He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

Full Text

1 He's got the whole world in his hands.
He's got the whole world in his hands.
He's got the whole world in his hands.
He's got the whole world in his hands.

2 He's got the wind and the rain in his hands.

(Sing three times)

He's got the whole world in his hands.

3 He's got the little tiny baby in his hands. . . .
He's got the whole world in his hands.

4 He's got you and me, brother, in his hands. . . .
He's got the whole world in his hands.

5 He's got you and me, sister, in his hands. . . .
He's got the whole world in his hands.

6 He's got everybody here in his hands. . . .
He's got the whole world in his hands.

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First Line:	He's got the whole world in his hands
Title:	He's Got the Whole World in His Hands
Meter:	Irregular
Source:	Afro-American spiritual
Language:	English

Year C, Ordinary Time, Proper 18 (23)

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Notes

Scripture References:
all st. = Ps. 47; 93-99

This anonymous spiritual rose out of the oral tradition of African Americans and has become one of the most widely known and loved spirituals, sung by young and old everywhere. Like other songs arising out of an oral tradition, it has many variations in both text and tune. Creating new stanzas would also be consistent with the tradition.

The text confesses the same them of the Lord’s cosmic rule that is proclaimed in the kingship psalms such as Psalm 47 and 93-99: “The Lord reigns!” The stanzas give examples of aspects of the “whole world”–nature, human creatures, and in fact, everything and everybody.

Liturgical Use:
Various occasions of worship: services that focus on creation, God’s rule and providence, family life (st. 3-5), and communion of the saints (st. 6); as a hymn of assurance.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

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Tune

WHOLE WORLD

WHOLE WORLD is characterized by one recurring melodic and rhythmic motif. The tune is intended for unison singing and possibly some solo singing (for example, on st. 4-5), with light accompaniment on guitar or piano. Try singing some stanzas unaccompanied, clapping on beats two and four. --Psalter H…

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Timeline

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Arrangements

PowerPoint HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS (Celebration 586) HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS - Lead Line (Baptist Hymnal 1991 - 346)
Piano/Organ Trumpet Solos for Worship Spiritual Suite He's Got the Whole World in His Hands (Three Sacred Solos for High Voice) More Piano/Organ...
Choral He’s Got the Whole World HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD/THIS IS MY FATHER'S WORLD HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS More Choral...
Handbells HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands Yes, Jesus Loves Me More Handbells...

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Media

Scores
Audio

The Cyber Hymnal #2336

Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
XML score (XML)

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #457

Full Score (PDF, XML)
Bulletin Score (PDF)
Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)

