by Ben Fuller · 2024
The song “Black Sheep” by Ben Fuller is about someone who feels like an outsider and struggles with pain and self-acceptance, but is reassured that despite their struggles and feelings of unworthiness, they are unconditionally loved and pursued by Jesus.
This song has been Shazamed over 21,610 times. As of this writing, Black Sheep is ranked 178
Black Sheep’ by Ben Fuller is a song about feeling like an outsider, struggling with pain, and finding hope through faith. We’re going to talk about what makes this song powerful, what the lyrics mean, and why it matters to so many people. ⬇️
️ The song’s world is heavy with loneliness, regret, and searching, where each note feels like wandering through a storm. Yet, beneath the weight, there’s a steady pulse of hope—a whisper that even the most lost can be found.
The chorus is the heart of the song, pulsing with both ache and comfort: “Jesus loves you black sheep.” It’s almost haunting, yet oddly warm, a phrase that repeats like a lifeline tossed into dark water. We hear the ache of someone who believes they’re too broken for love, but the song insists—again and again—that they are seen, known, and loved regardless, which is both jarring and beautiful.
️ The verses unravel the messiness of pain and rebellion—images of “a thousand fences,” “devil’s wind,” and “rebel ink” paint a portrait of someone running from themselves, desperate for escape but never quite breaking free. Lines like “the alcohol and pills ain’t fixed a thing” and “crying tears you hope nobody sees” cut through any sugarcoating, exposing raw nerves and hidden battles. Yet, tucked in the grit is a persistent hope—the “Good Shepherd’s love smells like smoke,” suggesting rescue can find us even in the most unexpected, rough-edged places.
The song’s narrative unfolds not as a tidy sermon, but as a confession and a plea—there’s no false promise of instant healing, only the stubborn assurance that “He’ll never leave you be,” even when grace feels more like an annoyance than a comfort.
✨ At its core, “Black Sheep” is Ben Fuller’s way of telling us that nobody is too far gone for love to find them—even if we run, hide, rebel, or break, the hounds of heaven are already on our trail, relentless and wild, refusing to give up on us.
Writer(s) of Black Sheep:
