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Church Hymnal 86

The King of Love My Shepherd Is

Words: Henry Williams BakerMusic: John Bacchus DykesTune: Dominus regit me8.7.8.7

1The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever.

2Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul He leadeth,
And where the verdant pastures grow
With food celestial feedeth.

3Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me,
And on His shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.

4In death's dark vale I fear no ill
With Thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.

5Thou spread'st a table in my sight;
Thy unction grace bestoweth;
And O what transport of delight
From Thy pure chalice floweth!

6And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever.

Words: Henry Williams Baker
Music: John Bacchus Dykes
Tune: Dominus regit me
Meter: 8.7.8.7
Scripture: Psalm 23

Public Domain

The verse

Meter: 8.7.8.7 · as printed
Foot: iambic (da-DUM) · 74% of beats fit
Rhyme: ABAB

Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

The King of love my Shepherd is,˘/˘/˘/˘˘8A

Whose goodness faileth never;˘/˘/˘/˘7B

I nothing lack if I am His˘/˘/˘˘˘˘8A

And He is mine forever.˘˘˘/˘/˘7B

Verse 2

Where streams of living water flow//˘/˘/˘/8A

My ransomed soul He leadeth,˘/˘/˘/˘7B

And where the verdant pastures grow˘/˘/˘/˘/8A

With food celestial feedeth.˘/˘/˘/˘7B

Verse 3

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,˘/˘/˘/˘/8A

But yet in love He sought me,˘/˘/˘/˘7B

And on His shoulder gently laid,˘˘˘/˘/˘/8A

And home, rejoicing, brought me.˘/˘/˘/˘7B

Verse 4

In death's dark vale I fear no ill˘///˘/˘/8A

With Thee, dear Lord, beside me;˘///˘/˘7B

Thy rod and staff my comfort still,//˘/˘/˘/8A

Thy cross before to guide me.//˘/˘/˘7B

Verse 5

Thou spread'st a table in my sight;/?˘/˘˘˘/8A

Thy unction grace bestoweth;/??/˘/˘7B

And O what transport of delight˘˘˘˘/˘˘/8A

From Thy pure chalice floweth!˘///˘/˘7B

Verse 6

And so through all the length of days˘˘//˘/˘/8A

Thy goodness faileth never;//˘/˘/˘7B

Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise//˘˘˘///8A

Within Thy house forever.˘///˘/˘7B

Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.