Lyrics
1 THOU, Lord, art a shield for me,
Succour still I find in thee;
Now thou liftest up my head,
Now I glory in thine aid,
Confident in thy defence,
Strong in thine omnipotence.
2 To the Lord I cried; the cry
Brought my helper from the sky;
By my kind protector kept,
Safe I laid me down and slept,
Slept within his arms, and rose;
Blest him for the sweet repose.
3 Thine it is, O Lord, to save;
Strength in thee thy people have;
Safe from sin in thee they rest,
With the gospel-blessing blest,
Wait to see the perfect grace,
Heaven on earth in Jesu's face.
Meaning & Inspiration
“Thou, Lord, Art a Shield for Me” is a compact hymn of confidence shaped closely by Psalm 3. The singer begins with God as shield, helper, and defender, then describes crying out and receiving an answer. Sleep becomes an act of trust: divine protection permits rest in the presence of danger, followed by waking gratitude. The older language gives the hymn a prayerful directness, while each stanza develops the same conviction that safety and strength come from the Lord.
The final stanza broadens the prayer from personal rescue to the salvation of God’s people. Rest is no longer only physical sleep but freedom from sin under the blessing of the gospel. Its closing hope looks toward complete grace and the sight of Christ. Psalm 3:3–5 supplies the clearest biblical foundation, including the shield, the lifted head, the answered cry, and secure sleep. The hymn turns those images into praise for sustaining mercy and lasting deliverance.
Related Scripture
- Psalm 3:3-5 The psalm names God as shield, tells of an answered cry, and describes sleeping safely.
- Psalm 3:8 The psalm closes by declaring that salvation belongs to the Lord and blessing rests on his people.