The hymn “This is My Father’s World” was written by Maltbie Babcock as a poem. The tune was later written and added to the text by Franklin Sheppard, a friend of Babcock’s. As with many hymns, this song was birthed from the story of its author.

Maltbie Babcock was a minister who served a church in northwest New York. Though a skilled preacher, he was also gifted with athleticism and an ear for music. He loved to go for runs out in the countryside to refresh his spirit, and often told his wife before he left, “I am going out to see my Father’s world.”

Babcock had a love for God, nature, and music, which contributed to the song he wrote. One of his friends said of him, “To give you an idea of the temperament of Maltbie Babcock, he saw everything in the sunniest light, and if you or I should have complained of a dismal or dark day, Dr. Babcock would be sure to see it a little less dreary than we would.”

However, like so many other hymn writers, Babcock’s life was not void of hardship. Sadly, both of his sons died in infancy, and he and his wife never had children after that. These two deaths affected Babcock deeply and resulted in a bout of depression. Babcock eventually came out of this depression by taking long walks in nature.

It was shortly after his first son’s death that Babcock took up his pen and wrote the poem that we now know as the song, “This is My Father’s World.” Even through his deep sorrow, Babcock recognized the goodness and sovereignty of God.

When Babcock accepted a pastoral position that took him away from the nature he loved, his new church sent him to Israel as a gift. However, on the return voyage, he contracted an infection that resulted in depression and delirium. Babcock died at the age of 43 after slitting his wrist, which doctors reported was due to the mind-altering effects of the fever.

It was after Babcock’s death that his wife published a collection of poems he had written, and, among these was “This is My Father’s World.” Babcock’s friend, Franklin Sheppard, set this particular poem to music, and it went on to become a popular hymn sung in churches all around the world.

You can click here to listen to the tune, and the lyrics to “This is My Father’s World” are below. Having heard the story behind these words, I hope you will be able to better appreciate their meaning.

This is My Father’s World

Verse 1:

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.

Verse 2:

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.

Verse 3:

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:
The battle is not done:
Jesus who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

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