Whole World In His Hands

The old spiritual line "He's got the whole world in His hands" is set against a darker backdrop here: "all around is fading," nothing seems to last, and "each day is filled with sorrow." What the singer holds onto is stated plainly, "still I know with all my heart," and the confidence is not shaken by the circumstances listed.

A bridge raises the stakes with fire and water. "When I walk through fire, I will not be burned" and "when the waves come crashing round me" are followed by the same answer. Between these lines sits the pairing "I fear no evil, for You are with me" and "strong to deliver, mighty to save," which blends the Twenty-third Psalm with the language of rescue.

Toward the close the pronoun changes. After many repetitions of "He's got," a line turns to address Jesus directly, "You got the whole world in Your hands." The long repeated ending works as a congregational chant, a way of saying one truth until it sinks in. Scripture behind it includes Psalm 23:4, Isaiah 43:2 and Psalm 95:4.