You know that feeling when a song starts, and suddenly everyone in the room—even the people who can't carry a tune in a bucket—starts singing at the top of their lungs? That's the power of this hymn. It’s arguably one of the most famous pieces of music on the planet, right up there with "Amazing Grace." But here’s the thing: the words to the song How Great Thou Art didn't just appear overnight in a burst of divine inspiration. They traveled through three languages and across a century of history before they became the anthem we know today.
It actually started with a lightning storm.
Back in 1885, a Swedish pastor named Carl Boberg was walking home from church in Mönsterås. Suddenly, a massive thunderstorm rolled in. We’re talking "crack of doom" thunder and jagged lightning. But then, as quickly as it started, the storm broke. The sun came out, birds started chirping in the woods, and the church bells began to ring across the water. Boberg was so struck by the contrast between the terrifying power of the storm and the peace that followed that he sat down and wrote a poem called "O Store Gud."
He didn't think he was writing a global hit. He just wanted to describe what he felt.
The unexpected journey of the lyrics
Most people assume the song is British or American because of how it sounds, but it’s deeply rooted in the Swedish countryside. Boberg’s original nine stanzas were published in a local newspaper and then forgotten for a bit. Eventually, someone set them to an old Swedish folk melody. That's the tune we still use.
How did it get to us? Well, a couple of decades later, an amateur singer named Manfred von Glehn translated it into German. Then, a few years after that, a guy named Ivan Prokhanov translated the German version into Russian. Prokhanov was a leader in the Russian evangelical movement, and he added his own flavor to it, which is why the third verse about God’s sacrifice feels so intense and personal.
Then came Stuart Hine.
Hine was an English missionary working in Ukraine in the 1930s. He heard the Russian version of the hymn and was blown away. He started translating the words to the song How Great Thou Art into English as he traveled through the Carpathian Mountains. He didn't just translate it; he lived it. He wrote the first three verses based on his experiences in the mountains and the villages. The fourth verse? That didn't come until 1948, after he had returned to England.
It's a weird, messy, international game of telephone that somehow resulted in a masterpiece.
Breaking down the first verse: The "O Lord my God" moment
The opening lines are iconic. "O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands have made." It’s basically a crash course in humility.
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Think about the scale of it.
Boberg (and later Hine) wasn't just looking at a pretty garden. He was looking at the cosmos. When the lyrics mention seeing the stars and hearing the rolling thunder, they’re tapping into a primal human emotion: the "sublime." That's that specific feeling of being tiny in the face of something massive. It’s why people hike to the top of Everest or stare at Hubble telescope photos.
Honestly, the word "awesome" has been ruined by modern slang—we use it for a good sandwich or a cool pair of shoes. But in the context of these lyrics, it’s used in the old-school sense. Full of awe. Terrifyingly big.
Why the third verse is the most controversial (and beloved)
In the 1950s, when George Beverly Shea started singing this at Billy Graham’s crusades, the crowds went wild. But the third verse is where the song shifts from "nature is pretty" to "here is the core of the Christian faith."
"And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing; Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in."
That phrase "scarce can take it in" is vital. It acknowledges that the concept of grace is actually kind of nonsensical to the human brain. Why would a creator care about the "tiny creatures" mentioned in the earlier drafts? The lyrics move from the macro (stars, thunder, the universe) to the micro (the human heart and personal sin).
It’s a jarring transition, but that’s why it works.
If you look at the different translations, the Russian influence is strongest here. Prokhanov, the Russian translator, lived through incredible persecution. His version of the lyrics wasn't just about abstract theology; it was about survival. When you're facing real hardship, a god who "bears the burden" is a lot more relevant than a god who just makes nice sunsets.
The Elvis Effect
You can't talk about the words to the song How Great Thou Art without mentioning Elvis Presley.
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In 1967, Elvis recorded the song as the title track for his second gospel album. He was struggling. His career was in a weird spot, and he was searching for something deeper. When he performed it, he didn't do it like a polite church hymn. He did it like an opera. He poured so much raw emotion into the "How great Thou art!" refrain that it actually won him a Grammy.
Actually, it was his first Grammy.
