Benjamin was son of the Rev. Rann Ken­ne­dy, some­time in­cum­bent of St. Paul’s Church in Birm­ing­ham and ed­it­or of A Church of Eng­land Psalm-Book (1821). He was ed­u­cat­ed at King Ed­ward’s School, Birm­ing­ham; Shrews­bury School; and St. John’s Coll­ege, Cam­bridge. He grad­u­at­ed BA in 1827 (First Medalist). He was Fel­low of his Coll­ege (1828-36); Head­master of Shrews­bury School (1836-66); and Re­gius Pro­fes­sor of Greek at the Un­i­ver­si­ty of Cam­bridge and Can­on of Ely, 1867. He took Ho­ly Or­ders in 1829, and was for some time Pre­ben­da­ry in Lich­field Ca­thed­ral and Rec­tor of West Fel­ton, Salop. He was elect­ed Hon­o­ra­ry Fel­low of St. John’s Coll­ege, Cam­bridge, in 1880. His works in­clude:

• Pub­lic School La­tin Gram­mar
• Palaestra Latina
• Palaestra Stili La­ti­ni
• Un­i­ver­si­ty Ser­mons
• The Psalter, or the Psalms of Da­vid, in Eng­lish Verse. By a Mem­ber of the Un­i­ver­si­ty of Cam­bridge, 1860.
• Hymnologia Christ­iana, or Psalms & Hymns Se­lect­ed and Ar­ranged in the Or­der of the Christ­ian Sea­sons, 1863

Kennedy ver­si­fied ma­ny of the psalms, and wrote and trans­lat­ed num­er­ous other hymns, as well.

Sources

Translations

1. All My Heart with Joy Is Springing
2. Ask Ye What Great Thing I Know
3. Who Trusts in God, a Strong Abode

Hymns

1. Hope, Christ­ian Soul, in Every Stage
2. O God, Whose Gifts Alone Can Bless
3. O Hear Me, Lord, Instruct and Save
4. O Highest Love in Lowest Guise
5. Save Me, O Lord, for Thou Alone
6. Thou, O God, Our Quiet Trust