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by Civilla D. Martin (1866 - 1948)

His Eye Is on the Sparrow
Language: English 
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 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;
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 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.
    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.

In the Old Testament, the word portion refers to an inheritance (see Psalm 119:57). Jesus is my portion expresses our hope in an eternal inheritance with the Lord.

Text Authorship:

  • by Civilla D. Martin (1866 - 1948), written 1905 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (1856 - 1932), "His Eye Is on the Sparrow", 1905 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Jacqueline Butler Hairston (b. 1932), "His Eye is on the Sparrow" [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2026-01-25
Line count: 42
Word count: 237

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