This page features the full How Great Thou Art lyrics . This world-renowned hymn began as a Swedish poem and was transformed through multiple languages before being masterfully adapted into English by missionary Stuart K. Hine. It takes the singer on a journey of worship, from the awesome wonder of creation to the profound sacrifice of the cross, and finally to the glorious hope of Christ's return.
How Great Thou Art - Full Lyrics
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder Consider all the works Thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
When thru 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,
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
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!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
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!
How Great Thou Art - Hymn Details
| Original Poem | "O Store Gud" by Carl Boberg (1885) |
| English Translation | Stuart K. Hine (c. 1949) |
| Music | Traditional Swedish Folk Melody |
| Genre | Hymn, Gospel |
How Great Thou Art - The Story Behind the Hymn
The journey of this hymn spans nearly 70 years and multiple countries. It began in 1885 with Carl Boberg, a Swedish pastor and editor. After being caught in a sudden, violent thunderstorm that was quickly followed by a beautiful calm and the sound of birdsong, Boberg was inspired to write a nine-stanza poem titled "O Store Gud" ("O Great God").
The poem was set to a traditional Swedish folk melody and became popular in Sweden. It was later translated into German, and then into Russian. It was this Russian version that the British missionary Stuart K. Hine encountered while serving in Ukraine in the 1930s. The powerful lyrics, combined with the faith of the local singing congregation, deeply moved him. Hine began translating the first three verses into English, inspired by his own experiences with the majestic Carpathian Mountains. He later added the fourth and final verse in 1948 after the end of World War II, reflecting on the hope of Christ's return for displaced refugees. His complete English version was published in 1949, and it soared to global popularity after being featured in Billy Graham's crusades, becoming one of the most beloved hymns of all time.
How Great Thou Art - Meaning and Verse-by-Verse Analysis
The power of "How Great Thou Art" lies in its comprehensive scope of worship. It doesn't just focus on one aspect of God, but builds a case for His greatness through a four-part journey.
- Verses 1 & 2 (Greatness in Creation): The hymn begins by observing God's power in nature, from the grand scale of the cosmos ("stars," "rolling thunder") to the intimate beauty of the earth ("woods," "birds," "brook"). This reflects the declaration of the Psalms that "the heavens declare the glory of God" (Psalm 19:1). It's a call to worship based on what God has made.
- Verse 3 (Greatness in Redemption): This verse shifts from creation to the cross, contemplating the most profound act of God's love. The line "I scarce can take it in" captures the overwhelming, almost unbelievable, nature of the Gospel: that God would sacrifice His own Son to bear our sin. This is the heart of the Christian faith.
- Verse 4 (Greatness in Future Glory): The final verse, added by Hine, lifts our eyes from the past (the cross) to the future. It expresses the joyful anticipation of Christ's Second Coming. The worship that began by observing nature and the cross will culminate in bowing in "humble adoration" directly before God, where the final proclamation will be the same as the first thought: "My God, how great Thou art!"
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” — Romans 1:20 (NIV)
