The King Of Love My Shepherd Is (arr. John Leavitt): SAB Choral Octavo

Leavitt's arrangement respects the beloved melody while adding harmonic sophistication that gives your singers something real to sing. The SAB voicing keeps the writing singable without sacrificing the warmth and dignity the text demands, and seven pages gives you enough substance for a meaningful moment in worship or concert.

Warm, earnest, and grounded. The arrangement wraps familiar words in thoughtful harmonies that feel both reverent and human, creating space for singers to connect emotionally with the text about divine care and comfort.

This arrangement works well for church choirs, school vocal ensembles, and community choruses with mixed voices but no strong tenor section. It's ideal when you want to include this hymn in a concert or service but need a fuller, more arranged treatment than a straight hymnal setting.

• Emphasize the shape of the melody line by letting sopranos sit slightly forward in the texture; their line carries the hymn's narrative arc.
• Find a tempo that allows the text to breathe without dragging. This hymn benefits from gentle forward motion rather than a heavy, ponderous pace.
• Balance altos and basses carefully in their supporting lines so they enhance rather than compete with the soprano melody.

Pair this with other sacred works to create a hymn-centered program section, or feature it as a standalone piece in a worship service where you want familiar words given fresh musical life. The length and accessible difficulty make it valuable filler between larger dramatic works.

• Singing independent vocal lines within a three-part texture
• Sustaining legit phrasing across longer lines
• Balancing individual part integrity with ensemble blend
• Understanding how harmonic support shapes melodic interpretation