If I had to give you a list of my top three favorite hymns of all time, How Great Thou Art would be on the list and most likely at the top. It’s a song I sing and listen to frequently when I find my heart distressed, troubled, or alone. Sometimes, a reminder of the greatness of God reminds me to rely on Him.
The hymn was written by a Swedish man named Carl Boberg in 1885. The melody is from a traditional Swedish melody and became popular during Billy Graham’s evangelistic crusades. The lyrics of the song are slightly based on Deuteronomy 33:26 which says,
There is none like God, O Jesherun, who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in his majesty.
The lyrics of the hymn follow a Redemptive Biblical Narrative: Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration. Read the lyrics for yourself and then sing about the greatness of God this week and meditate on all He has done for you through Jesus Christ.
O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
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
And when I think of 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
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 Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And lead me home, what joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow with humble adoration
And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art
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
Matt MacNaughton 