This is one of my all-time favorite hymns. I especially love this version sung by Josh Turner; in my opinion, a man with one of the most pleasant voices ever. Turner left out verse two of his rendition of the hymn for some reason, but I don’t think that takes away from the praise of God in it. This is another classic Christian hymn that doesn’t need much of an introduction; much like Amazing Grace.
In 1885, Swedish poet, Carl Boberg, wrote the poem "O Store Gud" (O Great God). In the 1920s, his poem was translated into English, as a song, by E. Gustav Johnson and was called “O Mighty God.” The song did not catch on, due to it sounding strange since it was a direct translation. In 1949, Stuart W.K. Hine heard the Russian translation of the German rendition of the song and created the English paraphrased version, known today as "How Great Thou Art."
Hine also added the third verse to depict Christ’s suffering and death on the cross, which is quite fitting since Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for us is part of the centerpiece of the Christian faith. It’s unfortunate that the hymn doesn’t mention the other part of the centerpiece of faith: Jesus Christ’s victorious resurrection from the dead. However, we can have some grace on the writers; they’re not perfect either.
It has been told that Boberg penned this poem after walking home from church one day. During his walk, the church bells were ringing when suddenly a violent thunderstorm blew up, spewing lightning across the sky and gusting wind. Then, as suddenly as the storm blew up, it subsided into a gentle, calm rain. This awe-inspiring experience influenced Boberg’s writing that day as he admired God’s power as well as His creation and promises.
Even though the hymn we all know today is only a paraphrased version of a translation, of a translation, the hymn still beautifully captures the wonderful work of Carl Boberg's original poem. This hymn has lots of possible Scriptural references per verse; I chose the verses I felt would best represent the words used in the hymn.
First half of verse 1:
“O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder. Consider all the worlds Your hands have made.”
“When I look at Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him?” (Psalm 8:3-4 ESV)
Second half of verse 1:
“I see the stars. I hear the rolling thunder. Your power throughout the universe displayed.”
“For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20 ESV)
Refrain/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.”
“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.” (Psalm 145:3 ESV)
First half of verse 2 (3):
“And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die. I scarce can take it in.”
“He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32 ESV)
Part 1 of the second half of verse 2 (3):
“That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing.”
“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2 ESV)
Part 2 of the second half of verse 2 (3):
“He bled and died to take away my sin.”
“The next day [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29 ESV)
The first half of verse 3 (4):
“When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation and take me home. What joy shall fill my heart.”
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ESV)
The second half of verse 3 (4):
“Then I shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim, ‘My God, how great Thou art!’”
“All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen!’” (Revelation 7:11-12 ESV)
Soli Deo Gloria!
Philip Frank
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