Shepherd of Tender Youth
An Old Christian Hymn (from the third book of Clement of Alexandria)
[I don’t know how they make them rhyme so well when they translate to English!]
Shepherd of tender youth,
Guiding in love and truth
Through devious ways;
Christ, our triumphant king,
We come Your name to sing
And here our children bring
To join Your praise.
You are our holy
Lord,
The all-subduing Word,
Healer of strife.
Yourself You did abase
That from sin’s deep disgrace
You so might save our race
And give us life.
You are the
great High Priest;
You have prepared the feast
Of holy love;
And in our mortal pain
None calls on You in vain;
Our pleas do not disdain—
Help from above.
Forever be our
guide,
Our shepherd and our pride,
Our staff and song.
Jesus, O Christ of God,
By Your enduring Word,
Lead us where You have trod;
Make our faith strong.
So now, and till we die,
Sound we Your praises high
And joyful sing:
Infants, and all the throng*
Who to Your church belong,
Unite to swell the song
To Christ, our king!
*Note that some texts have: “With all the holy throng.” Edits over the years, make the last stanza unreliable as proof for us fans of paedo-baptism. The case is made, rather, on the assumption that as the old covenant sign was applied to infants of the family of believers, so also is the new covenant sign.)
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