It is a hymn so fine and noble that it's familiar across all Christian denominations, and so well-known and loved that it's easy to forget that it was introduced to the United States only some 50 years ago in the translation by Stuart K. Hine. Some of the words of that translation were early altered by George Beverly Shea, still active in the ministry of Rev. Billy Graham.



The author of the hymn in the original Swedish, set to a Swedish folk tune, was Carl Gustaf Boberg, who died in Kalmar, full of years, on this date in 1940.



How Great Thou Art



O Lord my God,

When I in awesome wonder

Consider all

The works Thy Hand hath made,

I see the stars,

I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy pow'r throughout

The universe displayed;



Refrain:

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

I 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;





But 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 shouts 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!"