from psalm 23, George Herbert(1593/1633)
Christopher Gray, dir. of music and organ
The God of love my Shepherd is. [Ps. xxiii.] Various versions of Ps. 23, each beginning with the same first line are in common use. These are:—
1. George Herbert's version, published posthumously in his Temple, 1633, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines, and repeated in all subsequent editions of the same. The first stanza is:—
"The God of love my Shepherd is,
And He that doth me feed:
While He is mine and I am His,
What can I want or need?"
2. George Rawson's rendering in the Leeds Hymn Book, 1853, No. 26, is based upon the above by Herbert, and the first stanza is:—
"The God of love my Shepherd is,
To watch me and to feed;
Since He is mine and I am His,
What can I ever need?"
