The Story Behind The King of Love My Shepherd Is
Sir Henry Williams Baker (1821-1877), the author of this hymn, was the son of a vice-admiral. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and ordained in 1844 as a priest in the Church of England.
A big passion of his life was the creation of the innovative Hymns Ancient & Modern, an impressive achievement in the history of English hymnody and a collection of the various glorious gospels of its time. An important feature of this hymnal was the printing of text and tune for each hymn on the same page, so any singer could see and sing the unique pairings.
“The King of Love My Shepherd Is,” a metrical paraphrase of Psalm 23, was written by Baker for the Second Edition of Hymns Ancient & Modern in 1868, and included in the appendix. His friend John Bacchus Dykes, a musical editor on the committee, wrote the tune specifically for it, which is the title of Psalm 23 in the Latin translation.
Popular Hymn Lyrics with Story and Meaning
Day by Day and With Each Passing Moment
Jesus Loves Me
What a Friend We Have in Jesus
Blessed Assurance
Nearer My God to Thee
Abide with Me
His Eye is On the Sparrow
Be Thou My Vision