The psalmody of Isaac Watts: "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need," Psalm 23

This was sung in the National Cathedral on September 14, 2001 at a prayer service for the victims of the attacks of September 11.

"My Shepherd Will Supply My Need"
Isaac Watts


My Shepherd will supply my need:
Jehovah is His Name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy’s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.

When I walk through the shades of death
Thy presence is my stay;
One word of Thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
Thine oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be my abode,
And all my work be praise.
There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger, nor a guest,
But like a child at home.

Prayer based upon Psalm 23

Inspired by the 23rd Psalm:

O Lord, You are our shepherd; 
    help us to be better sheep.
When You give us green pastures,
    help us to be grateful and not refuse to eat.
When You lead us beside still waters, 
    help us quiet our souls and be refreshed.
When our cups run over, 
    help us not to obsess about the mess 
    but shout for joy at the abundance you give us always.
When You lead us to right pathways, 
    help us not to be hardheaded and go astray.
When we are in the darkest valley, 
    help us to remember that You are ALWAYS with us. Help us to stop bleating long enough 
    to hear Your voice calling us to You. May we remember that your goodness and mercy 
    follow all of us all the days of our lives.
Amen. 


I wrote this as part of my intercessory prayer project that I have done since January 2013: This is also cross posted at my personal blog at http://abidinginhope.blogspot.com/2015/02/prayer-757-last-day-of-epiphany.html .