His Eye Is on the Sparrow

Heather Allington

Heather writes for Sunday Song Book on behalf of the The Salvation Army Oshawa. As a lifelong member of the Army, she has loved these familiar - and some less familiar - songs for many years, and enjoys researching and writing about their origins. She is a wife, mother, grandmother and retired elementary school teacher who likes trying her hand at watercolour painting and poetry writing.

Why should I be 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.

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” – these tender words I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubt and fear.
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see,
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When song gives 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.

Have you ever considered that Jesus may have been a “bird-watcher”? Robert Morgan speculates on this in his book, Then Sings My Soul. He notes that Jesus often used birds in his illustrations, and gives four Scripture references:

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? …” (Matthew 10:29)
“Look at the birds of the air…” (Matthew 6:26)
“Consider the ravens…” (Luke 12:26)
“Do not fear – you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:7)

Have you ever considered that Jesus may have been a “bird-watcher”? Share on X

This week’s song is not in the Salvation Army Song Book, but is a well-loved hymn often used by soloists. It was written by a Canadian, Civilla Durfee Martin, who was born in Nova Scotia in 1869. She was a school and music teacher until she married Dr. Walter Martin, and joined him in his evangelistic travels. In the spring of 1905, the Martins were visiting friends in Elmira, New York: the Dolittles. Mrs. Dolittle had been bedridden for about twenty years, and her husband was confined to a wheelchair, from which he worked in business. The Martins were deeply inspired by the happiness they saw in the Dolittles, in spite of such difficult lives, and Dr. Martin asked the secret. Mrs. Dolittle replied simply, “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” So was born the song with which many of us are now familiar. Civilla Martin mailed the lyrics to Charles Gabriel the day after writing them, knowing his musical skill. In these summer days, when we can observe bird life quite easily, may we be reminded of the truth of this song, and of the deep faith of the woman who inspired it.