His Eye is on the Sparrow
Author: 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.
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.
“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.
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.
Submission:
Tricia Woltjer
At the start of the spring semester in 1997, I was asked to sing and lead this beautiful hymn for grandparents’ day at Kalamazoo’s South Christian School. The event was being held at the beginning of May. My mom was battling cancer at the time. When we chose this hymn, I did not know that my mom would pass into the arms of Jesus on April 26, less than two weeks before the event. By God’s grace and with His strength, I was able to sing in full voice on that bright sunny day in May: “Why do I feel discouraged; Why do the shadows come? Why does my heart feel lonely and long for heaven and home? If Jesus is my portion, my constant friend is He. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” God carried me along that day, and this hymn of praise became my prayer. “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.” The hymn writers have given us words to express our faith and to proclaim Christ and His kingdom. I am blessed to sing these hymns every week with the residents of Raybrook and the Cook Unit.