MY HEAVENLY FATHER WATCHES OVER ME

As has so often been the case, several weeks ago I heard a gospel song on the radio that I hadn't heard in many years and it caught my interest  I love listening to one of our local Christian radio stations, WDAC, on Friday and Saturday nights because they play continuous great music throughout the night and morning hours.  And on Saturday evenings they feature old time songs which often bring back special memories to me.  And such was the case with this song.  But when I went to try and find some background I found that there were many you-tube renditions of this song, but almost nothing about its history or its writing.  That is the opposite of what I often find when researching hymns on the internet. So it has been a popular song for many performers over the years.  It appears that the music was written by William C. Martin (1864-1914), a former pastor.  Some sources give the credit for the words to Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (1856-1932), although he may have actually written the music and not the words.  However, Gabriel is given credit for writing and or composing between 7,000 and 8,000 songs, many of which can be found in recent hymnals.   He used several pseudonyms, including Charlotte G. Homer, H. A. Henry, and S. B. Jackson.  Gabriel was born and raised on a farm. His father led singing schools in their home, and young Charles developed an interest in music. It is said that he taught himself to play the family's reed organ. Even though he never had any formal training in music, he began to travel and lead his own singing schools in various locations around the age of 17.  There is one interesting folklore story about him. It is said that the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Wilton, Iowa, once saw Gabriel walking in town. He asked Gabriel if he knew a good song to go along with his sermon. The pastor shared the sermon topic and by the end of the week the boy had written a song for that Sunday, words and music.   Well I guess it doesn't really matter who actually wrote this hymn but the words are really special.  It is often easy to trust God when things are going great, but when the problems come it is often easier to worry and get depressed.   But this hymn reminds us that we can put our trust in God at all times, including times of storms or rough seas, or on the battlefield, or in the lions' den or in the dark valley.  He is there keeping us and watching over us in all of those rugged and challenging times of life.  Maybe you are facing the storms or the lions in your life this week.  Let this then be a reminder to you of a God who you can trust in both the good and bad times of life.  May He be your strength today, for He does care for you.

(1)  I trust in God wherever I may be,

Upon the land or on the rolling sea,

For, come what may, from day to day,

My heav'nly Father watches over me.

I trust in God, I know He cares for me,

On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea;

Tho' billows roll, He keeps my soul,

My heavn'ly Father watches over me.

(2)  He makes the rose an object of His care,

He guides the eagle thru the pathless air,

And surely He remembers me,

My heav'nly Father watches over me.

I trust in God, I know He cares for me,

On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea;

Tho' billows roll, He keeps my soul,

My heavn'ly Father watches over me.

(3)  I trust in God, for in the the lion's den,

On battlefield, or in the prison pen,

Thru praise or blame, thru flood or flame,

My heav'nly Father watches over me.

I trust in God, I know He cares for me,

On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea;

Tho' billows roll, He keeps my soul,

My heavn'ly Father watches over me.

(4)  The valley may be dark, the shadows deep

But O, The Shepherd guards His lonely sheep;

And thru the gloom, He'll lead me home

My heav'nly Father watches over me.

I trust in God, I know He cares for me,

On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea;

Tho' billows roll, He keeps my soul,

My heavn'ly Father watches over me.

This week I will give you two choices to listen to.  The first is a more traditional rendition done at a Billy Graham rally.   CHOICE ONE

This song was often a favorite of groups who do southern gospel, so the second choice is a more upbeat version that you might enjoy.   CHOICE TWO