I sang this in Sunday school and in grade school. It is an uplifting tune and has many, many verses. The chorus is written here in the big letters, as if a child might have written them. If you look closely you can see the outline of my own hand, and marks of a shorter, smaller nature. I traced my own hand first to entice my grand daughter and then tried to trace hers. She’s one, she wanted nothing to do with it…so I just left the marks. Each of the versus are in the small lettering surrounding the chorus. And yes, I found myself singing the words as I wrote them!
Now it’s your turn to sing. Let’s start at the beginning. I will list each verse once even though each verse is sung three times:
He’s got the Whole World in His Hands.
– Traditional Spiritual
He’s got the Whole World in His Hands.
He’s got the Whole World in His Hands.
He’s got the Wind and the Rain in His hands….
He’s got the little, tiny baby in His hands…
He’s got you and me Brother in His hands…
He’s got the Sun and the Moon in His hands…
He’s got Love and Salvation in His hands…
He’s got Everybody Here in His hands…
He’s got the Whole World in His hands!
I remember singing this one in a school assembly. We all loved it and got a little rowdy as we laughed at each other as we sang louder and louder. I remember the Teachers, even Mr Bridges the gym teacher, clapping and singing along. It was fun.
I’m not sure this one would make it into any public school nowadays, let alone someone trying to get an entire Elementary school filled with children to sing it at the same time. I feel sorry for the children today who have missed the joy and comradely of singing with your peers. Could we all sing on tune…of course not. Did some kids just mumble…for sure. Was anyone singled out or made to feel bad…not that I saw or can remember. Were some of us tone deaf…no doubt! Yet the energy, clapping and wiggles made it fun. Do kids today get to have that kind of joy at school? Are there triplicate parental consent forms involved, maybe? HHHmmmm…things that make ya’ go hhmmmmm!
I remember singing in Junior High, and a little bit more as a freshman in High School. Then an official chorus was formed, for which I was not picked, and my public singing days came to an end…except for the occasional assembly which included the National Anthem. Was my self esteem ruined? Not ruined, maybe just dented. And I learned that not everyone gets picked for everything. We each have talents and gifts. Maybe that is why the Bible tells us to “make a joyful noise.”! If God can stand our voices, and the voice of Mr Bridges, how can it be wrong to sing this song?
Tomorrow is our last day of Inktober 2026…see you then!
