The Lord My Shepherd Holds Me

The Lord my Shepherd holds me
Within His tender care,
And with His flock He folds me,
No want shall find me there.
In pastures green He feeds me,
With plenty I am blest;
By quiet streams He leads me,
And makes me safely rest.

Whatever ill betides me,
He will restore and bless;
For His Name’s sake He guides me,
In paths of righteousness.
Thy rod and staff shall cheer me
In death’s dark vale and shade,
For Thou wilt then be near me;
I shall not be afraid.

My food Thou dost appoint me,
Supplied before my foes;
With oil Thou dost anoint me,
My cup of bliss o’erflows.
Thy goodness, Lord, shall guide me,
Thy mercy cheer my way;
A home Thou wilt provide me
Within Thy house always.

Author: Unknown

This is a metrical paraphrase of Psalm 23. No specific author is credited in common sources for this exact wording; it appears in various 19th/early 20th-century hymnals and songbooks without attribution or as 'anonymous.' It is not a match for well-known versifications by Isaac Watts, Henry W. Baker, or James Montgomery.