The Lord's my Shepherd - Scottish Psalter translation

The 23rd Psalm (The Lord is my shepherd)  has been translated in many ways, and set to many tunes.  Some scholars say that it is the psalm which has been set as a hymn in  the most different ways.

This translation is from the Scottish Psalter of 1650, and has meter 8.6.8.6.  It is particularly well-known in English-speaking countries and churches, having been used at events including the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten in 1947, and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II  in 2022.

Tunes that it has been set to include:
  • CRIMOND, most-likely written by Church of Scotland minister's daughter and organist Jessie Seymour Irvine (1836-1887), with the harmonisation in the first publication by Scottish merchant and organist David Grant (1833-1893).   This is the most commonly used tune with the text.
  • BROTHER JAMES AIR by James Leith Macbeth Bain
  • MARTYRDOM by Hugh Wilson (1824).


Downloads

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Examples

Contemporary setting of the original tune - guitar, keyboard and rhythym, solo songer:


Choir with light organ, professional recording:


Choir with piano and light orchestral backing - words on-screen:


Instrumental - piano:


Lyrics

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.

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.

Yea, though I walk through death’s dark vale,
Yet will I fear no ill;
For thou art with me, and thy rod
And staff me comfort me still.

My table thou hast furnished
In presence of my foes;
My head thou dost with oil anoint,
And my cup overflows.

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

ABC Notation

X:1
T:The Lord's my Shepherd - CRIMOND
M:3/4
L:1/4
K:Dmaj
A, | "D"F2 "G"G/2>E/2 | "D"A2 "G"(G/2E/2) | "D"D2 "A"C | "D"D2 F |
w:The Lord’s my_ shep-herd,_ I’ll not want, He
"E7"(FE) E | "E"^G2 G | "A"A2 "D"F | (F"A7"G) "D" F | "A"E2 "D"F |
w:makes_ me down to lie, in pas_tures green; He
"A7"(GA) G | "D"F2 F | "Em"(EG B) | "D"D2 "A"C | "D"D2 |]
w:lead_eth me the quiet__ wa-ters by.

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1 comment:

  1. This tune is good for practising harmonica bends using a G harminica played in key of D

    ReplyDelete