SATB · A cappella · Approx. 3 minutes
Text: Scottish Psalter (1650)
About the work
This setting of the beloved Psalm 23 text, The Lord’s my shepherd; I’ll not want, is a contemplative anthem for unaccompanied mixed choir.
Marked Andante tranquillo, non affrettato, the music unfolds at an unhurried pace, allowing the words to speak with clarity and warmth. The predominantly chordal writing is enriched by expressive harmonic colour, with moments of gentle movement and sustained sonority reflecting the psalm’s themes of trust, comfort and divine protection.
The music gradually develops in intensity through the later verses, reaching a more emphatic expression of confidence in the words “Goodness and mercy all my life shall surely follow me”. The anthem concludes with a broad, reflective setting of “my dwelling place shall be”, bringing the work to a peaceful and assured close.
Suitable for church services and choral worship, this setting offers choirs an opportunity to explore expressive phrasing, carefully balanced harmonies and the beauty of unaccompanied singing.
