended to produce metrical psalm tunes rather than the dedicated hymn tunes increasingly composed in England."

Long metre or long measure, abbreviated as L.M. or LM, is a poetic metre consisting of four line stanzas, or quatrains, in iambic tetrameter with alternate rhyme pattern ABAB. The term is also used in the closely related area of hymn metres. When the poem is used as a sung hymn, the metre of the text is denoted by the syllable count of each line; for long metre, the count is denoted by 8.8.8.8, 88.88, or 88 88, depending on style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psalm 24</span> Biblical psalm

Psalm 24 is the 24th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 23. In Latin, it is known as "Domini est terra et plenitudo eius orbis terrarum". The psalm is marked as a Psalm of David.

<i>90 Bisodol (Crimond)</i> 2011 studio album by Half Man Half Biscuit

90 Bisodol (Crimond) is the twelfth studio album by UK rock band Half Man Half Biscuit. It was released on 26 September 2011 by Probe Plus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomissøn's hymnal</span> Hymnal published in Denmark

Thomissøn's hymnal was a hymnal published in Denmark that received royal authorization in 1569.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Psalter (1564)</span>

The Scottish Psalter of 1564 was the first psalter or psalm book to be published in Scotland. It was published by the Church of Scotland under the influence of John Knox as part of the Book of Common Order which was a more general directory for public worship. The precise details concerning the publication of the Scottish Psalter are not known as the early records of the Church of Scotland are lost. However, it appears that its publication was determined at the Church's General Assembly in December 1562.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "Emma the pony and other personal moments at funeral". BBC News. 2022-09-19. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  2. 1 2 "Hymnology". hymnology.hymnsam.co.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  3. ↑ Gillingham 2012, p. 153.
  4. 1 2 3 Lamport & Forrest 2019, p. 158.
  5. 1 2 Petersen 2014, p. 327.
  6. 1 2 "Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary Handbook". dokumen.tips. Worship Committee of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  7. 1 2 "The Lord's My Shepherd". Hymnary.org. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 "History". Crimond Parish Church. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  9. 1 2 Browse, Mark (2015). O Little Town. Lulu.com. pp. 25–27. ISBN   978-1-326-29701-5 . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  10. ↑ Ewan et al. 2007, p. 180.
  11. ↑ Humphreys & Evans 1997, p. 180.
  12. ↑ Ronander & Porter 1966, p. 70.
  13. ↑ Johnson, Ronald (July 1988). Massey, Dr Bernard (ed.). "How far is it to Crimond?". Hymn Society Bulletin. XII (176). Redhill, Surrey: The Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland: 38.
  14. ↑ Glasgow Herald , 17 September 1991
  15. ↑ Webster, Jack (1996). "Seeking Justice for Jessie". The Herald Years. Black & White Publishing. ISBN   978-1-84502-924-1 . Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  16. ↑ "Historic Environment Record – NJ90NE0064 – East St Clement's Church". online.aberdeenshire.gov.uk. Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  17. ↑ "O Little Town: Crimond". O Little Town. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  18. ↑ McKim, LindaJo H. (1993). The Presbyterian Hymnal Companion. Westminster John Knox Press. p. 136. ISBN   978-0-664-25180-2 . Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  19. ↑ "The Lord's My Shepherd". Gresham Books. 7 September 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  20. ↑ "Soul Music – Series 20 – The descant for a royal wedding". bbc.co.uk. BBC Sounds. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  21. ↑ "The State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II" (PDF). The Royal Household. Retrieved 2022-09-19.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.