"His Eye Is On The Sparrow"
Mrs. Civilla D. Martin was a teacher up until she married Dr. William Martin and followed him in evangelistic work. She was a writer of poetry, but gave no thought to having any of it published until her husband put music to her poem "God Will Take Care of You." She then considered the fact that her poems might be used to be a blessing to others.
In 1904, while living in Johnson City, New York, Mrs. Martin became aware of an invalid in another town. A burden to visit this lady began to press upon Mrs. Martin to the point she finally boarded the Erie train and headed to Elmira to encourage this lady. Here is what Mrs. Martin would later say of this trip.
"I wrote the song ‘His Eye Is On The Sparrow' in the company of a bedridden saint in the city of Elmira, New York. I was reading and singing to her and during our conversation, I chanced to ask her if she did not sometimes get discourage. She answered, "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?" Procuring paper and pencil in a few moments I had written ‘His Eye Is On The Sparrow'."
The poem was then set to music by Mr. Charles H. Gabriel, and it was first sung in Albert Hall in England during the Torrey-Alexander revival in 1905. Now it is sung all over the world as a song of encouragement and praise.
Here are the lyrics:
(verse 1):
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.
(verse 2):
"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.
(verse 3):
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 cares for me; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He cares for me.
(Chorus):
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.