ScriptureWay
  • Home
  • Site Overview
  • Author
  • Resources
    • Bible Verses About the Cross
    • Bible Verses About Eternal Life
    • Bible Verses - "I AM"s of Christ
    • Bible Verses About Sound Speech
    • Bible Verses for Times of Crisis
    • BIble Verses About Trusting in God
    • Bible Verses about Paradise
    • Bible Verses about Music
    • Test Page
    • Daily Bible Devotionals
    • Bible Study Tools
    • Whitneytunes Music Videos
    • Whitneytunes Worship Music
  • About The Way

Bible Teachings

Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us - Scripture Allusions - Verse 1

5/24/2020

1 Comment

 
by Mr. Whitney V. Myers
Download a printable PDF of this post.
Download a PDF lyrics sheet of this hymn.
Artist: JESUS MAFA. The good shepherd, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN, USA.  Used under license.
Artist: JESUS MAFA. The good shepherd, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN, USA. Used under license.
Image Source: Ref. 1

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."  (Psalm 23:1-3)

"I am the good shepherd." (John 10:11, 14)

This article describes the author background and then the scripture allusions for verse 1 of the hymn, "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us."  This article is the first in a series on this theologically-rich children's hymn.  Reference 2 describes the scripture allusions in verse 2 of "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us."

Hymn Text Author

Researchers do not know for sure the circumstances about how the text for "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us" was written; however, researchers attribute this beloved hymn of the Christian faith to Englishwoman Dorothy Ann Thrupp (1779-1847) (Ref. 3, Ref. 4).  Miss Thrupp is "particularly remembered as a writer of hymns for children" (Ref. 4).  "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us" first appeared unsigned (unattributed) in her collection, Hymns for the Young, in 1836 (Ref. 4).  Ms. Thrupp wrote this hymn for teaching young children the message of a "caring Christ who loves all his children" (Ref. 3).  

PictureWilliam B. Bradbury (Ref. 6)
Hymn Tune Composer

William Batchelder Bradbury (1816-1868) was an American musician who composed the tune in 1859 most often associated with "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us" (Ref. 3, Ref. 5 below, Ref. 6).  He named the tune "Bradbury" after himself (Ref. 3, Ref. 5).  Mr. Bradbury "modified the original words meant for children and broadened the meaning to include all the congregation" (Ref. 3).

Mr. Bradbury also composed the tunes to many popular hymns including "Jesus Loves Me," "He Leadeth Me," and "My Hope is Built" (Ref. 6).  In addition to being an excellent musician and composer, Mr. Bradbury served as a music educator, choir leader, organist, and was a devoted reader of the Bible (Ref. 7, Ref. 8).  


All of the Bible verses below are linked to the BibleGateway.com website (Ref. 9).  The verses below are quoted from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless noted otherwise.

To see the lyric sheet for all four verses of "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us" on one page, click here.  The lyrics are provided by Timeless Truths (Ref. 10). 

Scripture Allusions - Verse 1

The first verse of this great hymn teaches children that Christ is our great Shepherd who leads us, cares for us, feeds us, and protects us.  The verse also explains that Christ has redeemed us and that we are his possession.   

"Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care"
The Lord is our Shepherd who leads us and cares for us.

     Psalm 23:1-3 -- "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  (2) He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.  (3) He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."

     Psalm 23:5 -- "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."

     Isaiah 40:11 (KJV) -- "
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."

     John 10:11 -- "I am the good shepherd."  (also John 10:14)
    
"In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare."
 The Lord feeds us in pleasant pastures and protects us.
  
     Ezekiel 34:14 (KJV) -- "I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel."

PicturePermanent Sheepfold Enclosure - Holy Land. Photo Copyright David Padfield. Used under license. Photo source: FreeBibleImages.org.
A fold was a walled in, hedged, or fenced place for keeping and protecting sheep or other livestock (Ref. 11, Numbers 32:24 KJV).  Jesus referred to such a sheepfold in John 10:1 (KJV).  "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber."  Jesus not only is the means of access to the fold; he also is the Shepherd who protects the sheep in the fold with his own body at the door.  "I am the door.  If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture" (John 10:9, Ref. 12).


"Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are."  (Phrase repeated) 

The phrase, "Thou hast bought us, Thine we are," explains to children the meaning of redemption.  HELPS Word-studies defines redeem as "to release (set free) by paying the full ransom"; (figuratively) to restore "something back, into the possession of its rightful owner" (Ref. 13).  Christ has purchased us and now we are his possession.

     Titus 2:13-14 (italics added) -- " ... waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."

     1 Peter 1:18-19 (KJV) -- "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

Listen and Sing Along 

Click on this YouTube link  - Solo piano meditation on the hymn "Savior, like a Shepherd Lead Us" with sing-along lyrics.  Recorded by Rick Betts - March, 2011.

Prayer

Thank you, Jesus, for being my Savior and Shepherd.  Thank you for leading me and for all the ways that you care for me.

References
1.  http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48288
2.  http://www.scriptureway.com/home/savior-like-a-shepherd-lead-us-scripture-allusions-verse-2 
3.  https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-savior-like-a-shepherd-lead-us
4.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy_Ann_Thrupp
5.  The United Methodist Hymnal, The United Methodist Publishing House, 1989
6.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Batchelder_Bradbury
7.  https://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bbradbury.html
8.  http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/b/r/a/d/bradbury_wb.htm
9.  https://www.biblegateway.com/
10.  Reference 10 begins next line 
https://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Savior_Like_a_Shepherd_Lead_Us/
11.  https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Fold
12.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/jesus-is-the-door
13.  https://biblehub.com/greek/3084.htm

1 Comment
van weber
5/26/2020 10:26:58 am

Yes, Christ is our rightful owner because He paid the sufficient price. We don't have to worry, we are safe.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Daily Bible Verse

    (Click the link above)

    Author

    Mr. Whitney V. Myers.  Christian.  For more information, please visit the Author Page.

