The Music of the Spheres

Spring has come to many in the United States very early this year. Even in the Upper Midwest, forsythia are blooming, magnolias are budding out, and grass is greening. Add in the carol of the birds as they flit across the blue skies, and it's truly beautiful.

No matter where you look in God's creation, true beauty can be found. Blue-green Caribbean water.

Majestic mountains.

Pine trees laden with snow.

Flowers and butterflies.

A mountain stream.

Psalm 19: 1-4 says,
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
² Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
³ There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
⁴ Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.

Too often we worship the creation and not the Creator. Yet Romans 1:20 says, "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."

God gave us this amazing creation so that we could learn about Him. The stars, the majestic oaks, the blades of grass, the human hand are like books, revealing God to us. Without words, they show us how incomparably powerful God is. There is none beside Him. (Deuteronomy 4:35). We are mere creatures, He the divine Potter. He is truly the one over us. When we look at a harvest moon shining in the sky or study cells under a microscope, we must recognize that next to the all-powerful Lord, we are finite. He is infinite.

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.

The passing of the seasons, the inbred knowledge of the birds to build their nests, the regular rising and setting of the sun all serve to remind us here on earth of God's sovereignty and his faithfulness. If He has control of all of this, He will not forget us but will care for us.

"If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" Matthew 6:30.

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.

Then together, let's say, I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! Deuteronomy 32:3

The Story Behind This Is My Father's World

Maltbie D. Babcock was quite an athlete in his day, not only competing, but also excelling in several sports. He was born into a well-to-do and aristocratic family. In addition to all of this, he was an outstanding scholar.

The Lord blessed him with one more thing - a heart forhis Heavenly Father. He followed the Lord's humble call and became a pastor in a Presbyterian church in upstate New York. It was a beautiful area known as the "escarpment". He loved to walk through what he called, "my Father's world." In the distance, he could often see Lake Ontario.

Legend says that these walks are what inspired him to write "This Is My Father's World". The hymn, however, wasn't published in his lifetime. In 1901, at the age of 42, he set out on a tour of the Holy Land. During the Atlantic crossing, he contracted a bacterial infection and died at an international hospital.

After his death, his wife went through his papers and complied them into the book "Though for Everyday Living". That book contained this hymn. Frank L. Sheppard, an accomplished musician, set the words to an old English tune and published in 1915 in his book "Alleluia", a Presbyterian Sunday school book.

This Is My Father's World

This week, we'll be taking a look at This is My Father's World. It's one of my favorites. Enjoy!



This is my Fathers world
and to my listening ears,
all nature sings and round me rings
the music of the spheres.

This is my Fathers world,
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas,
His hand, the wonders wrought.

This is my Fathers world,
the birds, their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white
declare their makers praise.

This is my Fathers world,
He shines in all thats fair.
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Fathers world,
oh let me neer forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.

This is my Fathers world,
the battle is not done.
Jesus, who died, shall be satisfied
and earth and heaven be one