Dear friends,
.May this be a year of great growth in our Lord and even a greater love for Him on our part!
I thought it’d be a great way to start off 2026 with the song, “How Great Thou Art”.
It’s thought provoking and has great meaning in its words. The Deity of Christ is definitely on display in this song, where you’ll find both God and Jesus are interchangeable. I’ve also found the music to be rich and beautiful.
“HOW GREAT THOU ART”
1) Oh Lord, my God
When I, in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder;
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
CHORUS:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee.
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee.
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
2) 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.
CHORUS:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee.
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee.
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
3) When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation!
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!
CHORIS:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee.
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee.
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
The story behind “HOW GREAT THOU ART”
This song began as a Swedish poem, “O Store Gud,” by pastor Carl Boberg in 1885, inspired by a sudden, powerful thunderstorm over a Swedish lake, followed by calm and birdsong. This poem was translated into German, then Russian, and eventually into English by missionary Stuart Hine, who added the final verse about Christ’s return, popularizing the hymn alongside singer George Beverly Shea at Billy Graham crusades in the 1950s.
The Origin: A Swedish Storm
The Experience: In 1885, Boberg was caught in a violent thunderstorm in Sweden. As the storm passed, the sun broke through, birds began to sing, and a rainbow appeared, leaving him in awe of God’s majesty.
The Poem: He wrote a nine-stanza poem, “O Store Gud,” to express this feeling, never imagining it would become a famous hymn.
The Journey to English Hymn
Translations: The poem was translated into German, then Russian.
Stuart Hine’s Contribution: English missionaries Stuart and Mercy Hine heard the Russian version in Ukraine and translated three verses into English around 1949.
The Final Verse: After returning to England during WWII, Hine was inspired by displaced people longing to go home and wrote the powerful final verse about Christ’s Second Coming.
Global Popularity
Billy Graham Crusades: The hymn gained massive worldwide fame when George Beverly Shea sang it almost nightly at Billy Graham’s crusades, starting in 1955.
Timeless Classic: It became a beloved anthem of worship, recorded by many artists and translated into numerous languages, celebrating God’s power in nature and redemption.
-Debra
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