The English hymn "I was a wandering sheep" was written by the prominent Free Church of Scotland minister and poet Dr. Horatius Bonar. It stands as one of his most popular and enduring contributions to evangelical hymnody, vividly depicting the spiritual journey from estrangement to reconciliation.
The hymn was first published as entry Number 1 in the first series of Bonar's Songs in the Wilderness (1843). Structured in 5 stanzas of 8 lines, the text was issued under the title "Lost but Found" and was accompanied by a scriptural heading from 1 Peter 2:25: "Ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."
Following its initial appearance, Bonar included the text in his Bible Hymn Book (1845, Number 264) and subsequently reprinted it within his first series of Hymns of Faith and Hope (1857).
Congregational Adoption
Unlike many historical hymns that underwent extensive revision or truncation by later compilers, "I was a wandering sheep" achieved near-universal circulation in an unaltered form. The narrative text, relying on stark, personal contrasts between the desolation of being lost and the security of being found, resonated deeply with nineteenth-century evangelical movements. It quickly passed into common congregational use across Great Britain, Canada, and the United States, securing a permanent place in both standard church hymnals and specialized revivalist songbooks.
Related Hymn Sheets
3 shown at a time — use the arrows to browse all 19 sheets.
Related Authors
Writers connected to this dictionary topic.
Keywords
Related terms for this dictionary entry.
Recent Dictionary Entries
Newly added terms from the Dictionary of Hymnology.
If you notice any mistake or have suggestions, please contact us on our contact page.