06/21/25 Weekend Grif.Net – Two Beloved Songs

Civil=
la Durfee Martin, 1866–1948, was a schoolteacher married to Baptist m=
inister Walter Stillman Martin. Walter taught for a time at Atlantic Christ=
ian College in Wilson, North Carolina, while also leading revival meetings.=
In 1904, the Martins were at the Practical Bible Training School in New Yo=
rk, where Walter was helping the principal put together a song book.
One Sunday Walter was scheduled to preach in a church some distance away,=
but Civilla was not feeling well and could not accompany him. Walter thoug=
ht about cancelling his preaching, but their nine–year–old son =
asked, ‘Don’t you think God will take care of her?’ =

So, Walter went and preached as scheduled. W=
hen he returned home, he found Civilla had written a poem about what their =
son had said. Walter then sat down at the organ and composed the music to t=
his comforting hymn:

Be not dismayed whate’er betide, God will take care of you; =

Beneath His wings of love abide, =
God will take care of you.

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nbsp;

Refrain:

God will take care of you, Through every day, o’er =
all the way;

He will take care of=
you, God will take care of you.

=
 

Through days of toil when h=
eart doth fail, God will take care of you;

When dangers fierce your path assail, God will take care of you=
=2E

No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you=
;

Lean, weary one, upon His breas=
t, God will take care of you.

A few mont=
hs later, in the spring of 1905, Civilla and Walter were in Elmira, New Yor=
k and developed a deep friendship with Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle. Mr. Doolittl=
e was crippled and confined to a wheelchair, and Mrs. Doolittle had been be=
dridden for close to twenty years. Although faced with such afflictions, th=
ey were happy Christians who inspired and comforted all who knew them.

One day Walter asked them the secret of the=
ir bright outlook, and Mrs. Doolittle replied, “The Psalmist said, &#=
8216;Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will ne=
ver permit the righteous to be moved.’ I know his eye is on the sparr=
ow, and I know He watches me”. Civilla and Walter were both moved by =
this simple yet profound faith, and Mrs. Doolittle’s words became the=
basis of Civilla writing another beloved song.

Why should I feel discouraged? Why shou=
ld the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven a=
nd home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
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 b=
e 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.=

Whenever I am tempted, =
whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope withi=
n me dies,

I draw the closer to Hi=
m; from care He sets me free:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He w=
atches me.