San Francisco Central Seventh-day Adventist Church

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92 This Is My Father's World

GraceNotes

Today’s Hymn of Response is the popular This Is My Father’s World. It was written oven many years by Maltbie Babcock, and published by his family after his death. Babcock was a Presbyterian pastor, and known as an athlete in his younger days. He loved long outdoors walks, and generally prefaced them by remarking to his family, “I’m going out to be in my Father’s world.”

Franklin Sheppard composed the tune, TERRA BEATA in 1915. He claimed that it was a traditional English tune he had learned from his mother. There is a known English folk tune named ROSPER, to which it bears a strong resemblance in six of its eight lines. Sheppard was a foundry man, making stoves and heaters, and served as the music director of his church.

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:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!