Maltie Davenport Babcock was a pastor in upper New York.  In his morning walks, he would enjoy the panoramic view of upstate New York and scenery of Lake Ontario.  A common expression he would say to his wife when leaving for his walk was, "I'm going out to see the Father's world."

Maltie would go on to write a 16 stanza poem with the title, "This is My Father's World."  After his death in 1901, his wife published some of his poems, including this one  One of Maltie's friends, Franklin Shepherd, saw the poem and put it to music.  The poem was condensed into three stanzas:

This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears

All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the sphere

This is my Father's world.  I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise,

The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker's praise

This is my Father's world, He shines in all that's fair;

In the rustling grass I hear Him pass; He speaks to me everywhere

This is my Father's world.  O let me ne'er forget

That though the wrong seems oft so strong.  God is the ruler yet

This is my Father's world;  why should my heart be sad

The Lord is King:  let the heavens ring!  God reigns; let the earth be glad

Some hymnals follow the 1915 setting in concluding the hymn with the words from the 15th stanza of Maltie's poem:

This is my Father's world.  The battle is not done

Jesus who died shall be satisfied, and earth and heav'n shall be one