#SundaySounds: How Great Thou Art




"How Great Thou Art" is a Christian hymn based on a Swedish traditional melody and a poem written by Carl Boberg (1859–1940) in Mönsterås, Sweden, in 1885. It was translated into German and then into Russian.

The inspiration for the poem came when Boberg was walking home from church near Kronobäck, Sweden, and listening to church bells. A sudden storm got Boberg’s attention, and then just as suddenly as it had made its appearance, it subsided to a peaceful calm which Boberg observed over Mönsterås Bay.

Stuart K. Hine was a British Methodist missionary on a mission trip in Ukraine in 1931 when he heard the Russian translation of a German song inspired by Carl Boberg's poem "O Store Gud" (O Great God). Hine began to translate the song to English and added several verses. The third verse was inspired by the conversion of villagers in Russia who cried out to God loudly as the repented and realized God's love and mercy - "And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in."

Stuart Hine and his family left Ukraine as famine and World War Two began, and settled in Somerset, Britain where he continued to serve as a missionary to Polish refugees. The fourth verse of "How Great Thou Art" was inspired by displaced Russians who experienced great loss and looked forward to seeing their loved ones again in heaven - "When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation to take me home, what joy shall fill my heart."

The final English version of "How Great Thou Art" was published in 1949 and quickly spread among Britain, Africa, India and America.




“How Great Thou Art”

   
[Verse 1]
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

[Refrain]
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!

[Verse 2]
When through 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 see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze

[Refrain]
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!

[Verse 3]
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

[Refrain]
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!

[Verse 4]
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 then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

[Refrain]
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!






I am always open to suggestions for songs to be used, as well as other suggestions you might have for the blog. If you would rather not share that info in the comments, you may email your suggestions.











Comments

  1. Thanks for the history of this great hymn, Mary! I hope you have a great Sabbath day. Miss you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. MMQE ~

    A very nice version of a genuine classic in Spiritual Hymns.

    How are you doing these days?
    You are still in my prayers every single day.

    FYI: A neighbor and new friend of mine, Robbie, recently underwent surgery for skin cancer on his chest. They got it all. But within 3 or 4 weeks, it was already reemerging.

    I got him onto the apricot seeds, and he was taking 5 a day, without any improvement. I suggested he begin eating 6 seeds, twice a day (to keep that B-17 in his system 24 hours per day). So, that's the amount he switched to, and within 3 days, the skin cancer had shrunk by about 95%.

    I saw him again about a week after that, and I could scarcely even see where the skin cancer had been!

    Dr. Stephen T. McCarthy prescribes eight (8) to twelve (12) seeds to you, to be eaten twice a day (with a spoonful of sugar . . . or peanut butter, if the bitterness of the seeds is too unpleasant for ya).

    Lemme know how that works, please.

    ~ D-FensDogG
    STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey there Stephen! It seems that the cancer is the least of my worries these days. The lymphedema in my right leg sprung a leak while I was under the care of my wound care Dr. He got me fixed up quickly and hooked me up with some leg pumps. And then I developed a sore on the top of my foot, and another on my ankle. The cultures came back as MRSA. Have been doing daily IV infusions this past week. Along with daily wound care. I find out today if I need to continue the infusions. They cost $1000 a day. Thankfully Medicaid pays that, not me. Am hoping to go home tomorrow as I have been hanging out with my cousin this past week. I haven't had access to my computer and I am running out of prewritten posts!. Also tomorrow is my birthday. 55. Am hoping to get to celebrate that with the cute one.

      Thanks for keeping me in your prayers. Those work better than the nasty seeds. At least in my case...

      Delete

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