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| Where streams of living water flow |
Today’s hymn is full of reverential love. It might be said with accuracy this hymn
was written by God Himself since the lyrics are a more metrical version of the
23rd Psalm. Metrical hymns were the only sung in the ancient church since they
were taken directly from the Biblical text. That brings to light one of the
over-riding strengths of the King James Bible (in addition to its majestic
reverence and accuracy): the metrical rhythm in which the KJV is written
facilitates both memorization and understanding. Why should we settle for less?
The paraphrasing of the 23rd Psalm was done by Henry
Williams Baker in 1868 and the tune provided in the 1940 Hymnal is Dominus
regit me by John Bacchus Dykes, 1823-1876. I like the lyrics of this
particular version better than those contained in the old Scottish Psalter of
1650 by Francis Rous, but I believe the tune in that Psalter to be far superior:
Crimond by Jesse Irvine. Crimond is far more devotional and reverential,
in my opinion.
The King of Love my Shepherd Is
The King of love
my shepherd is,
whose goodness
faileth never;
I nothing lack if
I am his,
and he is mine for
ever.
Where streams of
living water flow,
my ransomed soul
he leadeth,
and where the
verdant pastures grow,
with food
celestial feedeth.
Perverse and
foolish oft I strayed,
but yet in love He
sought me,
and on his
shoulder gently laid,
and home,
rejoicing, brought me.
In death's dark
vale I fear no ill
with thee, dear
Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff
my comfort still,
thy cross before
to guide me.
Thou spread'st a
table in my sight;
thy unction grace
bestoweth;
and O what
transport of delight
from thy pure
chalice floweth!
And so through all
the length of days
thy goodness
faileth never:
Good Shepherd, may
I sing thy praise
within thy house
for ever.
“The King of love my shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never; I nothing
lack if I am his,
and he is mine for ever.” The Kingship of Love was documented by our Lord on the cross
at Golgotha. Our Lord Jesus Christ is truly the Sovereign of the Realm, and
progenitor of every virtue, of LOVE. It was LOVE that moved in His Mind to
Create the Heavens and the Earth; and it was LOVE that compelled Him down to us
to redeem us with His own blood. He is the only One who is good, and that
goodness is the means of benefit we have in our salvation. A friend of mine in
Elba, Alabama, has a plaque on his wall that reads: “He who has Jesus Christ
and much wealth, has no more than He who has Christ alone.” How true that
is! If we own Christ, we own all that is GOOD for He alone is GOOD. We never
lack with Christ. We may have desires that the Lord deems inappropriate, but
all that we truly need, He will supply. Once we belong to Christ, we are His,
and He is ours, forever. He doesn’t change His mind just because we come upon
hard times. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be
content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I
will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Heb 13:5) We are
secure in Jesus.
“Where streams of living water flow, my ransomed soul he leadeth, and
where the verdant pastures grow, with food celestial feedeth.” The Lord
knows the place of pure, flowing waters for He is the source of the Fountain of
Life. “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see
light.” (Psalms 36:9) Those who are ransomed will see the River anew in
the Land of the Living: “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life,
clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the
midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree
of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month:
and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (Rev
22:1-2) All that was lost in Eden shall be regained in Heaven. Our Shepherd
knows the place of verdant, green pastures whereby we may be fed and nourished.
No other knows of these healthful waters and victuals. His FOOD is not the
common fare of this world, but celestial FOOD – that Bread which came down from
Heaven. He is our MANNA!
“Perverse and foolish oft I strayed, but yet in love He sought me, and on
his shoulder gently laid, and home, rejoicing, brought me.” When a
child’s puppy wanders into the danger of the street, the child usually does not
get angry, but loves the puppy yet, and chases after, and brings him to safety
bearing him in his bosom. We are just as foolish as a puppy. We wander where we
should not, and consume things that are not healthful for us. But our Lord’s
love is bigger than any episodes of disobedience or lack of wisdom on our
parts. Just as He did with Abraham who often ignored much of the Lord’s
counsel, He will draw us out of our self-made ditches and place our feet on
Higher Ground. It was customary of the shepherds of Iran when I lived there to
carry the smallest lamb on their shoulders. The larger ones who were unable to
keep up were carried in the bosom of the shepherd. But our shepherd is greater
than these in love and power. As often as we have failed and disappointed, He
will yet carry us in our times of weakness and failure.
“In death's dark vale I fear no ill with thee, dear Lord, beside me; thy
rod and staff my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide me.” Ah, yes,
that old Valley of the Shadow of Death is referenced here. None living shall
escape passing through that Valley. But our Lord has already passed through
that Valley for us. Remember, death to the redeemed is not anything
substantial, but only a mere ‘shadow.’ He is continually with us in times of
plenty and in times of danger. That Shepherds staff serves two functions: 1) to
prod and discipline, and 2) to rescue from danger. Though we have joy untold in
Christ, we must not take our eyes off the cross that leads our way. The Maid of
Orleans (Jean d’Arc) was an innocent young heroine who was unjustly committed
to the flames of martyrdom. Being tied to the stake of burning, she uttered
only one request: that a cross be held before her fevered eyes as she was
dying. And so she died to the pain and miseries of this life, and opened her
eyes in the Presence of the King of Love.
“Thou spread'st a table in my sight; thy unction grace bestoweth; and O
what transport of delight from thy pure chalice floweth!” Quite often,
the wicked people of this world wonder from whence we gather our joy and
comfort in stressful times. Their eyes cannot see the Table spread by the Lord,
but they see the joy in our hearts and wonder. His love is qualified by
His immeasurable GRACE. Grace is not something that is ever deserved, but
freely given. Yes, it is true that our cups runneth over! When hearts are
filled with that Love of Christ, they cannot contain the residue. Love seeks
the lowest point in the heart, but it overflows for lack of the human heart’s
capacity to contain it all. The more love that is given away, the greater the
residual in the heart. This fact the world can never comprehend.
“And so through all the length of days thy goodness faileth never: Good
Shepherd, may I sing thy praise within thy house for ever.” Yes, the
goodness and mercy of the Lord shall follow His people in all places. But they
may not precede us. In times of trial and temptation, we do not see those
following mercies until our souls are famished for the taste of them. Even
though we may not always be aware of those mercies, they are nevertheless right
behind, and they never fail to catch us when we fall back. It is a privilege
and honor to sing the praises of the Good Shepherd and King of our Souls. Just
imagine the great joy that awaits beyond the veil of our vision! Though our joy
is very full in the present life, how much more full it shall be when we shall
dwell in the House of the Lord forever!
