The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is made up of some 360 men and women, all of whom are volunteers. There are many husband-wife combinations and many families have participated in the choir for generations. Choir members are currently limited to twenty years of participation, allowing new members to join the choir on a regular basis.
The choir was founded in August 1847, one month after the Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. The choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to support their organization. Choir members are not paid for their participation or performances.
Although the choir has traditionally been recognized for its sound quality, the most recent director, Craig Jessop, a student of Robert Shaw, has made changes designed to improve the overall quality of the choir. Jessop's efforts to add vitality to the choir's sound include the formation of The Orchestra at Temple Square, the 2005 addition of The Bells on Temple Square (a hand bell choir), and continual refinement of the choir's tone, enunciation, and repetoire. The minimum age for participation has been reduced from 30 to 25. In addition, new choir members participate in The Temple Square Chorale training choir, a combination music theory/performance school led by associate director and composer/arranger Mack Wilberg.
My Shepherd Will Supply My Need
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jehovah is His Name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy′s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.
When I walk through the shades of death,
Thy presence is my stay;
A word of Thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
Thine oil anoints my head.
The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be my abode,
And all my work be praise!
There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger, nor a guest,
But like a child at home.
The lyrics of "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need" by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir are a powerful reflection of the Christian's relationship with God. The song takes its inspiration from Psalm 23, which describes God as the Good Shepherd who cares for His flock like a loving parent. The lyrics begin with the opening verse, "My Shepherd will supply my need: Jehovah is His Name," proclaiming the greatness and power of God, who is the ultimate source of everything we need in life.
The song goes on to describe how God takes care of His children, leading them to green pastures and beside quiet waters. When we wander off course, God brings us back and guides us in the right direction. Even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we can trust that God is with us, comforting and protecting us. His presence is like a shield that drives all fear away.
The final verse of the song is a prayer that we may find our rest and refuge in God's holy house, where we can praise Him and feel like we're at home. It's a song that speaks of trust, faith and hope, reminding us that we can always count on our Shepherd to provide for us and lead us in the right path.
Line by Line Meaning
My Shepherd will supply my need:
The Lord will provide all that I require.
Jehovah is His Name;
The Lord's true name is Jehovah.
In pastures fresh He makes me feed,
The Lord leads me to nourishing pastures and provides for my needs.
Beside the living stream.
The Lord leads me to refreshing and life-giving waters.
He brings my wandering spirit back
The Lord helps me return to Him when I have strayed from His path.
When I forsake His ways,
When I turn away from the Lord's path and teachings,
And leads me, for His mercy′s sake,
The Lord guides me back to the right path through His mercy and compassion.
In paths of truth and grace.
The Lord leads me on paths of truth and grace to do His will.
When I walk through the shades of death,
When I face danger, hardships, or death,
Thy presence is my stay;
The Lord's presence is my support and comfort.
A word of Thy supporting breath
The Lord supports me through His words and breath.
Drives all my fears away.
The Lord removes all my fears and anxieties.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
The Lord's hand protects me from my enemies.
Doth still my table spread;
The Lord provides for me and ensures that I have plenty to eat.
My cup with blessings overflows,
The Lord blesses me abundantly and my cup overflows with His goodness.
Thine oil anoints my head.
The Lord anoints me with oil as a symbol of His love and blessings.
The sure provisions of my God
The Lord always provides for me without fail.
Attend me all my days;
The Lord's love and provisions are with me every day of my life.
O may Thy house be my abode,
May I always dwell in the Lord's house and be close to Him.
And all my work be praise!
May all that I do be in praise and glory of the Lord.
There would I find a settled rest,
In the Lord's house, I find a peaceful and settled rest.
While others go and come;
While others come and go through this world,
No more a stranger, nor a guest,
I am no longer a stranger or guest, but have a place in the Lord's house.
But like a child at home.
In the Lord's house, I feel like a child at home, safe, and loved.
Writer(s): Verlon K. Thompson
Contributed by Scarlett D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@royalgem6379
My Shepherd will supply my need:
Jehovah is His Name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy's sake,
In paths of truth and grace.
When I walk through the shades of death,
Thy presence is my stay;
A word of Thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
Thine oil anoints my head.
The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be my abode,
And all my work be praise!
There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger, nor a guest,
But like a child at home.
@urflofit2010
1. My Shepherd will supply my need;
Jehovah is His Name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wand’ring spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy’s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.
2. When I walk thru the shades of death,
Thy presence is my stay;
A word of Thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows;
Thine oil anoints my head.
3. The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be mine abode,
And all my work be praise!
There would I find a settled rest
(While others go and come),
No more a stranger or a guest,
But like a child at home.
@singsongbluebird9704
Jesus Christ Savior Lord and King is the Good Shepherd.
@atsiworships
I just asked God to supply.... then the Melody of this song went on in my head. I started asking myself what are tge words to this song... then the words came right as I asked. There and then, I knew God has taken over. He will supply. I then came to YouTube to make the declaration through this song. Thank you. God is good
@cottontail1039
I sang this for my mother's funeral. Not only because it was her favorite hymn, but also because she was the 1 who taught me how to sing.
@JeannineGoeckeritz
Sounds like an amazing woman. Thank you for sharing. All the best
@cottontail1039
@@JeannineGoeckeritz Yeah, the amazing thing about her was she was able to teach me how to sing like an opera singer when I was 8. Now if only she taught me how to read sheet music. 😪
@shibainferno
2:01 that peaceful feeling when you’re in the middle of the war but still take time for a good meal 🥹
@thomasmartin9218
I'm now a grown man that grew up singing this most anointed song in church. Regardless of the setting, whenever I hear this most worshipful and awe inspiring song...it brings tears of joy and great comfort to my unworthy soul. “The sure provisions of my God attend me all my days and may thy house be my abode, and all my works be praise. There would I find a settled rest, while others go and come.. No more a stranger nor a guest, but like child at home.” I believe in this song’s message and I thank the Lord Jesus for the promise that lies therein.
@JeannineGoeckeritz
It is a great song that with a very powerful spirit that really speaks to ones heart. Thank you for your great comments and listening. All the best.
@JessicaRodriguez-lb1rd
I love this so much!! It makes my heart Happy and content
@thomasmartin9218
Jeannine Goeckeritz
Dear Jeannine, l have a question. Since you have performed on so many wonderful recordings and events, is it possible that you could help me fulfill a lifelong ambition? First of all, I’d love to attend one of the choirs performances! Secondly, (and this would be a great stretch, indeed) but, if I were to perform with the choir...well, it would be a nothing less than a dream come true! My church choir has performed many of Mac’s arrangements over the years with orchestra and we did a pretty good job...especially for a small hometown church from Alabama. Honestly, I watch the men sing and the discipline required to stand so straight, with such little to no movement, just leaves me in awe. Thank goodness, they allow the instrumentalists a greater margin of movement to play their instruments! 😊 I’m quickly approaching retirement ( I’m 63) and I cannot think of something more satisfying for my bucket list than this. Just point me in the right direction, if you could...please. My church is: The First United Methodist Church of Sheffield, Alabama and their are recordings that you may listen too...before you dare mention this to Mestro Wilberg. 🙄 🤔 😂 😉. Look, I know that it takes years of preparation...so, forget about #2.🤞. Many thanks to you and To God be the Glory!
Thomas Littlepage Martin, Sheffield, Alabama