My Sheep Know My Voice

Words and music by Herbert Buffum, 1905 (Verse 1 and Refrain); Verse 2 and 3, author unknown. 
Click the arrow above to play. If you see no video play arrow, click the song title to view online.

Verse 1
My sheep know My voice and the path that I take,
They follow wherever I go;
My sheep know My voice and come at my call,
But a stranger’s voice do they not know.

Refrain:
My sheep know My voice, and day by day
They abide in the fold and go not astray;
They love Me because I have made them My choice,
And they follow My call for My sheep know My voice.

Verse 2
My sheep know My voice and the pastures of green,
Where I lead them so often to feed;
My sheep know My voice and the cool, sparkling stream
Where beside its still waters I lead.

Verse 3*
My sheep know My voice and the valley of death
Through which I shall lead them someday;
But no danger nor harm can touch one of them,
For I will be with them alway.

Public Domain
Recorded by The Nickel Family Singers as the title track on LP365: My Sheep Know My Voice.
*Verse 3 is not included on recording. For the sheet music, click here.

On Loan From God

Alternate Title: "Earth's Family Cycle"

We take our infants in our arms.
No sacrifice, just joy!
And soon they take steps of their own –
our precious girls and boys.

They trust us so, and we in turn
don’t want to let them down
but we will fail, and they must learn
that God is God alone.

Reminded they’re just lent to us,
both for our joy and trust
and if we’d help them reach their goals,
show trust and hope we must.

Then comes the time to take hands off,
but heart-strings still hold fast;
and God keeps working, till one day
we’re satisfied at last.

They find their niche in this wide world
by grace of God above,
and that is what it’s all about:
when they express God’s love.

fpn 12/80

Photo Credit: Deposit Photos #8995377, standard license