Hymn lyrics to How Great Thou Art (1885) by Carl Boberg, Stuart K. Hine
“How Great Thou Art” is a Christian hymn based on a Swedish traditional melody and a poem written by Carl Boberg in Mönsterås, Sweden, in 1885. It was translated into German and then into Russian, from there into English by English missionary Stuart K. Hine. He also added two original verses of his own. The hymn was popularised by George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows during the Billy Graham crusades. It was voted the British public’s favourite hymn by BBC’s Songs of Praise. “How Great Thou Art” was ranked second on a list of the favorite hymns of all time by Christianity Today magazine in 2001.
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.
Refrain:
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!
[Editor’s note: it goes without saying there are numerous variations]