How Great Thou Art: Song Story

Today’s song story is of one of my all-time favourite hymns “How Great Thou Art”, the story of where this iconic song came from and how the meaning behind the lyrics is timeless and profound.

In 1931, a British missionary by the name of Stuart K. Hine was on a missionary trip in Ukraine. Here he heard for the first time a song inspired by Carl Boberg’s poem “O Store Gud” (O Great God). Hine loved it so much that he began to translate the song from Russian to English.

He also added two further verses inspired by the villagers in Russia who cried out to God loudly as they repented and realised God’s love and mercy – “And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in” – and those Russians who were displaced during World War II, who experienced great loss and looked forward to seeing their loved ones again in heaven – “When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation to take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.”

The English version of “How Great Thou Art” was published in 1949 and quickly spread among Britain, Africa, India and America, becoming a key song used in the Billy Graham New York City Crusade where it was sung 99 times.

In 1959 it also became the theme song for Billy Graham’s weekly radio broadcast, bringing “How Great Thou Art” into the national consciousness and since then it has consistently been listed as one of the greatest hymns ever written, usually falling at #2 (right behind Amazing Grace). And it’s not difficult to see why.

This hymn begins with a beautiful story of our incredible creator, describing the wonders of creation and the glorious display of power that can be seen. How we look to creation in “awesome wonder” of all the intricacies and the precisions. “I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder”. It conjures up images of the beauty and the power that is found in nature, the painted skies, the sparkling seas, the crashing waves, the furious storms – all reflections of a both beautiful and powerful God. “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” (Romans 1:20)

It goes on to describe the powerful sacrifice of Jesus and how he hung on the cross, bleeding and dying, yet gladly bearing our sin – we can hardly grasp the magnitude of this selfless and deliberate act of heroism! He suffered and bore our punishment instead of us – it was incredibly hard, it was excruciatingly painful, but Jesus endured it because he knew that at the other side of his momentary suffering there would be great joy (Hebrews 12:12).

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)

And then it looks to a time when Christ will return triumphantly, in all his glory, to take us home with him. Oh the joy we will experience when that day comes, and will we forever be in the presence of our Almighty Father.  And this is why, even in the midst of our suffering, even to the point of death, like Paul says in Philippians, we can find joy because we know that there is a bigger picture than just this life, heaven is waiting for us. “Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:20-21).

Whenever we sing the words “How Great Thou Art”, let us come to God with hearts full of praise and adoration for him. Let us come with thanksgiving for what he has done. And let us come looking forward to the promise of Christ’s triumphant return.