162.

L. M. 61.

God our Shepherd. Ps. 23.

*ADDISON.

1 THE Lord
my pasture shall prepare,
And feed me with a shepherd's care;
His presence shall my wants supply,
And guard me with a watchful eye;
My noonday walks he shall attend,
And all my midnight hours defend.

2 When in the sultry glebe I faint,
Or on the thirsty mountains pant,
To fertile vales and dewy meads
My weary, wandering steps he leads,
Where peaceful rivers, soft and slow,
Amid the verdant landscape flow.

3 Though in the paths of death I tread,
With gloomy horrors overspread,
My steadfast heart shall fear no ill,
For thou, O Lord, art with me still.
Thy friendly staff shall give me aid,
And guide me through the dreadful shade.

4 Though, in a bare and rugged way,
Through devious, lonely wilds I stray,
Thy bounty shall my pains beguile,-
The barren wilderness shall smile,
With sudden greens and herbage crowned,
And streams shall murmur all around.

The Same. Ps. 23.

1 THE Lord my shepherd is:
I shall be well supplied;
Since he is mine, and I am his,
What can I want beside?

2 He leads me to the place
Where heavenly pasture grows,
Where living waters gently pass,
And full salvation flows.

3 If e'er I go astray,

He doth my soul reclaim,

WATTS.

And guides me in his own right way,
For his most holy name.

4 Whilst he affords his aid,
I cannot yield to fear;

Though I should walk through death's dark shade, My shepherd's with me there.

5 In sight of all my foes

Thou dost my table spread; My cup with blessings overflows, And joy exalts my head.

6 The bounties of thy love

Shall crown my following days; Nor from thy house will I remove, Nor cease to speak thy praise.

14

164.

11s M.

*BYROM.

The Same. Ps. 23.

1 THE Lord is our shepherd, our guardian, and guide;

Whatever we want he will kindly provide;

To sheep of his pasture his mercies abound;
His care and protection his flock will surround.

2 The Lord is our shepherd-what, then, shall we fear?

Shall dangers affrighten us while he is near? -when he calls us, we'll walk through the the vale,

0,

no

The shadow of death, but our hearts shall not fail.

3 Afraid by ourselves to pursue the dark way,
Thy rod and thy staff be our comfort and stay:
We know, by thy guidance, when once it is past,
To life and to glory it brings us at last.

4 The Lord is become our salvation and song;
His blessings have followed us all our life long;—
His name will we praise while he lends to us
breath,

Be joyful through life, and resigned in our death.

165.

7s M.

MERRICK.

The Same. Ps. 23.

1 Lo, my Shepherd's hand divine!
Want shall never more be mine:
In a pasture fair and large,
He shall feed his happy charge.

2 When I faint with summer's heat,
He shall lead my weary feet

To the streams that, still and slow,
Through the verdant meadows flow.

3 He my soul anew shall frame,
And, his mercy to proclaim,
When through devious paths I stray,
Teach my steps the better way.

4 Thou my plenteous board hast spread;
Thou with oil refreshed my head;
Filled by thee, my cup o'erflows;
For thy love no limit knows.

5 Constant, to my latest end,
Thou my footsteps shalt attend,
And shalt bid thy hallowed dome
Yield me an eternal home.

166.

11s M.

*MONTGOMERY.

The Same. Ps. 23.

1 THE Lord is my shepherd-no want shall I know; I feed in green pastures-safe folded I rest; He leadeth my soul where the still waters flow; Restores me when wandering-redeems when oppressed.

2 Through valley and shadow of death though I stray,

Since thou art my guardian, no evil I fear;
Thy rod shall defend me-thy staff be my stay;
No harm can befall with my Comforter near.

3 In midst of affliction my table is spread;

With blessings unmeasured my cup runneth o'er · With perfume and oil thou anointest my head ;O what shall I ask of thy providence more?

4 Let goodness and mercy, my bountiful God,
Still follow my steps till I meet thee above;
I seek, by the path which my forefathers trod
In days of their sojourn, thy kingdom of love.