The Lord is My Shepherd
Katherine Jenkins feat. The Arcadian Singers and Ensemble & James Morgan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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.
Yet will I fear no ill;
For Thou art with me, and Thy rod
And staff my comfort still.
My table Thou hast furnished me
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 forevermore,
My dwelling place shall be.
Katherine Jenkins' version of the popular hymn, The Lord Is My Shepherd, is a heartfelt and uplifting rendition that captures the essence of the psalm. The lyrics talk about how the psalmist feels secure and at peace, with the Lord as his guide and protector. He metaphors the Lord as a shepherd who leads him to green pastures and quiet waters, restoring his soul and making him walk within the paths of righteousness.
The psalmist realizes that even though he may face death and suffering, he need not fear, for the Lord is with him. In fact, His presence brings comfort to the psalmist even in the most dire situations. He trusts that the Lord will provide for him, even in the face of his enemies. In the final lines, the psalmist affirms that goodness and mercy shall follow him all his life, and that he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Line by Line Meaning
The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want;
I do not need anything else since the Lord is my Shepherd.
He makes me down to lie
He helps me find rest.
In pastures green; He leadeth me
He leads me to peaceful and prosperous places.
The quiet waters by.
He guides me to still and calm waters.
My soul He doth restore again,
He brings my soul back to life.
And me to walk doth make
He helps me walk forward in life.
Within the paths of righteousness,
He guides me to make ethical and moral decisions.
E'en for His own name's sake.
He helps me do the right thing to bring glory to His name.
Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale,
Even if I am walking through a really difficult time.
Yet will I fear no ill;
I will not be afraid since he is there to help me.
For Thou art with me, and Thy rod
Since He is with me and His guidance (rod) is protecting me.
And staff my comfort still.
I feel comforted, even in the toughest of times.
My table Thou hast furnished me
You have prepared a feast for me.
In presence of my foes;
Even in front of the people who don't like me.
My head Thou dost with oil anoint,
You have given me honor.
And my cup overflows.
I have more than enough.
Goodness and mercy all my life
Your goodness and kindness will follow me all of my days.
Shall surely follow me;
This is a definite promise.
And in God's house forevermore,
I will always have a place in His home.
My dwelling place shall be.
This is where I belong forever.
Writer(s): john rutter
Contributed by Adeline L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.