Hymn Story: How Great Thou Art

 

(Sam Stack) In 1885 a Swedish minister by the name of Carl Boberg, wrote a poem entitled “O Store Gud.” In English the translation is O Mighty God.

The original first verse translated to English:

When I the world consider
Which Thou has made by Thine almighty Word
And how the webb of life Thou wisdom guideth
And all creation feedeth at Thy board
Then doth my soul burst forth in song of praise
Oh, great God, Oh, great God!

It is said that Boberg’s inspiration for the poem came about after he was caught outdoors during a summer thunderstorm.

This hymn has a very interesting history. Several years after he wrote the poem, Boberg was surprised to find it being sung to an old Swedish folk tune.

In 1925, the poem was translated into German. In 1927, it was again translated into Russian.

H. K. Hine and his wife were missionaries to the Ukraine in the early 1920’s. It was there they learned the Russian version of the song. They began writing a new English version of the song during their time as missionaries. When they were forced to return to England at the outbreak of WW2, they continued to work on the hymn. Verse four came about after the war ended. Hine arranged the current tune based on a Swedish folk song.

The hymn gained worldwide use when George Beverly Shea, began singing the song during Billy Graham Evangelical crusades.

How Great Thou Art

Verse 1

O Lord my God when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works Thy hand hath made
I see the stars I hear the mighty thunder
Thy pow'r throughout the universe displayed

Chorus

Then sings my soul my Saviour God to Thee
How great Thou art how great Thou art
Then sings my soul my Saviour God to Thee
How great Thou art how great Thou art

Verse 2

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze

Verse 3

And when I think that God His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die I scarce can take it in
That on the Cross my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin

Verse 4

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home what joy shall fill my heart
Then shall I bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim my God how great Thou art

Stuart Wesley Keene Hine