The Wednesday Word Devotional – “How Great Thou Art”
by Julie Hart, Director of Connectional Ministries

I will lift you up high, my God, the true king.
I will bless your name forever and always.
I will bless you every day.
I will praise your name forever and always.
The Lord is great and so worthy of praise!
God’s greatness can’t be grasped.
Psalm 145:1-3

On Sunday morning, the choir led the congregation in singing ‘How Great Thou Art’ as the closing song of worship. That song has always moved me, even when I was too young to understand the lyrics. I was curious about the roots of the song so I did some research and discovered that it is a song that comes from the same place that many of my ancestors do — Sweden. It was actually a poem written by a man by the name of Carl Moberg after an intense thunderstorm on his way home from church back in 1885.

As the story goes, Moberg had to seek shelter from the storm with his friends. Thunder clapped , lightning struck, and wind blew … and then the sun came up and a rainbow appeared in the sky and he headed for home.

Once home, he opened his window and heard the sound of the church bells in the distance, which inspired his poem ‘O Store Gud’ (O Great God). Moberg’s poem was later sung to a Swedish folk song and translated into both German and Russian.

But here’s where the cool part comes in. Not only does this song come from a place of my family roots, it comes from a place of our Methodist roots. It turns out that the original song was added to by a man named Stuart K. Hine, who was a British Methodist missionary. It was while serving a mission in Ukraine that he first heard it and was inspired to add verses to the original song. He continued to add to it while in Poland. Eventually, a song that began in Sweden in 1885 was finished in Britain 64 years later in 1949. A song that we still sing today.

While the verses written by two different writers are influenced by experiences in different countries during different times, I think we can all relate to these words. I think that no matter what language it is sung in, these words speak to a deep place within our souls — a place that recognizes that all that all that we are and all that we have is because of the greatness of our God.

As you devote time to spend with God today, why not read the lyrics to this song as a time of prayer and praise. I invite you to pause at the end of each verse and consider what these words mean to you in your own faith journey. Consider the wonders of the universe that you have witnessed; consider the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for you; consider the day when you are welcomed into God’s kingdom when your time on earth is through. As you stop to consider these things, give thanks to the God who created you, dwells within you, and waits to welcome you home again one day.

And then..

In whatever native tongue you speak, shout out:

How great thou art
Hur storslagen du äro
Jak wielki jesteś
Какой ты великий
당신은 얼마나 위대한 사람입니까?
Nani kou nui
כמה אתה גדול

Lyrics to How Great Thou Art

Oh 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

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 then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art

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
How great Thou art, how great Thou art