“Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me”
His Eye is On the Sparrow is a gospel hymn from 1905. Charles H. Gabriel wrote the tune, and Civilla D. Martin penned the lyrics, inspired by the Gospel of Matthew. Over the decades, there have been many interpretations – and if you look on YouTube, you’ll find lots of them!
Our 12-bell demonstration is at the lively tempo Larry prefers, but if you wanted to play it at a slower speed, that would be fine too.
Suitable for social distancing!
As with all Choraegus 12-bell arrangements, this piece has no bell-sharing, and there are no accidentals to pick up mid-piece. Also, there are no techniques that need tables or foam, so the arrangement can be played from music stands.
The music is suitable for 3-6 ringers, and two versions are available – either using bells C5-G6 (as in our demo video), or using F5-C7.
Where to get the sheet music
If you’d like to play His Eye is On the Sparrow, the sheet music is available to purchase and download from Choraegus. Purchasing this arrangement gives you permission to print and maintain up to six copies for your handbell group – so you only need to pay once.
Your purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details. Please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.
Another thing to note is that our music is designed to be downloaded as PDFs. You’ll be responsible for printing your own music, and you won’t receive anything in the mail.
If you haven’t purchased music online from Choraegus before, you might like to look at our step-by-step guide. We designed this to help you navigate the purchase and download process in a (we hope!) stress-free way.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about our music, please start by reading our Frequently-Asked Questions. Please contact us if you don’t find the answers you need, and we’ll be happy to help!
