My Father’s World

 "This is My Father's World" is one of my favorite hymns. It was penned by Maltbie Davenport Babcock, a minister from upper New York. He loved nature and would often go for walks in the beautiful countryside. He would tell his wife before going on walks that “he was going out to see the Father’s world.” I’m sure these walks inspired him to write this lovely song. 

Some of my favorite lines Mr. Babcock wrote, ring true of how I feel when I am in the heart of nature all by myself. Even when I was a young boy I enjoyed going to the woods and sitting by our pond at the back of our farm. I think I was happiest in those places. I could relate so well to these lines, “…to my listening ears…I rest in my thoughts of rocks and trees,” I had never seen the ocean so it was our old pond with frogs, turtles and salamanders instead of the sea. The song speaks of “the birds their carols raise”. I loved to listen to the birds sing and still do. I enjoyed watching the squirrels play as well as other wild animals and I was awed by many other treasures that became a wonder to this young boy growing up on a farm. 

The end of the second verse and the third verse speak to all us living now in this terrible frightening world. ”Let me (All of us) ne’er forget though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.” Now that I am an old man I understand what God was teaching me way back then as I spent my time in the lap of nature. I know that God was speaking to me and somehow assuring me that he loved me, and that he would take care of me. That verse says, “In the rustling grass, I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere.” 

God is not nature. He created nature for us to enjoy and also that we would know He is almighty God and that we need not be sad or afraid because, “The Lord is King”

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