In 2005, Cross Rhythms magazine described Townend as "one of the most significant songwriters in the whole international Christian music field". Christian website Crosswalk.com commented that, "The uniqueness of Townend’s writing lies partly in its lyrical content. There is both a theological depth and poetic expression that some say is rare in today’s worship writing".
Townend, son of a Church of England vicar in West Yorkshire, was the youngest of four children. He studied literature at the University of Essex[2]. Townend started learning to play the piano aged 7. At the age of 13, he made a Christian commitment, and began songwriting aged 22.
Psalm 23
Stuart Townend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He makes me lie in pastures green.
He leads me by the still, still waters,
His goodness restores my soul.
And I will trust in You alone.
And I will trust in You alone,
For Your endless mercy follows me,
(Descant)
I will trust, I will trust in You.
I will trust, I will trust in You.
Endless mercy follows me,
Goodness will lead me home.
He guides my ways in righteousness,
And He anoints my head with oil,
And my cup, it overflows with joy,
I feast on His pure delights.
And I will trust in You alone.
And I will trust in You alone,
For Your endless mercy follows me,
Your goodness will lead me home.
And though I walk the darkest path,
I will not fear the evil one,
For You are with me, and Your rod and staff
Are the comfort I need to know.
And I will trust in You alone.
And I will trust in You alone,
For Your endless mercy follows me,
Your goodness will lead me home.
And I will trust in You alone.
And I will trust in You alone,
For Your endless mercy follows me,
Your goodness will lead me home.
For Your endless mercy follows me,
Your goodness will lead me home.
The lyrics of Stuart Townend's "Psalm 23" are a modern interpretation of one of the most well-known passages of the Bible. The song speaks of the comfort and protection that come from being guided by the Lord, who is portrayed as a shepherd. The first verse describes the rest and sustenance that the Lord provides, leading the singer by still waters to restore their soul. The refrain of the song emphasizes that the singer trusts in the Lord alone, who accompanies them with endless mercy and goodness, which will lead them home.
The second verse continues to depict the Lord's guidance, guiding the singer in righteous ways and anointing their head with oil, symbolizing blessings and honor. The singer's cup overflows with joy as they feast on the pure delights provided by the Lord. The third verse anticipates that the path ahead may not always be easy, yet the singer declares they will not fear the evil one because the Lord is with them. The rod and staff, which can refer to discipline, guidance, and protection, provide comfort and assurance for the singer. The closing verse reiterates the trust and reliance on the Lord alone, whose endless mercy and goodness will lead the singer home.
Line by Line Meaning
THE LORD'S MY SHEPHERD, I'll not want.
I have everything I need because the Lord takes care of me like a shepherd takes care of his flock.
He makes me lie in pastures green.
The Lord provides me with peaceful and abundant green pastures to rest and be nourished.
He leads me by the still, still waters,
The Lord guides me to quiet and refreshing water sources where I can drink and be renewed.
His goodness restores my soul.
The Lord's kindness, love, and mercy revive and refresh my spirit, renewing my strength and hope.
And I will trust in You alone.
I will have faith only in the Lord, trusting that He alone will take care of me and guide me.
For Your endless mercy follows me,
The Lord's boundless compassion and forgiveness are constantly with me, even when I fail or struggle.
Your goodness will lead me home.
The Lord's righteousness and love will guide me towards my eternal home with Him.
He guides my ways in righteousness,
The Lord directs and teaches me how to live a just and righteous life.
And He anoints my head with oil,
The Lord blesses me with His Spirit, empowering and refreshing me like oil does for the head and body.
And my cup, it overflows with joy,
The Lord gives me abundant happiness and contentment that becomes so full, it overflows like a cup that cannot contain everything.
I feast on His pure delights.
I receive and enjoy the Lord's spiritually satisfying and pleasurable blessings that are pure and righteous.
And though I walk the darkest path,
Even in the most difficult, gloomy, and distressing situations, I will trust in the Lord to guide me.
