LIKE A SHEPHERD LEADS HIS WAYWARD SHEEP
SO DOES GOD LEAD US FROM SIN SO DEEP.
WE SHALL NOT WANT FOR ANYTHING MORE
GOD'S LOVE IS SUFFICIENT, THIS WE KNOW.
IN PASTURES OF GREEN, WE ARE GIVEN REST
GOD HAS PLANNED THIS FOR HIS BLEST.
HE LEADS US BY QUIET WATERS STILL,
TO SATISFY OUR THIRST WE OBEY HIS WILL.
OUR SOUL IS RESTORED AND MADE WHOLE AGAIN,
AS HIS SHEEP WE ARE FREE FROM SIN AND PAIN.
OVER THE HILLS AND THROUGH THE VALLEYS DIM,
HE LEADS IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AS WE FOLLOW HIM.
THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH,
HE HOLDS OUR HAND WHEN WE LEAVE THIS EARTH.
HIS ROD AND STAFF COMFORT US IN TIMES OF STRESS,
HE WALKS WITH US AND WE ARE SURELY BLEST.
HE KEEPS US SAFE FROM OUR ENEMIES AND FOES
WITH HIS ALMIGHTY LOVE, TRUTH HE SHOWS.
THEREFORE WE FEAR NO EVIL FROM WORLDLY TRAVAIL,
HIS GOODNESS AND MERCY FOR US WILL PREVAIL.
WE WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER.
( The 23rd Psalm paraphrased by Juliette Lively Dickey)