If you have a church background and are older than 45, chances are that you will remember this old 1960s favourite penned by Ralph Carmichael. I heard this song for the first time in 1974 as a small girl in Emmanuel Baptist Church in Bangalore. This was in the old building on Pottery Road near the railway track. It was sung as a trio by three beautiful college-aged girls, whose names I do not know.
Last week, we sang this song at a Christmas celebration in Auckland. I thought we could do a better recording in the kitchen at home. But I did like the deepness our voices take on when we sing into a mic, and so vanity took over, and I decided to mix the recordings. Added to my troubles in this endevour was the fact that I recorded the song three times at home, and by the time we were nearly done, my son could not feel his fingers anymore and was hurrying us along. You can see all this in the video.
Lyrics
In the stars His handiwork I see,
On the wind He speaks with majesty,
Though He ruleth over land and sea,
What is that to me?
I will celebrate Nativity,
For it has a place in history,
Sure, He came to set His people free,
What is that to me?Till by faith I met Him face to face,
and I felt the wonder of His grace,
Then I knew that He was more than just a
God who didn’t care,
That lived a way out there andNow He walks beside me day by day,
Ever watching o’er me lest I stray,
Helping me to find the narrow way,
He’s Everything to me.
Seeing design in the universe, believing in the existence of God, believing in the historicity of Jesus, being raised in a Christian home, leading a “good” and honest life, etc. are all positive things, but they do not constitute saving faith.
Saving faith, that believes that Jesus is the Son of God who died for one’s sins, is a gift. But having said it is a gift, it is also true that the Lord says: “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” So, do not rest; call on the Lord Jesus and be saved.
Courage to tremble 
I have been a Lutheran pastor for 35 years and learned this song as a young teen at First Lutheran Church, West Palm Beach, Florida. The lyrics and tune have stayed with me all these years…as has Carmichael’s musical Tell It Like It Is which our Youth Group sang at First Lutheran. God’s blessings to all.
I knew this song as a child. Now am in my early 50, and forgotten the lyrics. went to the internet, and there it is. thank you
Thank you for this song.
And yes I know this song, heard my mother sing it many times as I was growing up.
Grew up in Full Gospel Church – Gospel Mission To Uganda.
We sung the translated version in Luganda.
I just was singing it and decided to look up the lyrics and got to you site.
God bless.
PS. Passing it on to my son.
I was trying to find the origins of this song, and wonder here????
First heard it, best of my recollection, at Campus Crusade for Christ above San Bernadino, California, in the late sixties…….served there a few summers on their summer staff, very best summers of my life.
This song, an album by Ed Carpenter, others And we’re coming one by one, you can see us two by two, everytime you turn around there’s another coming through……
A litany of old, hard to recover memories………
That, by Grace, Christ has given me.
Thank You for posting this meaningful song here that has touched many lives. I & my wife too attended Emmanuel Baptist church in the 1980s & 90s during our childhood days (albeit in the Church’s new/ current location on High Street). God bless & may the Lord use you mightily in the days to come! AMEN!!!
Absolutely beautiful.
I grew up in a small village near Hyderabad, as the daughter of missionaries from the United States. As a girl this was one of my favorite hymns. It still brings tears to my eyes. Thank you for posting this!
Barbara Rowe
Missionary with Christ For the City, International
San Salvador, El Salvador
I learnt this beautiful piece of song and sang it in the choir when I was in my early twenties , then it didn’t make much sense to me, but now in my thirties I have found the song to meaningful and real to me. I had forgotten the lines and I had to google it in the net. Thanks for placing this song here for me. God bless ur ministry.