Sir Henry Williams Baker, 3rd Baronet, was a distinguished 19th-century English Anglican priest, hymnal editor, and hymnwriter who became one of the most influential figures in Victorian church music. Born in London on May 27, 1821, he was the eldest son of Admiral Sir Henry Loraine Baker. He received his education at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1844 and a Master of Arts in 1847. Ordained into Holy Orders in 1844, he succeeded to his father's baronetcy in 1851 and in the same year was appointed Vicar of Monkland in Herefordshire. He faithfully served this rural parish for twenty-six years until his death.

Baker’s most monumental contribution to global church music was his role as the principal chairman and editor-in-chief of Hymns Ancient & Modern. First issued as a trial copy in 1859 and published in its completed first edition in 1861, this landmark volume revolutionized congregational singing across the Anglican Communion and the wider English-speaking world, selling tens of millions of copies. Baker’s arduous editorial leadership extended to the Appendix in 1868 and the landmark revised edition of 1875. In addition to his editorial oversight, Baker was a musical contributor, composing the original melodies for several popular tunes in the collection (including ST. TIMOTHY and STEPHANOS), which were harmonized by Dr. William Henry Monk. He also compiled devotional works for the working class, including Daily Prayers for Those Who Work Hard.

As a hymnwriter, Baker contributed thirty-three original hymns, metrical litanies, and translations to Hymns Ancient & Modern and other mission collections. Stylistically, his verse is distinguished by simplicity of language, smooth rhythm, and earnest devotion, drawing frequent comparisons to the saintly Henry Francis Lyte. Hymnologists note that while a few of his works are joyful, much of his writing possesses a tender, plaintive sweetness and quiet peace.

Among his most famous original hymns and translations are:

• "The King of Love My Shepherd Is" — His exquisite metrical paraphrase of Psalm 23, paired famously with the Irish tune ST. COLUMBA, which remains one of the most beloved hymns in the English language.

• "O Sacred Head, Surrounded" — His landmark translation of the passion hymn O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden.

• "Lord, Thy Word Abideth" — A classic hymn celebrating the guidance and authority of Holy Scripture.

• "O Praise Ye the Lord!" — A triumphant, festive hymn of jubilation based on Psalms 148 and 150.

• "O Perfect Life of Love" — A tender Lenten and Good Friday meditation on the completed work of Christ on the cross.

• "Out of the Deep I Cry to Thee" — A penitential paraphrase of the De Profundis (Psalm 130).

Baker remained unmarried and devoted his entire life to his rural parish and his hymnological work. He died at Monkland on February 12, 1877, at the age of fifty-five. His dying words were the third stanza of his own Psalm 23 paraphrase: "Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed, / But yet in love He sought me, / And on His Shoulder gently laid, / And home, rejoicing, brought me."