How Great Thou Art
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
A hymn of creation wonder and redemptive praise. The first two stanzas celebrate the majesty of creation; the third stanza turns to the atonement; the fourth to the return of Christ. The movement from creation to redemption to eschatology mirrors the biblical narrative.
History & Background
Originally written as a Swedish poem O store Gud by Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940) in 1885, inspired by a thunderstorm on the Swedish coast. Translated through Russian and Ukrainian before Stuart K. Hine (1899-1989) produced the definitive English version in 1949, adding stanzas 3 and 4. Popularized globally through Billy Graham crusades.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 856
- Gather 4th Edition — 630
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 532
- Lutheran Service Book — 801
Bulletin Note
How Great Thou Art — Boberg, 1885; tr. Hine, 1949
Preaching Connection
Creation's witness to God's greatness, and the cross as the ultimate expression of that greatness.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law to Gospel: human insignificance before divine majesty (stanzas 1-2) yields to amazement at Christ's substitutionary atonement (stanza 3) and eschatological hope (stanza 4)
Themes
Creation Praise Redemption Wonder