I Was a Wandering sheep - Hymn Lyrics

1. I was a wand'ring sheep,
I did not love the fold;
I did not love my Shepherd's voice,
I would not be controlled.
I was a wayward child,
I did not love my home;
I did not love my Father's voice,
I loved afar to roam.

2. The Shepherd sought his sheep,
the Father sought his child;
they followed me o'er vale and hill,
o'er deserts waste and wild:
they found me nigh to death,
famished and faint and lone;
they bound me with the bands of love,
they saved the wand'ring one.

3. Jesus my Shepherd is;
'twas he that loved my soul,
'twas he that washed me in his blood,
'twas he that made me whole;
'twas he that sought the lost,
that found the wand'ring sheep,
'twas he that brought me to the fold,
'tis he that still doth keep.

4. I was a wand'ring sheep,
I would not be controlled;
but now I love my Shepherd's voice,
I love, I love the fold.
I was a wayward child,
I once preferred to roam;
but now I love my Father's voice,
I love, I love his home.

Title: I Was a Wandering Sheep
Author: Horatius Bonar (1808–1889)
Tune: Often set to simple, reflective melodies like Shepherd (William B. Bradbury) or Balerma.

Hymn Story:

"I Was a Wandering Sheep" was written by Horatius Bonar, a Scottish pastor and poet known for his clear, heartfelt hymns centered on personal faith in Christ. Bonar lived during a period of spiritual awakening in Scotland and was deeply concerned with the soul’s relationship to God, emphasizing salvation by grace alone.

This hymn is a testimony hymn—it speaks from the perspective of someone who remembers their past rebellion against God and rejoices in the loving pursuit of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
It reflects the imagery of Isaiah 53:6 ("All we like sheep have gone astray...") and Jesus' parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke 15. Bonar wrote it to emphasize not only human waywardness but more importantly the patient, seeking love of Christ that draws sinners back.

Themes:

• Spiritual Wandering: Honest acknowledgment of straying from God.

• Christ the Good Shepherd: His patient pursuit and restoring love.

• Redemption and Belonging: Finding a home in the Father's embrace.

• Grace and Mercy: Salvation not earned, but given freely.

This hymn offers a deeply personal meditation on what it means to be found by Christ. It reminds us that our salvation is not the result of our effort or goodness, but of God's relentless, loving pursuit. The sheep does not find its way home on its own — the Shepherd comes to seek it.

Bonar’s gentle but honest words also encourage believers to reflect on the depth of God's mercy, stirring up gratitude for the One who loved us even when we were lost and unwilling to return on our own.

Horatius Bonar wrote over 600 hymns during his lifetime, but only a handful, including "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say" and "I Was a Wandering Sheep," remain widely sung today. His hymns were noted for being plain, heartfelt, and rich in Scriptural truth — avoiding overly ornate or intellectual language so that even common worshipers could easily understand and feel their meaning.