Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

The Shepherd God

Traditional

“The Shepherd God” as printed in The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 409 1920 · historical text
Public domainHymnSacred song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Army and Navy Hymnal, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

OThou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain;

O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength;

Lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God!

Behold, the Lord will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him:

Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd.

He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young.

Verse 2

THE Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside still waters.

He restoreth my soul:

He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil

For thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life;

And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Verse 3

JESUS said unto them, I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd

layeth down his life for the sheep.

He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth.

And the wolf snatcheth them, and scattereth them: he fleeth because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd; and I know mine own, and mine own know me,

Even as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring,

And they shall hear my voice;

And they shall become one flock, one shepherd.

Verse 4

NOW the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus,

Make you perfect in every good thing to do his will,

Working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight,

Through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory for ever and ever.

Amen.

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. Historical text published in The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920), “The Shepherd God”

The 1920 published edition is in the public domain in the United States (pre-1931 publication). Entries whose credited author died more than 70 years ago are also in the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions; traditional and anonymous entries are public domain. Pages whose scan quality is below the proofread threshold are held for review.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-26. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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