A very old home recording of this song may be heard here.
We’re all like sheep who’ve gone astray,
Lost in our best intentions.
We’ve nibbled our way down unknown paths
In search of greener grasses.
But the Good Shepherd found me
And brought me back,
Though it cost Him His life to save mine.
And now I dwell in His Father’s fold
And feed on His abundance.
His door is always open wide,
And everyone is welcome.
But few know how to find the fold,
And fewer still have entered.
That’s why I stand outside the door.
That’s why I share my story.
We’re all like sheep who’ve gone astray.
Come in, make this your home, too.
About this Song:
This song is a combination of Isaiah 53:6 and part of the twenty-third Psalm. While I can never claim that the songs I write from Scripture capture the majesty and dynamic qualities of the verses they’re based on, they do allow me to express the Scriptural message in a personal way.
Here are those two Scriptures.
Isaiah 53: 6
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord [a]has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
The message of the song is clear, I believe. The singer is one of the “lost sheep” Jesus rescued and brought home to be safe with Him.
But notice the evangelical emphasis of the song. As thankful as the singer is to be safe in Jesus’ fold, he knows that God has enough room in His fold (ultimately Heaven) for an infinite number of additional sheep. And because of the singer’s gratitude, he stands outside the fold inviting others to come in. He knows that few of the other sheep can find Jesus’ fold without help–no matter how simple the process of coming home to Jesus is.
When the next to the last line begins the same way the song itself began, we might expect a repetition of the second line, too. But, no. The singer makes clear, “I was a lost sheep. I’ve been found. Here I am where you can be found, too. All you need to do is respond.”
I have two entirely different versions of this song, and I’ll share the other one with you next week. Your comments, as always, are welcome.
Free lead sheets (lyrics, tune, and chords) are available for many of my songs. Click on the Lead Sheets tab at the top of this page to go to the one for this song.
Look for me again next Wednesday. Better still, subscribe to receive these weekly posts by email.
Best regards,
Roger
Links you might be interested in:
As I Come Singing. . . 