What Is the History of How Great Thou Art?

Art|Art History

What Is the History of How Great Thou Art?

The beloved hymn, “How Great Thou Art,” is one of the most widely-known traditional Christian hymns. It was originally written in Swedish by Carl Boberg in 1886 and was translated into English in 1925 by Stuart K. Hine.

The hymn first appeared in a Swedish periodical called Sanningsvittnet (“Witness of Truth”) in 1889 under the title “O Store Gud” (“O Great God”). The publication was associated with a Baptist congregation that Boberg attended, and it appears to have been written as a reaction to a storm he experienced during a walk near his home.

Boberg was inspired by what he experienced during this storm, and he wrote several stanzas expressing his awe of God’s power and majesty. The hymn soon became popular among the congregation and other churches throughout Sweden. Over the years, several Swedish composers created different melodies for it.

The English translation of “How Great Thou Art” was done by Stuart K. Hine in 1925 when he worked as a missionary in Ukraine for the British Methodist Church. He had heard the song sung by Russian Orthodox Church choirs when he visited Russia and decided to translate it into English for use in his own church services.

Hine changed some of Boberg’s words but kept true to its original meaning and message. His version quickly gained popularity among Christian congregations around the world and has since been translated into dozens of languages, including Spanish, German, French, Korean, Chinese and more.

The song has been recorded by many artists over the years; some notable recordings include those by Elvis Presley (1966), Carrie Underwood (2009), Reba McEntire (2010) and Alan Jackson (2014). In 2006, “How Great Thou Art” was named Song of the Century by members of the Gospel Music Association Hall Of Fame—a fitting recognition for such an iconic song that has inspired generations around the world with its message about God’s timeless greatness.

In conclusion, “How Great Thou Art” is one of Christianity’s most beloved hymns that has been around for over 130 years since its creation by Swedish poet Carl Boberg in 1886. It has since been translated into many languages and recorded by countless artists throughout history as a testament to its timeless message about God’s greatness that continues to inspire people today.