This is one of the most ancient hymns of the Christian Church, dating to around AD 190. The original Greek text is attributed to Clement of Alexandria (ca. 150–ca. 215), who appended this poetic hymn to the end of the third book of his treatise Paedagogus (“The Instructor”), likely written while he served as headmaster of the catechetical school in Alexandria. The terms “youth” and “children” in the hymn refer not merely to the young, but to all Christians regardless of age; Clement explicitly notes in his treatise, “We are the children.” The original Greek is vividly metaphorical: “Bridle of untamed colts, Wing of unwandering birds, sure Helm of babes, Shepherd of royal lambs.” The English paraphrase we sing today was penned by Henry M. Dexter in 1847 and published in the New England Puritan, where he marveled that early Christians may have sung this very hymn before the Apostle John died.