His Eye is On the Sparrow

By Civilla D. Martin
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings (pennies),
and not one of them is forgotten before God.
--Luke 12:6

Why should I feel discouraged,
Why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely
And long for Heav’n 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.

“Let not your heart be troubled,”
His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness,
I lose my doubts and fears;
Tho’ 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.

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.

Although it was written by a young wife in America, this well-loved hymn was sung publicly for the first time in England during the famous Torrey-Alexander revival in 1905.

Civilla D. Martin had been a school teacher in Canada, her native homeland, before she married and went into evangelistic work with her husband, Dr. William Martin. He was the first one to put her poetry to music by writing the tune for her poem, “God Will Take Care of You” just one year earlier while they made their home at Johnson City, New York.

Mrs. Martin’s inspiration for “the sparrow song” came while she was visiting a bedridden friend in Elmira, New York. In an attempt to cheer the friend, Civilla read the Bible, prayed and talked openly with the lady. In the end, Civilla was the one uplifted. When she asked the friend if she ever got discouraged with her circumstances, the lady replied, “Mrs. Martin, how can I be discouraged when my Heavenly Father watches over each little sparrow and I know He loves and cares for me?” It only took a few minutes for Civilla to turn that thought into the words of the well-known hymn, “His Eye Is On The Sparrow.” Later her husband sent it to his friend in England to compose the music.

After it was sung in the revival meetings of 1905, the song gained popularity and has blessed and encouraged the hearts of millions of people around the world.*

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* Al Smith’s Treasury of Hymn Histories, 1982 by Al Smith, United States

 

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