I will not fear the evil one,
I will have no dread or intimidation of the devil or any other adversary since the Lord protects me.
For You are with me, and Your rod and staff
The Lord's presence and power are with me, and His rod (to guide) and staff (to protect) give me comfort and assurance.
Are the comfort I need to know.
These are the main sources of comfort and consolation for me, as I encounter challenges or hardships in life.
For Your endless mercy follows me,
I am continuously and perpetually pursued by the Lord's infinite and unchanging mercy and compassion.
Your goodness will lead me home.
The Lord's goodness, kindness, and love will guide and accompany me until I reach my eternal home with Him.
And I will trust in You alone.
As a final affirmation, I will put my complete trust and confidence in the Lord, knowing that He alone is my hope and salvation.
And I will trust in You alone.
Again, I declare that I will rely solely on the Lord, without any other source of trust or confidence.
For Your endless mercy follows me,
As a reminder, I acknowledge the unfailing mercy and grace of the Lord, which are the basis of my trust.
Your goodness will lead me home.
I affirm my trust in the Lord as my guide and salvation, being convinced that His goodness will bring me to my true home with Him.
I will trust, I will trust in You.
As a final declaration, I repeat my commitment to put my faith and trust only in the Lord, in all circumstances and situations.
Endless mercy follows me,
I affirm once again the never-ending mercy and compassion of the Lord as the reason for my trust and hope.
Goodness will lead me home.
I reiterate my conviction that the Lord's goodness, love, and grace will guide and bring me safely to my eternal home with Him.
Contributed by Zachary P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jesus Saves
Psalms 112:1-10
[1]Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who delights greatly in His commandments.
[2]His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed.
[3]Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever.
[4]Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
[5]A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion.
[6]Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.
[7]He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
[8]His heart is established; He will not be afraid, Until he sees his desire upon his enemies.
[9]He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor.
[10]The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish.
track PERSONAL
PRISE THE LIVING GOD !!!
Beautiful ! Just Beautiful !
[ And... just to make the picture complete :
there's someone in the background that is NOT part of Praise - seemingly out of the Spirit ;
completely out of the Spirit - not singing, not partaking, instead, fiddling with her mobile phone ( !!! )
during the song-worship.
( You do NOT reach God Allmighty with the phone regardless of what you're texting or what number you're trying to call ).
I'm not judging you, but it sure looks offensive. ]
Stuart ! Thank you brother , for your warming service !
Barbara McKay
I have played this about fifty times over the past couple of years when I need to settle at night, try to relax and minimize anxiety. When my husband was dying, we said this psalm every night. He was a shepherd of two flocks - real Merino sheep on a farm in Victoria, and then as a pastor of a few flocks for 40 years. Thank you so much. I'd love to record it with someone to be played at my funeral service. (sounds morbid) but not really because of a rich inheritance in eternity. I'm 77 and have outlived my husband by 7 years. I miss him so much.
sledge1960
I looked after my dear old mum who was chronically disabled by a very dense stroke for 25 years and she just loved me bringing my guitar into her bedroom and singing hymns and gospel songs to her. I can fully understand you wanting to record a song for your funeral, I get it completely. Bless you sister in Jesus name and I look forward to meeting both you and your husband in eternity.
Suangpi
Whether You may still alive or not
I pray for you.
JabulaniKhakibosKids
Keep you eyes on Christ always
Jere Davis
I thank God for Stuart Townend and his valuable contributions to Christian worship worldwide.
Michelle Makoni
Amen to that. He is a blessing..
Helen Williamson
Can you just imagine the kingdom fully come. What a glorious future we have. Beautiful worship of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ
Esther Miller
Listening to that praise in worship moved me to emotional tears. ❤️
Lars H. Alhaug
Heart moving. This psalm is so strengthening.
Antonie Boshoff
The Lord’s my Shepherd. He is my everything and all I need. Thank you Jesus.