Glam Psalm - 'Lay Down' by The Strawbs

Back in 6th form (that's the early 1990s) some one of my friends introduced me to 'Lay Down' by The Strawbs, recorded in 1972. It has been in my head all week for some reason, a great tune but I was never able to work out the words. Google has supplied these, which it seems are based on Psalm 23.

By still waters I lay down with the lambs
In pastures green I made peace with my soul
And I cared not for the night
While my guiding star shone bright
By still waters I lay down
I lay down.

Lay down, I lay me down
Lay down, I lay me down
Lay down, I lay me down
For my soul.

At the roadside I took toll of my times
In dirty streets I found peace for my soul
May the merciful be right
Are you ready for the night
At the roadside I lay down
I lay down.

Lay down, I lay me down
Lay down, I lay me down
Lay down, I lay me down
For my soul.

In deep sorrow I took flight with the sun
From mountains high I gained strength for my soul
I proved stronger than the test
When my spirit came to rest
In deep sorrow I lay down
I lay down.

Lay down, I lay me down
Lay down, I lay me down
Lay down, I lay me down
For my soul.

The first single (that's a 45rpm vinyl record) I ever bought was Boney M's Brown Girl in the Ring with Rivers of Babylon on the B-side – bought at a stall in Newtownards Market one Saturday morning when I was about 9. Rivers of Babylon is based on verses 1 - 4 Psalm 137, the great Psalm of exile. Most people forget about the rest of that Psalm.

Steve Earle's acoustic version is great, but it uses the Rastafarian term 'King Alpha' rather than the Biblical term 'LORD'.