O thou who art the Shepherd

201 O thou who art the Shepherd

O thou who art the Shepherd
   of all the scattered sheep,
   who lovest all thy lost ones
   on every mountain steep,
   create in us a yearning
   for those whom thou dost seek,
   the hopeless and the burdened,
   the helpless and the weak.

We would be thy disciples
   and all the hungry feed,
   nor seek our own salvation
   apart from other's need.
   These, Father, are thy children
   thou sendest us to find;
   help us by deeds of mercy
   to show that thou art kind.

Awake in us compassion,
   O Lord of life divine;
   create in us thy spirit;
   give us a love like thine.
   Help us to seek thy kingdom
   that cometh from above,
   and in thy great salvation,
   show forth thy boundless love.
                         John W. Shackford
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition

<idle musing>
Not exactly a popular hymn. It only occurs in 4 hymnals and is the only hymn the author ever wrote. It is definitely a social gospel hymn; it's first appearance was in a publication entitled Seven New Social Welfare Hymns. I don't recall ever singing it, and it didn't make the cut into the newer Methodist hymnal.
</idle musing>