This is my father's world

This (New Zealand) Is My Father's World

I am sitting at a desk preparing for our worship service on Sunday morning. As I am considering which song would be helpful to begin a time of worship together, the song "This is my father's world" came to mind. I love the poetry of these verses and the tune that matches the words so well, so it seemed like a good idea. When I looked it up in the hymn book used by many in the Presbyterian Church in Australia, I was surprised to see that it only has two verses. I've always known the song with three verses, so where is the missing verse? Where are these majestic words:

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.

Looking for these missing words, I went to http://www.cyberhymnal.org and found there not only the words I was looking for, but also three other verses I had never known. To be sure, verses 4 and 5 would be difficult to sing with extra syllables, so I understand why many editors would choose not to include them in the hymnbooks. But verse 6 is worth reading and knowing:

This is my Father’s world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home.

In a country like Australia where bushfires are common, words like these can be helpful to have in mind when a fire is raging across the countryside. For many other countries, the experience is the same, so it is worth reminding ourselves that God will be glorified in all things, even in 'a bush ablaze'.

I don't know why the editors of Rejoice! (hymnbook) have chosen to only use two verses, and I'm not writing to criticise them. Rather, I write to point any who read this to the other verses that Maltbie Babcock wrote some years ago that express a simple faith that God is seen everywhere and in everything.

"God is the ruler yet."