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Page Scans

Hymns of Promise: a large print songbook (2015), p.29

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Instances

Instances (1 - 30 of 30)	Title	First Line	Tune	Author	Meter	Scripture	Date	Subject	Source
African American Heritage Hymnal #150	He's God the Whole World in His Hand	He's got the whole world in His hand	WHOLE WORLD		Irregular	Job 12:10	2001	God's Hand in Nature \|	Traditional
Ancient and Modern: hymns and songs for refreshing worship #656	He's got the whole world in his hand	He's got the whole world in his hand	[He's got the whole world in his hand]			Isaiah 45:12; John 10:28-29	2013	Mothering Sunday \| ; Creation and the Environment \| ; Children and All-Age Worship \| ; Creation \| ; Family and Friends \| ; God \| Protection of	African-American traditional song
Anglican Hymns Old and New (Rev. and Enl.) #306	He's got the whole world in his hand	He's got the whole world in his hand	[He's got the whole world in his hand]				2008		Traditional
Baptist Hymnal 1991 #346	He's Got the Whole World in His Hands	He's got the whole world in His hands	WHOLE WORLD		Irregular	Job 12:10	1991		Negro Spiritual
Church Family Worship #189	He’s got the whole world in his hands	He’s got the whole world in his hands			Irr		1988
Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New #819	He's got the whole world in his hands	He's got the whole world in his hands	[He's got the whole world in his hands]				2000	Baptism \| Children's Hymns and Songs; Grace and Providence \| Children's Hymns and Songs; Home and Family \| Children's Hymns and Songs; International Relations \| Children's Hymns and Songs; Joy, Praise and Thanksgiving \| Children's Hymns and Songs	Traditional
Complete Mission Praise #225	He's got the whole world in his hands	He's got the whole world in his hands			Irr		2000
Hymns and Psalms: a Methodist and ecumenical hymn book #25	He's got the whole world	He's got the whole world	[He's got the whole world]	Traditional			1983
Hymns for a Pilgrim People: a congregational hymnal #51	He's Got the Whole World in His Hand	He's got the whole world in His hand	WHOLE WORLD		Irregular	Job 12:10	2007	Assurance \| ; God the Father \| ; Grace \| ; Providence \|	Spiritual
Hymns of Promise: a large print songbook #26	He's Got the Whole World in His Hands	He's got the whole world in his hands	WHOLE WORLD		Irregular		2015	Praise to God \|	Traditional spiritual
Hymns of Truth & Light #97	He's got the whole world in his hands	He's got the whole world in his hands	WHOLE WORLD				1998
Lead Me, Guide Me (2nd ed.) #411	He's Got the Whole World in His Hand	He's got the whole world in his hand	WHOLE WORLD		Irregular	Job 12:10	2012	All Souls \| November 2nd; Funeral \| Sacraments; Children's Hymns \| ; Creation \| ; Eternal Life \| ; God the Father, Creator \| ; Providence \| ; Spirituals \| ; World \|	Traditional
Lift Every Voice and Sing II: an African American hymnal #217	He's Got the Whole World in His Hand	He’s got the whole world in His hand	[He’s got the whole world in His hand]				1993	Hymns and Songs \| Children	Traditional
Lift Up Your Hearts: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs #26	He's Got the Whole World in His Hands	He's got the whole world in his hands	WHOLE WORLD		irregular	Job 12:10; Psalm 47; Psalms 93 - 99	2013	Children \| ; Creation \| ; God's \| Power; God's \| Protection; God's \| Providence	Traditional
Praise! Our Songs and Hymns #328	He's Got the Whole World in His Hands	He’s got the whole wide world in His hands	[He’s got the whole wide world in His hands]				1979	Assurance and Trust \|	Traditional
Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #457	He's Got the Whole World in His Hands	He's got the whole world in his hands	WHOLE WORLD		irregular		1987	Family \| ; Songs for Children \| Hymns; Creation and Providence \| ; Assurance \| ; Providence \|	Afro-American spiritual
Sing and Rejoice!: new hymns for congregations #34	He's got the Whole World in His Hands	He's got the whole world in His hands	[He's got the whole world in His hands]				1979	Children's Hymns \| ; Creator and Creation \| ; Providence and Care \|	Negro spiritual
Sing Joyfully #43	He's God the Whole World in His Hands	He's got the whole world in His hands	[He's got the whole world in His hands]				1989		Traditional Spiritual
Sing With Me #26	He's Got the Whole World	He's got the whole world in his hands	WHOLE WORLD				2006	Hello \| Praise and Thanksgiving; Songs with Non-Western Roots \| African-American	African-American spiritual
Singing the Faith #536	He's got the whole world in his hand	He's got the whole world in his hand	HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD			Exodus 2:1-10; Isaiah 45:11-12; Isaiah 60:21; Psalm 95:4; Psalm 139:9-10	2011	Praise and Thanksgiving \| ; Baptism and Thanksgiving Services \|	African-American tradtional song
Small Church Music #889	He's got the whole world in His hands	He's got the whole world in His hands	[He's got the whole world in His hands]						Traditional Spiritual
Songs for Life #198	He's Got the Whole World	He's got the whole world in his hands	WHOLE WORLD				1995	Living in God's World \| God's Care for Us; African-American \|	African-American spiritual
The Book of Hymns (A fresh anthology of favourite hymns) #9	He's got the whole world in His hand	He's got the whole world in His hand					2006
The Celebration Hymnal: songs and hymns for worship #586	He's Got the Whole World in His Hands	He's got the whole world in His hands	WHOLE WORLD		Irregular meter		1997	Assurance and Trust \|	Traditional Spiritual
The Covenant Hymnal: a worshipbook #682	He's Got the Whole World in His Hands	He's got the whole world in his hands	[He's got the whole world in his hands]		Irregular	Job 12:10	1996	Children's Hymns \| ; Evangelism and Mission \| ; God \| Presence	African-American spiritual
The Cyber Hymnal #2336	He's Got the Whole World in His Hands	He's got the whole wide world in His hands	[He's got the whole wide world in His hands]	Anonymous
The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration #344	He's Got the Whole World in His Hands	He's got the whole world in His hands	WHOLE WORLD		Irregular meter		1986	Assurance \| ; God \| Creation; Trust \| ; Youth Songs and Hymns \|	Traditional Spiritual
The Worshiping Church #518	He's Got the Whole World	He's got the whole world in his hands	WHOLE WORLD		Irregular	Job 12:10; Psalm 95:4; Luke 23:46	1990		Afro-American spiritual
Worship and Rejoice #80	He's Got the Whole World in His Hands	He's got the whole world in his hands	WHOLE WORLD		Irregular	Psalm 95:4-5; Luke 23:46; Psalm 63:8; Matthew 11:29; Psalm 37:24; Isaiah 49:16; Job 12:10; Isaiah 40:11	2008		African-American spiritual
찬송과 예배 = Chansong gwa yebae = Come, Let Us Worship: the Korean-English Presbyterian hymnal and service book #70	은 세 상 우 러 님 존 안 에 (He's Got the Whole World in His Hands)	은 세 상 우 러 님 존 안 에 (He's got the whole world in his hands)	WHOLE WORLD		Irr.		2001	하 나 님 \| ; Assurance \| ; Creation \| ; God \| ; Mercy \| ; Salvation \| ; 확신 \| ; 창조 \| ; 자비 \| ; 구원 \|	African American spiritual; Korean trans. The United Methodist Korean Hymnal Commitee