His Eye is on the Sparrow
by Luke Duroc-Danner
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you now much more valuable than they?
- Matthew 6:26
The postlude this week is inspired by the text that immediately follows the Gospel reading for this week. In 1905, the Canadian-American lyricist, Civila D. Martin was inspired by this passage, Matthew 6:26, while visiting Elmira, New York. As a result, she penned the hymn “His Eye is on the Sparrow,” and this text would later be set to music by Charles H. Gabriel, who wrote many gospel tunes and songs throughout his career. Born in Iowa, Gabriel would move to San Francisco and eventually to Chicago. The song became most strongly associated with Ethel Waters, and her 1951 autobiography was named after this hymn. The piece would also be recorded by Mahalia Jackson, whose recording was given the Grammy Hall of Fame award in 2010, as well as Whitney Houston shortly before her death.
This Sunday, you will hear Dr. Carl Haywood’s arrangement that was first published in 2017. The brilliance of Dr. Haywood’s arrangement can be heard in how the music ranges from delicate and prayerful to grand and passionate. As a skilled organist himself, Dr. Haywood makes full use of the expressive range of the organ throughout the piece without maintaining the accessibility of his piece to a variety of instruments.
For more information about Dr. Haywood’s biography as well as the other special composers featured in this Sunday’s service, you will also be able to refer to the new “Notes on Today’s Composers” section in the back of the bulletin.
His Eye is on the Sparrow:
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.
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.
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.
Whenever I am tempted, whenever doubts 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.
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.
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