His eye is on the Sparrow - wikipedia His eye is on the Sparrow `` His Eye is on the Sparrow '' Song Published 1905 Songwriter ( s ) Civilla D. Martin Composer ( s ) Charles H. Gabriel `` His Eye Is on the Sparrow '' is a Gospel hymn. The song was written in 1905 by lyricist Civilla D. Martin and composer Charles H. Gabriel. It is most associated with actress - singer Ethel Waters who used the title for her autobiography. Mahalia Jackson 's recording of the song was honored with the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2010. Contents 1 Inspiration 2 Notable performances 3 Whitney Houston version 4 Later published arrangements 5 Footnotes 6 External links Inspiration The theme of the song is inspired by the words of David in the Psalms and Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew in the Bible : `` I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go : I will guide thee with mine eye ( Psalm 32 : 8 ). `` Look at the birds of the air ; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they ? '' ( Matthew 6 : 26 ) and `` Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing ? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows '' ( Matthew 10 : 29 -- 31 ). Civilla Martin, who wrote the lyrics, said about her inspiration to write the song based on the scriptures : Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle -- true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheel chair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle 's reply was simple : `` His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. '' The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn `` His Eye Is on the Sparrow '' was the outcome of that experience. Notable performances The song has been performed extensively by both Christian and secular artists. 1951 : Sister Rosetta Tharpe with Marie Knight ; 45 single ( found on Complete Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Vol. 4 ) ( traditional gospel ) 1952 : Ethel Waters in the film The Member of the Wedding 1956 : Mahalia Jackson ; Bless This House ( traditional gospel ) 1958 : Carmen McRae ; Birds of a Feather ( jazz ) 1962 : Josh White ; Empty Bed Blues ( blues ) 1967 : Dottie West ; Sings Sacred Ballads ( country ) 1968 : Marvin Gaye ; 45 single ( found on In Loving Memory ( compilation album ) ) ( R&B ) 1978 : Mickey Newbury ; His Eye Is on the Sparrow ( country ) 1984 : George Adams - Don Pullen Quartet ; Decisions ( jazz ) 1986 : Jennifer Holliday ; TV special hosted by Paul Simon ( gospel ) 1993 : Lauryn Hill and Tanya Blount in the film Sister Act 2 : Back in the Habit 1993 : Brentwood Jazz Quartet in the album Living In The Here And Now 1997 : Andy Griffith ; Just As I Am : 30 Favorite Old Time Hymns ( country ) 1999 : Selah ; Be Still My Soul ( contemporary gospel ) 2000 : Shirley Caesar ; The First Lady of Gospel ( re-release ; original album unknown ) ( traditional ) 2001 : Jessica Simpson ; Irresistible ( pop ) 2002 : Crystal Lewis ; Holy, Holy, Holy ( contemporary gospel ) 2002 : Scott Amendola Band ; Cry ( jazz ) 2002 : Elena Gadel on the Spanish talent show Operación Triunfo 2009 : Gladys Knight at the funeral service of Michael Jackson 2010 : Abigail Washburn The Sparrow Quartet 2011 : Judith Durham ; Colours of My Life 2012 : Agnez Mo at her residency concert in her homeland, Indonesia 2012 : Carol Channing and Lulu Roman ( of Hee Haw fame ) on Channing 's album True to the Red, White and Blue 2014 : Darlene Love at the Oscars while accepting an award for 20 Feet from Stardom 2014 : Anja Nissen on her debut album Anja Nissen 2014 : Ha * Ash on their album Primera fila : Hecho realidad Whitney Houston version `` His Eye Is on the Sparrow '' Single by Whitney Houston from the album Sparkle : Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Released June 8, 2012 ( 2012 - 06 - 08 ) Format Digital download Recorded 2011 Length 3 : 32 Label RCA Records Songwriter ( s ) Civilla D. Martin Charles H. Gabriel Producer ( s ) R. Kelly Whitney Houston singles chronology `` Celebrate '' ( 2012 ) `` His Eye Is on the Sparrow '' ( 2012 ) `` I Look to You '' ( 2012 ) `` Celebrate '' ( 2012 ) `` His Eye Is on the Sparrow '' ( 2012 ) `` I Look to You '' ( 2012 ) Whitney Houston recorded a version for the soundtrack of the 2012 remake of the 1976 musical film Sparkle. RCA Records released the song as the second single from the album on June 8, 2012, four months after Houston 's death. This version is Houston 's last original single, and second posthumous one. The song made its debut only one day after the premiere of `` Celebrate ''. AllMusic called it a `` piano, organ, and choir '' showcase for Houston, citing it as a highlight of the soundtrack although admitting `` Houston sounds as commanding as one can expect from a later recording. '' Entertainment Weekly editor Melissa Maerz called it `` a gorgeously rippling solo '' with Houston `` testif ( ying... ) that Jesus is watching over