Morning Prayer: We are the sheep of his flock (Psalm 51)
Hm...Aren't sheep wimps? The short answer: no. The psalmist would not have heard “sheep” as weak, passive, or foolish. In the ancient Near Eastern world, “sheep” carried an entirely different emotional weight—one that is sturdy, earthy, and deeply relational. 🐑 What “sheep” meant to the psalmist 1. Sheep were valuable, not contemptible A family’s wealth was measured in flocks. Sheep were food, clothing, sacrifice, and livelihood. To call someone “sheep” was to say: You are treasured. You are the livelihood of the Shepherd. There is no insult in that. 2. Sheep were vulnerable, but not pathetic In the biblical imagination, vulnerability is not shameful—it is simply true . Sheep need guidance because the world is dangerous: cliffs, predators, drought, thieves. To be a sheep is to be a creature who cannot survive without the shepherd’s presence. That is not wimpy; it is honest. 3. Sheep were responsive, not mindless Ancient shepherding was not cattle-driving. Sheep were led by voi...