Hymn The Lord's My Shepherd

Scottish Psalter and Crimond

Lyrics and Music

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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,
Even for His own Name's sake.

Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale,
Yet will I fear none ill;
For Thou art with me; and Thy rod
And staff me comfort 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 forevermore
My dwelling place shall be.

Brief History

Introduction

Psalm 23 is a popular Psalm to set to arrange to music with a large number of different lyrics and musical arrangements appearing through the ages to present day. Without doubt, the most familiar and well known version of this Psalm is that which is found in the Scottish Psalter of 1650 set to the tune Crimond.

Scottish Psalter 1650

The words from the Scottish Psalter is a merger of a number of different metrical Psalters and poetry such as from Zachary Boyd pastor of Barony Church in Glasgow and vice-chancellor of Glasgow University he wrote his metrical version of Psalm 23 in 1646, Sir William Mure of Rowallan, born 1594, who fought under Cromwell in the Civil war and Francis Rous born 1579, who also supported Oliver Cromwell serving as Member of Parliament for Truro and Speaker of the Barebones Parliament, who ´s poetry contributed to the second line of the 1650 Psalter.

Crimond – Irvine

The Tune Crimond first appeared in 1872 in The Northern Psalter accompanying the words to the hymn " I Am The Way The Truth And The Life ". This tune was credited to David Grant, an amateur musician, however it was claimed that Grant was not the composer but simply in receipt of the music to help harmonized it for the true composer Jessie Irvine. . The Scottish Psalter of 1929 credits Irvine as being the composer although it is still disputed by some.

Jessie Seymour Irvine 1836 – 1883 was the a daughter of a parish minister who served at Dunottar, Peterhead, and Crimond–the–Town. It is this place which she named the tune after .