This edition was prepared by Charles H. Giffen — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Gentle Shepherd, Thou hast stilled
Staff Notation • Sacred, Hymns
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Gentle Shepherd, Thou hast stilled by Charles H. Giffen — Lyrics
1.
Gentle Shepherd, Thou hast stilled
Now Thy little lamb’s brief weeping;
Ah, how peaceful, pale, and mild,
In its narrow bed ’tis sleeping,
And no sigh of anguish sore
Heaves that little bosom more.
2.
In this world of care and pain,
Lord, Thou wouldst no longer leave it;
To the sunny, heavenly plain
Thou dost now with joy receive it,
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About Gentle Shepherd, Thou hast stilled
This moving anthem for SATB voices, set in English, offers solace and comfort through the grief of losing a child. The text, a translation by Catherine Winkworth, speaks of a "little lamb" now at rest, its earthly suffering stilled. The composer Charles H. Giffen evokes a sense of profound peace, imagining the child now "clothed in robes of spotless white" and dwelling in heavenly light. The piece transitions from the sorrow of parting to a hopeful prayer, asking for the strength to eventually join the departed in the "lovely pastures" of heaven, finding in death a spiritual gain even amidst profound loss.
