GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

There are two songs that have inspired me through these past years. I remember hearing His Eye Is On The Sparrow as a very young lad, in the early days of Billy Graham being sung by Ethel Waters.

Taking a little time, I researched and found these interesting facts.

The theme of the song is inspired by the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew in the Bible: 

"Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matthew 6:26) and 

"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:29-31).

Civilla Martin, who wrote the lyrics, said this about her inspiration to write the song based in the scriptures outlined above:

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.
Those few words inspired Civilla Martin to jot down the lines of what has become a very beloved and encouraging hymn. Charles H Gabriel was the composer. Ethel Waters used the title for her autobiography.

"His Eye Is On the Sparrow" By Civilla Martin/Charles Gabriel, 

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.

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

The troubles of life often get to us. Like Peter walking on the water toward Jesus, we can easily feel overwhelmed by the wind and waves in our lives. We can easily turn our eyes away from our Lord and Savior and focus instead on the storm. When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, though, we can know that it's okay. He's strong. He can take care of us. And he's faithful.

Another favorite hymn, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness", has no dramatic history behind it - according to its writer, Thomas Obadiah Chisholm. However, it does have a real, down-to-earth story.

Thomas Chisholm's beginnings were humble. He was born in a log cabin in Kentucky in 1866 and suffered from physical weakness for significant parts of his adult life. Chisholm gave his life to Christ when he was 27-years-old, but his poor health made it difficult for him to stay employed, sometimes confining him to his bed. He managed to get jobs here and there as he was able, but making ends meet must have been difficult for the fragile man.

Chisholm grew to love the third chapter of Lamentations, especially, "His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: Great is Your faithfulness," (Lamentations 3:22-23).

In 1923, Chisholm sent a few poems to his musician friend William Runyan in Baldwin, Kansas, far away from where Chisholm was staying in Vineland, New Jersey. Runyan was deeply touched by one of the poems and prayed for God's guidance in composing music for it. The hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" was published in one of Runyan's song pamphlets.

There the song stayed until Dr. Will Houghton of the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago found it and decided to have the students sing it in chapel on a regular basis. "Well," Dr. Houghton would say, "I think we shall have to sing ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness.'"

We all know the need for God's faithfulness. We all can recognize its precious value in this rugged, often confusing and unpredictable existence of ours. Thomas Chisholm lived every day dependent on God to be trustworthy, believing that God's compassions would not fail him. It's worth noting, by the way, that ill health didn't end things for Chisholm. Despite those years of poor health, Thomas Chisholm lived until 1960, finally going Home at the ripe age of 94. He wrote 1,200 poems and hymns during his 94 years.

"Great Is Thy Faithfulness" rightfully remains a favorite hymn sung by multitudes.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above;
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin And a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today And bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, With ten thousand beside.

Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Civilla Durfee Martin

Selected Songs by Charles H. Gabriel
Thomas Obediah Chisholm