Some songs don’t just get sung — they get felt. How Great Thou Art is one of those rare hymns that stops people mid-breath — whether sitting in a Sunday pew, standing at a graveside, or driving alone and needing to remember that something far greater than themselves is watching over the universe.
First written as a Swedish poem in 1885, this timeless anthem has been recorded over 1,700 times, sung by Elvis Presley, Carrie Underwood, and Pentatonix, and named the favourite hymn of at least three U.S. Presidents.
Below you will find the complete How Great Thou Art lyrics — all four verses and the chorus — along with its full history, Bible references, and meaning.
How Great Thou Art Lyrics — Complete (All 4 Verses + Chorus)
Author: Carl Boberg (1885) | English Translation: Stuart K. Hine (1949) | Key: F Major | Tune: O Store Gud (Swedish Folk Melody)
| ★ Verse 1 O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder Consider all the works Thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed! |
| ♪ CHORUS 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! |
| ★ Verse 2 When thru 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 hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze, |
| ♪ CHORUS 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! |
| ★ 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! |
| ♪ CHORUS 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! |
| ★ 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 there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art! |
| ♪ FINAL CHORUS 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! |
Verse-by-Verse Meaning — What Each Line Really Says
This is not just a song to sing — it is a theology to feel. Each verse carries a distinct spiritual weight, moving from creation to redemption to the eternal promise of Christ’s return.
Verse 1 — God’s Power Revealed in Nature
“O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder…”
Carl Boberg wrote this verse after witnessing a violent thunderstorm roll over the coast of Sweden. Standing at his window afterward, looking out at a calm sea and hearing church bells, he was overwhelmed by the contrast — the raw fury of nature followed by perfect peace. The verse captures that moment of standing small before something infinite.
Bible connection: Psalm 19:1 — “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” This verse is a lyrical commentary on nature as God’s signature.
Verse 2 — Finding God in the Quiet
“When thru the woods and forest glades I wander…”
This verse was not part of Boberg’s original Swedish poem. It was written by Stuart K. Hine during his missionary years in the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine. While travelling through dense forests and mountain valleys, Hine heard birds singing and felt the breeze — and added this verse as his own encounter with the same God.
It is a reminder that God speaks not just through storms but through stillness — through birdsong, streams, and mountain wind.
Verse 3 — The Cross Changes Everything
“And when I think that God, His Son not sparing…”
This is the emotional core of the hymn. The phrase “I scarce can take it in” is one of the most honest expressions in all of worship music — not triumphant certainty, but stunned, grateful disbelief. That God would give up His Son for broken humanity is too large a truth to hold.
Bible connection: John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 — “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Verse 4 — The Hope of Christ’s Return
“When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation…”
The final verse looks forward — to the Second Coming of Christ. It is the only verse set in the future tense, deliberately. Hine wrote it in 1948 while ministering to Eastern European displaced persons in London. The hope of a homecoming was not abstract theology to these refugees — it was survival.
Bible connection: 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 — describing the return of Christ with a “shout” and the gathering of believers.
The Full History of How Great Thou Art — From Sweden to the World
Step 1: Carl Boberg Writes the Poem (1885, Sweden)
On a summer afternoon in Mönsterås, Sweden, a 26-year-old preacher named Carl Gustav Boberg was caught in a sudden violent thunderstorm on his walk home from church. The storm passed quickly, and when Boberg returned home and opened his window, he saw a rainbow arching over the bay and heard the distant sound of church bells. Moved to his core, he sat down and wrote a nine-stanza poem titled “O Store Gud” — O Great God.
The poem was first published in 1886 in the periodical Sanningsvittnet (Witness of Truth). A few years later, Boberg attended a church meeting and was astonished to hear his poem being sung — matched with a traditional Swedish folk melody by someone else entirely. The combination was perfect.
Step 2: The Russian Version Spreads East
The poem spread from Sweden into Germany and eventually into Russia, where it was translated and adapted. The Russian version — sung to the same Swedish melody — became deeply embedded in Eastern European evangelical communities throughout the early 20th century.
Step 3: Stuart K. Hine Creates the English Version (1939–1949)
British missionary Stuart Kenneth Hine and his wife were evangelizing in the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine in the 1930s when they first heard the Russian version of the hymn being sung. Hine was so moved that he began crafting his own English translation — not a word-for-word rendering, but a deeply personal reinterpretation.
He completed Verses 1 and 2 in the Carpathian Mountains. Verse 3 emerged from his village evangelism work. Verse 4 he wrote in 1948 in London, working among Slavic refugees who longed to “go home.” The hymn he finished was something entirely new — shaped by four countries, two world wars, and a lifetime of faith tested by witness.
Step 4: Billy Graham Makes It America’s Hymn (1954 Onwards)
When Hine sent his version to the United States, it was picked up by singer George Beverly Shea, who performed it at Billy Graham’s Crusades beginning in 1954. The effect was immediate and lasting. Crowds responded with overwhelming emotion. Graham later said it was one of the most requested hymns of his entire ministry.
Within a decade, it had been named the favourite hymn of multiple U.S. Presidents and published in virtually every major English-language hymnal.
Famous Recordings of How Great Thou Art
With over 1,700 documented recordings, this hymn has been interpreted across every genre of music. Here are the most searched and celebrated versions:
| Artist | Year | Why It Matters |
| Elvis Presley | 1967 | Won Elvis his first Grammy Award |
| Carrie Underwood | 2011 | Live ACM performance, most |
| Pentatonix ft. Jennifer Hudson | 2017 | Viral a cappella version |
| Hillsong UNITED ft. Lauren Daigle | 2014 | Contemporary worship audience |
| Alan Jackson | 2006 | Country gospel crossover |
| George Beverly Shea | 1954–2000s | Original popularizer at Billy Graham Crusades |
Bible Verses That Connect to How Great Thou Art
| Verse | Scripture Reference | Connection |
| Verse 1 | Psalm 19:1 | The heavens declare the glory of God |
| Verse 1 | Romans 1:20 | God’s power visible through creation |
| Verse 3 | John 3:16 | God sending His Son to die |
| Verse 3 | Romans 5:8 | Christ died for sinners — God’s love proven |
| Verse 3 | Isaiah 53:5 | He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows |
| Verse 4 | 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 | Christ’s return with a shout of acclamation |
| Verse 4 | Revelation 19:1–6 | Heavenly worship — the culminating “Hallelujah” |
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Frequently Asked Questions — How Great Thou Art
What are the lyrics to How Great Thou Art?
The hymn begins: “O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder / Consider all the works Thy hands have made…” The complete lyrics cover four verses and a repeated chorus — “Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee; How great Thou art, How great Thou art!” — all of which are printed in full above.
Who wrote How Great Thou Art?
The original poem “O Store Gud” (O Great God) was written by Swedish preacher Carl Boberg in 1885. The beloved English version was adapted and significantly expanded by British missionary Stuart K. Hine between 1939 and 1949.
What language was How Great Thou Art originally written in?
It was originally written in Swedish. It later spread to German and Russian before Stuart K. Hine created the English version we sing today.
Is How Great Thou Art a funeral hymn?
Yes, it is one of the most commonly chosen hymns at Christian funerals and memorial services worldwide. Verses 3 and 4 — about Christ’s sacrifice and His promised return to take believers home — make it especially comforting in times of grief.