Think about that. The King of Rock and Roll had dozens of massive hits, but he won his first trophy for a hymn written by a Swedish poet in 1885. That tells you something about the staying power of these specific words. They transcend genre. Carrie Underwood, Whitney Houston, Pentatonix—everyone tries their hand at it because the lyrics provide a massive "climax" that singers love to belt out.
Variations you might not know
If you grew up in a traditional Baptist or Methodist church, you probably know the Stuart Hine version. But because it’s been translated so many times, there are weird little tweaks everywhere.
- The "Forest Glades" line: In the second verse, Hine mentions "forest glades" and "birds singing in the trees." In the original Swedish, Boberg was more specific about the sounds of the woods after a storm.
- The Russian Fourth Verse: Hine’s fourth verse is about the Second Coming and heaven. In some older Russian versions, there’s a much heavier emphasis on the end of suffering.
- Māori versions: In New Zealand, the song is often sung as "Whakaaria Mai." The lyrics are slightly different to reflect Māori spirituality, but the core "how great" sentiment remains identical.
It’s basically a living document. People keep changing it to fit their own culture, yet the "spine" of the song never breaks.
Why it's still relevant in 2026
We live in a world that is incredibly noisy. We're constantly staring at screens that are 6 inches from our faces. Everything is fast, everything is digital, and everything feels kind of disposable.
The words to the song How Great Thou Art force you to look up.
Whether you're religious or not, there’s something psychologically grounding about the lyrics. They remind us that there is a world outside of our own heads. The "rolling thunder" and the "lofty mountain grandeur" mentioned in the song are reminders that the earth is old, powerful, and vastly beyond our control.
Psychologists actually talk about the benefits of "awe." It makes people more generous. it makes us feel more connected to others. It lowers stress. This song is essentially a three-minute exercise in practicing awe.
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Common misconceptions about the lyrics
One big mistake people make is thinking the song is centuries old, like "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." It’s not. It’s relatively young in the world of hymnody.
Another misconception is that the tune is a formal classical composition. Nope. It’s a folk tune. That’s why it’s so easy to sing. It wasn't written for a cathedral; it was written for people walking through the woods and sitting in small village chapels.
Also, a lot of people think the lyrics are about how "great" humans are because we can appreciate nature. It’s actually the opposite. The lyrics are a total surrender. They’re about being overwhelmed by something much bigger than yourself.
How to use the lyrics today
If you’re looking to dive deeper into these words, don’t just read them off a screen. Listen to three different versions back-to-back. Listen to the original Swedish version if you can find it. Listen to a heavy-hitting southern gospel version.
Then, try this:
- Read the second verse outdoors. Seriously. Go to a park or a backyard. Read the lines about the "birds sing sweetly in the trees" while you're actually looking at one. It changes the perspective.
- Look for the "hymn behind the hymn." Check out Stuart Hine’s original notes if you’re a history nerd. He was a fascinatng guy who spent his life smuggling Bibles and helping refugees. Knowing his background makes the "my burden gladly bearing" line hit way harder.
- Check out the sheet music. If you play an instrument, look at how the melody climbs. The music literally rises on the word "great." It’s a clever bit of songwriting that makes the singer feel the expansion the lyrics are talking about.
At the end of the day, the words to the song How Great Thou Art survive because they tap into a universal truth: we all want to feel like we belong to something magnificent. We all want to look at a storm or a mountain and feel like there’s a reason behind it.
The song doesn't just give you words; it gives you a way to breathe.
To really appreciate the depth here, go find the 1957 live recording from Madison Square Garden. George Beverly Shea sings it, and the room goes completely silent. In a city that never stops moving, those lyrics managed to make thousands of people stop and just... look up. That’s the real legacy of Boberg’s lightning storm. It’s not just a song; it’s a reminder to stay small and keep your eyes open.
Next Steps for Deeper Insight:
- Compare the Stuart Hine translation to the literal Swedish-to-English translation of "O Store Gud" to see how the imagery shifted from a coastal storm to a mountain range.
- Trace the musical structure of the refrain to understand why the "octave jump" on the word "great" triggers a physical emotional response in listeners.
- Research the specific history of the "Carpathian" influence on the third verse to see how the political climate of the 1930s Eastern Europe shaped the English lyrics we sing today.