Sing to the Lord a New Song

Sing to the Lord a New Song

We continue a series that seeks to take inspiration from the words of newer hymns and songs.

You don’t need me to tell you that Psalm 23 has resonated with readers of the Bible down through the ages and, today, we consider the first of three songs based upon it (watch out for the other two in subsequent thoughts).

King of Love

The King of Love my Shepherd is
Whose goodness faileth never
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever
And He is mine forever

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

Never failing, Ruler of my heart
Everlasting, Lover of my soul
On the mountain high or in the valley low
The King of Love my Shepherd is
The King of Love my Shepherd is

Lost and foolish off I strayed
But yet in love He sought me
And on His shoulder gently laid
And home rejoicing brought me

In death’s dark veil I fear no ill

With Thee, dear Lord, beside me
Thy rod and staff my comfort still
Thy cross before to guide me
Oh, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Oh, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

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

Songwriters: Adam Palmer, Jonathan Smith, Matthew Hein, Stephanie Kulla, Stuart Garrard

You can listen to the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqsChaiBkQ4

This song was written by a Christian worship group called ‘I Am They’ who came together to lead worship for a one-off event in Nevada in 2008 but then continued writing and recording together until 2022. Their name is based on John 17 where Jesus repeatedly uses ‘they’/’them’ to refer to his present and future followers as in verses 22 and 23:

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

For members of the group it was a way of saying, ‘I am counted among those followers’.

As I grew up, the two most notable hymns based upon Psalm 23 were ‘The Lord’s my Shepherd’ by Francis Rous and H. W. Baker’s ‘The King of Love my Shepherd Is’. Then came Stuart Townend’s ‘The Lord’s my Shepherd’ and today we consider a song that takes its inspiration not just from Psalm 23 but from a reworking of ‘The King of Love my Shepherd Is’.

‘King of Love’ is one of I Am They’s earliest songs and became a firm favourite when I introduced it to the churches I was then serving in Oxfordshire but one thing puzzled me. A chorus has been added to H W Baker’s hymn but the most significant change to the words themselves is in the fourth verse where ‘vale’ has been replaced by ‘veil’. Is this a typo or was the original considered unintelligible to a non-UK audience or too antiquated? I don’t know the answer to those questions but the change does give us plenty to ponder as we ask ‘What’s in a word?’.

‘Vale’, at least to British ears, takes us into the countryside with its sheep and shepherds. ‘Death’s dark vale’ (the valley of the shadow of death) pictures dangerous times or places where you may face the threat or even the reality of death but, in either scenario, there can be trust in the protection of the shepherd who accompanies us.

By contrast, ‘Death’s dark veil’ focuses on the point of death itself and the unknown territory that lies concealed from our sight beyond the veil. Here again, you can trust in Jesus, the good shepherd, who has gone before you into the unknown and promises, as you yourself face death, that he will be there to accompany you onward.Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that your loving presence, like that of the shepherd, is always with me. May I have a clear sense of your nearness, particularly when I am facing death’s dark vale or veil, and lead me to your house within which I will sing your praise forever. Amen