Words: , 1872.

[This hymn] was writ­ten in 1872 while the au­thor was pas­tor of the Church of the Strang­ers in New York Ci­ty. One night af­ter go­ing to bed he found that the cares of the young Church fol­lowed him and de­pressed him. It seemed to make de­mands which he could not meet. To com­fort him­self he be­gan to re­peat con­sol­ing pass­ag­es of Script­ure. Then oc­curred to him the twen­ty-third Psalm. He re­peat­ed over and over: “I shall not want.” It be­gan to run into stan­zas, and he feel alseep upon fin­ish­ing the fourth. Next morn­ing it was so vi­vid that he wrote it out.

Music: Clolata, (1865-?). Al­ter­nate tune:

  • Ward, ar­ranged from an old Scot­tish mel­o­dy by , 1830

If you know when the mu­sic was writ­ten, or where to get a pho­to of St. Clair Palm­er

I shall not want: in deserts wild
Thou spread’st Thy table for Thy child;
While grace in streams for thirsting souls,
Thro’ earth and Heaven forever rolls.

I shall not want: my darkest night
Thy loving smile shall fill with light;
While promises around me bloom,
And cheer me with divine perfume.

I shall not want: Thy righteousness
My soul shall clothe with glorious dress;
My blood-washed robe shall be more fair
Than garments kings or angels wear.

I shall not want: whate’er is good,
Of daily bread or angels’ food,
Shall to my Father’s child be sure,
So long as earth and Heaven endure.