Scripture Verse

The world is Mine, and all that is in it. Psalm 50:12

Introduction

portrait
Maltbie D. Babcock
1858–1901

Words: Malt­bie D. Bab­cock, Thoughts for Ev­ery-Day Liv­ing (New York: Charles Scrib­ner’s Sons, 1901), pag­es 180–82, alt.

Music: Ter­ra Be­a­ta Eng­lish tune, ar­ranged by Frank­lin L. Shep­pard in Al­le­lu­ia (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Pres­by­te­ri­an Board of Pub­li­ca­tion & Sab­bath School Work, 1915), num­ber 180 (🔊 pdf nwc).

illustration
Asulkan Glacier
Albert Bierstadt
1830–1902

Background

While a pas­tor in Lock­port, New York, Bab­cock liked to hike in an area called the es­carp­ment, an an­cient up­thrust ledge near Lock­port. It has a mar­vel­ous view of farms, or­chards, and Lake On­tar­io, about 15 miles dis­tant.

It is said those walks in the woods in­spired these lyr­ics. The ti­tle re­calls an ex­press­ion Bab­cock used when start­ing a walk: I’m go­ing out to see my Fa­ther’s world.

Lyrics

This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world,
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:
He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong
Seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
The battle is not done:
Jesus who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

This is my Father’s world,
Dreaming, I see His face.
I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise
Cry, The Lord is in this place.
This is my Father’s world,
From the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Came—a pledge of deathless love.

This is my Father’s world,
Should my heart be ever sad?
The lord is King—let the heavens ring.
God reigns—let the earth be glad.
This is my Father’s world.
Now closer to Heaven bound,
For dear to God is the earth Christ trod.
No place but is holy ground.

This is my Father’s world.
I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze
God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world,
A wanderer I may roam;
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home.