How Great Thou Art

This hymn praising God's greatness is based on a Swedish poem, "O Store Gud", which was written by Swedish preacher Carl Boberg (1859–1940), apparently as a paraphrase of Psalm 8. It was first published in the Mönsterås Tidningen (Mönsterås News) in 1886. It was paired with a traditional Swedish folk-tune, sung in Swedish churches from 1888 and published as a hymn in 1890.

O Store Gud was translated from Swedish to German by Baptist nobleman, Manfred von Glehn (1867-1924), and in German is known as "Wie groß bist Du".

The German hymn was translated to Russian as "Velikiy Bog" (Великий Бог - Great God) in 1912 by Protestant hymn-writer and translator Ivan S. Prokhanov (1869–1935).

British Methodist-but-Baptist-influenced missionary Stuart Wesley Keene Hine (1899-1989) paraphrased parts of the Russian the hymn and wrote additional verses to make "How Great Thou Art" - with roughly the lyrics that are in common use today.

Various other English translations have been made, but none have seen the world-wide and cross-denominational use that Hine's version has.

With meter 11.10.11.10 with refrain, the tune that the hymn is almost-always set to is known as O STORE GUD or HOW GREAT THOU ART. This was originally triple-meter, but was adapted to 4/4 time to match the hymn. This 4/4 version was first published in 1894, and so is now in the public domain.

Downloads

This section may contain affiliate links: I earn from qualifying purchases on these. Free downloads are provided where possible (eg for public domain items).

SATB choir arrangement by Daniel E. Forrest Jr. published by Beckenhorst Press.

As performed by Alan Jackson. Digital sheet music with lyrics, piano, voice, and guitar

Examples

Professional recording, gentle rendition from a solo singer with backing vocals, piano accompaniment:

Massed choir with organ:

Contemporary-Christian-music style, with praise band:

Congregation, unaccompanied:

Instrumental - piano accordion:

Quartet, close harmony, piano accompaniment:

Lyrics

The lyrics are copyright. But they are currently available on Wikipedia. A rough outline is:

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works Thy hand hath made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power 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!

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:

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:

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 there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!