His Eye Is On The Sparrow
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His Eye Is On The Sparrow - Lyrics, Sheet Music, and Great Performances
Civilla Martin penned the words to this beautiful song in 1905 after being inspired by a couple who both suffered physical disabilities, yet lived happy Christian lives full of hope.
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
This beautiful hymn reminds us of how God provides for us, just as he provides for the small sparrow.
(photo by Alan_Vernon used with permission under CC 2.0)
Lyrics to His Eye Is On The Sparrow
Words By: Civilla D. Martin, 1905
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
"Let not your heart be troubled," His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
"Let not your heart be troubled," His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain
His Eye Is On The Sparrow Sheet Music
Free Sheet Music for His Eye Is On The Sparrow
- His Eye Is On The Sparrow
- Free PDF Sheet Music of His Eye Is On The Sparrow
Words By: Civilla D. Martin
Music By: Charles H. Gabriel - His Eye Is On The Sparrow
- PDF Sheet Music of His Eye Is On The Sparrow - Free
- His Eye Is On The Sparrow
- Free Follow Along Sheet Music of His Eye Is On The Sparrow
The Story Behind the Hymn
The Inspiration for His Eye Is On The Sparrow
The lyricist of this beautiful hymn, Civilla Martin, was inspired by Mr. & Mrs. Doolittle to write this song. She wrote in a letter to Phillip Kerr:
Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle-true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheel chair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle's reply was simple: "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me." The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" was the outcome of that experience.
Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle-true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheel chair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle's reply was simple: "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me." The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" was the outcome of that experience.
Source: Music in evangelism: and stories of famous Christian songs, 1954, by Phillip Kerr
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Related Poetry
These beautiful poems describe the same emotions as this song, and discuss how indeed His Eye IS on The Sparrow.
- Uplifted Was My Heart
- by Joyce T. Griffin
- A World of Little Sparrows
- by John Evans
- God Attends a Sparrow's Funeral
- by Robert O. Adair
Related Scripture
Matthew 6:26; 10:29-31
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?(NIV)
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.(NIV)
Related Devotionals
- His Eye Is On The Sparrow by Walter Haldorson
- The thought occurred to me that God must look down on us from His vantage point, and, in His infinite love and compassion, sorrow over us when we do foolish things, and grieve that the perfect world that He created for us had, through our own waywardness, become so frantic.
- His Eye is on the Sparrow by Lucy Neeley Adams :: Crosswalk.com
- Ever wonder why our Lord chose such a common little bird to illustrate such a profound truth?
- Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
- Jesus says that His Father has taken the time to count each one of the hairs on our head! While we may be pre-occupied by the color of our hair or how many are falling out on a daily basis, Father focuses in on each strand. What incredible attention to detail!
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Learn More About His Eye Is On The Sparrow
- His Eye Is on the Sparrow
- CyberHymnal
- About Civilla D. Martin, Lyricist
- Civilla Durfee Martin (1866-1948)
Biographical Sketch on the Lives Of Walter and Civilla Stillman Walter
Ethel Waters: His Eye is on the Sparrow
Ethel Waters used His Eye is on the Sparrow as the title for her autobiography.
His Eye Is On The Sparrow: An Autobiography (Quality Paperbacks Series)
Amazon Price: $10.95 (as of 06/01/2012)
Ethel Waters's His Eye is on the Sparrow stands as perhaps the greatest autobiography of a black female performer, capturing both the horror and the joy of the African American woman's experience through the often bitter yet always forgiving voice of an indomitable spirit. This edition is supplemented with a new historical preface and over a dozen photographs.
Learn More About Ethel Waters
Guestbook
Share your thoughts, opinions, and experiences with this song.
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Mary Lou
May 6, 2012 @ 9:00 pm | delete
- I heard Ethel Waters sing this song at a Billy Graham crusade in the 1960's and I still remember getting chills and being lost in the way she sang. Beautiful!
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PastorCher
Apr 26, 2012 @ 11:22 am | delete
- This is one of the first songs I sang as a teen in my church. It holds special memories and has a way of grounding us spiritually.
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jercow75
Feb 12, 2012 @ 5:02 pm | delete
- I love this song. It was the best part of the Sister Act movies. Great lens!
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juniperberry
Jan 25, 2012 @ 6:08 am | delete
- thank you... was just what I needed to hear.
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lexxsweet
Jan 17, 2012 @ 12:52 pm | delete
- Wow, this brought back memories of singing in choir as a kid. Nostalgia , thank you.
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Tipi
Jan 9, 2012 @ 9:56 pm | delete
- Stopping back to enjoy my Dad's favorite song.....and drop off some angel dust.
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Dec 2, 2011 @ 12:34 pm | delete
- Love that song!
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OrganicHealth3
Nov 26, 2011 @ 11:23 pm | delete
- Every time someone say they gone sing a solo in a C.O.G.I.C or Baptist church they always sing this song.
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JadaFuego
Oct 28, 2011 @ 11:55 am | delete
- It is just something about it.....no matter who sings it...the song makes your soul cry.
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ultimapalabra Oct 6, 2011 @ 5:06 pm | delete
- Thank you for that lens, I love this song very much!
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gonzalezdenise
Sep 13, 2011 @ 8:15 pm | delete
- I love this song.
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ideadesigns
Sep 5, 2011 @ 4:28 pm | delete
- Thanks for sharing the lovely song lyrics.
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bechand
Jul 24, 2011 @ 11:25 am | delete
- nice
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1Bridge
Jul 6, 2011 @ 3:36 pm | delete
- Sweet :)
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BGLJane
May 23, 2011 @ 8:55 pm | delete
- beautiful. I did not know the history of this song. Please listen to some of our original music at http://www.meredogmusic.com/music/.
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