The King of Love My Shepherd Is is an 1868 hymn with lyrics written by

Henry Williams Baker Sir Henry Williams Baker, 3rd Baronet (27 May 1821 – 12 February 1877), was an English Anglican priest and hymnwriter. Biography Baker was the son of Vice-admiral Sir Henry Loraine Baker, C.B., by his marriage with Louisa Anne, only daughter ...

, based on the Welsh version of

Psalm 23 Psalm 23 is the 23rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "The Lord is my shepherd". In Latin, it is known by the incipit, "". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a boo ...

and the work of

Edmund Prys Edmund (Edmwnd) Prys (1542/3 – 1623) was a Welsh clergyman and poet, best known for Welsh metrical translations of the Psalms in his ''Salmau Cân''. Life Prys was born in Llanrwst, Denbighshire 1542 or 1543, son of Siôn ap Rhys ap Gruff ...

. It is sung to four different melodies: Dominus Regit Me, the traditional Irish tune St. Columba, " Ich dank' dir schon" by

Michael Praetorius Michael Praetorius (probably 28 September 1571 – 15 February 1621) was a German composer, organist, and music theorist. He was one of the most versatile composers of his age, being particularly significant in the development of musical forms ba ...

, and Remsen, the Welsh original. Henry Baker's last words were reportedly lyrics from this hymn. In 1997, the hymn was sung at the

funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales The funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, started on Saturday 6 September 1997 at 9:08am in London, when the tenor bell of Westminster Abbey started tolling to signal the departure of the cortège from Kensington Palace. The coffin was carried ...

Lyrics

References

English Christian hymns 1868 songs {{christian-song-stub