    Posting Schedule

    I plan to provide new postings about once a month.

    Planned Topics

    (subject to change)
    1Feb23 - "Walking in Integrity" (Proverbs 20:7)

    Recent Posts

    (most recent three months)
    9Jan23 - "The Light Shines in the Darkness" (John 1:5)
    21Dec22 - "Do Not Love the World" (1 John 2:15)
    (published revised 2nd edition)
    8Nov22 - "He Restores My Soul" (Psalm 23:3)
    11Oct22 - "Adoption as Sons" (Ephesians 1:4-5, Galatians 3:26, Romans 8:15)

    Popular Posts

    (top 10)
    7Oct18 -
    "What is Eternal Life?" (John 17:3)
    25Aug19 - "Characteristics of a Child of God - Part 1" (Matthew 7:16)
    3June18 - "What Does 'The Way' Mean in the New Testament?" (Matthew 7:13-14)
    9Feb20 - "Come Now, Let Us Reason Together (Isaiah 1:18)"
    1Jul18 - "There is a Balm in Gilead" (Jeremiah 8:22)
    21Oct18 - "When Jesus Said 'Truly, Truly,' What Did He Mean?" (John 6:47)
    11Aug22 - "What is Living Water in the Bible?" (John 4:10)
    20May18 - "The Way of the Lord (Old Testament)"
    6Nov21 - "The Meaning of God's Favor" (Psalm 30:5) (Deuteronomy 5:33)
    22Apr18 - "The Remedy for a Troubled Heart (John 14:1)"

    Categories

    All
    About The Life
    About The Truth
    About The Way
    Adoption
    Advent
    Affliction
    Amen
    Angels
    Anxiety/Worry
    Athletes
    Atonement
    Attributes Of God
    Believe In Jesus - Section 1
    Believe In Jesus - Section 2
    Believe In Jesus - Section 3
    Believe In Jesus - Section 4
    Blessing
    Blood
    Bread
    Burdens
    Children Of God
    Church
    "Comes" Of God's Word
    Comfort
    Comforter/Helper
    Compassion
    Confession
    Cornerstone
    Courage
    Crisis Management
    Cross
    Defense
    Early Church
    Encouragement
    Endurance
    Eternal Life - Section 1
    Eternal Life - Section 2
    Faith - Section 1
    Faith - Section 2
    Favor
    Fear
    "Fear Nots"
    Focus On God
    Follow Jesus
    Forgiveness
    Foundation
    Friend
    Fruit
    Future Life
    Goals
    God's Care
    God's Guidance
    God's Invitations
    God's Promises
    God's Will
    Gospel
    Grace
    Hate
    Healing
    Hearing
    Heart
    Heaven
    Help
    Holy Spirit - Section 1
    Holy Spirit - Section 2
    Hope
    Hunger
    Hymn Stories - Section 1
    Hymn Stories - Section 2
    "I AM"s Of Christ - Section 1
    "I AM"s Of Christ - Section 2
    Inheritance
    Joy
    Knowing Jesus
    Knowledge
    Labor
    Life
    Life After Death
    Light And Darkness
    Listening
    Living Water
    Love
    Maturity
    Mercy
    Narrow Gate
    New Life
    Paradise/Heaven
    Peace
    Persecution
    Pharisees & Scribes
    Physician
    Power
    Prayer
    Pray To Receive Christ
    Pride
    Protection
    Ransom
    Redemption
    Refuge
    Repentance
    Rest
    Resurrection
    Righteousness
    Right Hand
    Salvation - Section 1
    Salvation - Section 2
    Savior
    Scarlet
    Second Coming
    Security
    Sheep
    Shepherd
    Silence
    Sin & Sinners
    Son Of God
    Soul And Spirit
    Sound Speech
    Spiritual Growth
    Storms
    Strength
    Struggles
    Sympathy
    Testimonies
    The Way
    The World
    Thirst
    Tree Of Life
    Trouble
    Truly Truly
    Trusting In God
    Truth
    Virgin Birth
    Water
    Way To Heaven
    Who Is Jesus? - Section 1
    Who Is Jesus? - Section 2
    Why Jesus Came
    Wisdom
    Witness

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018

The ScriptureWay site provides Bible Teachings that point to Jesus.   The Bible teaches that believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. 

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." -- Jesus speaking in John 14:6
​

Picture

    Follow by email

Please enter your email address to receive an email notification of new posts. After you enter your email address, please then click on this "please enter" box. Within a few seconds you should see a message confirming that your information has been submitted.

Copyright 2018-2023 Whitney V. Myers

Listed in Feedspot's Top 100 Bible Study Blogs and Websites
  • Home
  • Site Overview
  • Author
  • Resources
    • Bible Verses About the Cross
    • Bible Verses About Eternal Life
    • Bible Verses - "I AM"s of Christ
    • Bible Verses About Sound Speech
    • Bible Verses for Times of Crisis
    • BIble Verses About Trusting in God
    • Bible Verses about Paradise
    • Bible Verses about Music
    • Test Page
    • Daily Bible Devotionals
    • Bible Study Tools
    • Whitneytunes Music Videos
    • Whitneytunes Worship Music
  • About The Way