her. '' Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone panned the cover, saying `` Houston sings -- and croaks -- in a voice octaves lower than in her prime. At times the song has a ravaged magnificence, but mostly it 's painful. '' Later published arrangements There are many arrangements of the hymn that have been produced since its original publication. These include : 1963, in The Reader 's Digest Family Songbook of Faith and Joy 1975, in The Josh White Songbook 1986 : Five American Gospel Songs for solo voice and piano by Luigi Zaninelli includes a concert arrangement of it 1999 : Six Gospel Hymn Preludes has an arrangement for solo organ by Wilbur Held 2007, in Songs of Comfort and Hope : Vocal Solos for Memorial and Funeral Services Footnotes Jump up ^ Waters, Ethel, with Charles Samuels, His Eye Is On The Sparrow : An Autobiography, New York, 1951, reprinted by Da Capo Press, 1992 Jump up ^ Vincent D. Homan ( 2013 ). A Foot in Two Worlds : A Pastor 's Journey From Grief to Hope. WestBow Press. p. 112. ISBN 978 - 1449774813. Jump up ^ https://www.amazon.com/His-Eye-Is-The-Sparrow/dp/B00880IT98/ Jump up ^ Andy Kellman. `` Sparkle ( Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ) ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 23 September 2015. Jump up ^ `` Sparkle : Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ''. ew.com. Retrieved 23 September 2015. Jump up ^ `` Various Artists Sparkle : Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Album Review ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 23 September 2015. Jump up ^ Dan Fox, ed., Pleasantville, N.Y. : Reader 's Digest Association Jump up ^ Walter Raim, Walter, ed., Chicago, Quadrangle Books Jump up ^ Published by Harold Flammer, Inc. / Shawnee Press, Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania Jump up ^ Published by MorningStar Music Publishers, Fenton, Missouri Jump up ^ Mark Hayes, ed., Lorenz Publisher, Dayton, Ohio External links Wikisource has original text related to this article : His Eye Is on the Sparrow Civilla Durfee Martin Selected Songs by Charles H. Gabriel texts and MIDI sequences of 44 songs, including `` His Eye Is on the Sparrow '' Piano version and background of His Eye Is On The Sparrow Free MP3 piano version of `` His Eye Is on the Sparrow '' Whitney Houston singles Whitney Houston `` Hold Me '' `` Thinking About You '' `` You Give Good Love '' `` All at Once '' `` Saving All My Love for You '' `` How Will I Know '' `` Greatest Love of All '' Whitney `` I Wanna Dance with Somebody ( Who Loves Me ) '' `` Did n't We Almost Have It All '' `` So Emotional '' `` Where Do Broken Hearts Go '' `` Love Will Save the Day '' `` I Know Him So Well '' I 'm Your Baby Tonight `` I 'm Your Baby Tonight '' `` All the Man That I Need '' `` Miracle '' `` My Name Is Not Susan '' `` I Belong to You '' `` We Did n't Know '' The Bodyguard `` I Will Always Love You '' `` I 'm Every Woman '' `` I Have Nothing '' `` Run to You '' `` Queen of the Night '' Waiting to Exhale `` Exhale ( Shoop Shoop ) '' `` Count On Me '' `` Why Does It Hurt So Bad '' The Preacher 's Wife `` I Believe in You and Me '' `` Step by Step '' `` My Heart Is Calling '' My Love Is Your Love `` When You Believe '' `` Heartbreak Hotel '' `` It 's Not Right but It 's Okay '' `` My Love Is Your Love '' `` I Learned from the Best '' Whitney : The Greatest Hits `` Could I Have This Kiss Forever '' `` If I Told You That '' `` Fine '' `` Same Script, Different Cast '' Just Whitney... `` Whatchulookinat '' `` One of Those Days '' `` Try It on My Own '' `` Love That Man '' One Wish : The Holiday Album `` One Wish ( for Christmas ) '' I Look to You `` I Look to You '' `` Million Dollar Bill '' Sparkle `` Celebrate '' `` His Eye Is on the Sparrow '' I Will Always Love You : The Best of Whitney Houston `` I Look to You '' Other / featured / promotional singles `` One Moment in Time '' `` It Is n't, It Was n't, It Ai n't Never Gonna Be '' `` The Star Spangled Banner '' `` Something in Common '' `` I Did n't Know My Own Strength '' `` Memories '' Book Portal Mahalia Jackson Studio albums The World 's Greatest Gospel Singer ( 1955 ) EPs `` Peace in the Valley '' `` Take My Hand, Precious Lord '' `` Move On Up a Little Higher '' `` His Eye Is on the Sparrow '' `` How I Got Over '' Related Black, Brown and Beige Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=His_Eye_Is_on_the_Sparrow&oldid=800141854 '' Categories : Christian songs American Christian hymns Gospel songs 1905 songs 2012 singles Whitney Houston songs Song recordings produced by R. Kelly Metaphors referring to birds Songs released posthumously Pace Jubilee Singers songs Mahalia Jackson songs Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español Italiano 日本 語 Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 11 September 2017, at 18 : 58. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who wrote his eye is on the sparrow song
Answer: Civilla D. Martin