He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

The Story Behind He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

The author of "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" is still unknown despite being a very popular Christian hymn.

This anonymous spiritual song rose out of the oral tradition of African Americans and has become one of the most widely known and loved hymns, sung by young and old everywhere. Like other songs coming from an oral tradition, it has many variations in both text and tune.

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

"Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. For the LORD Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth. He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted." ~ Psalm 47