How Great Thou Art (AOV 1/94)

I’m not exactly sure why I despise this song. I recall at Sunday school singing it off a large book with sickly sweet pictures on it, but that’s not a good enough reason.  You can read the background of the song and its author here. Perhaps it was better in the original Swedish, who knows.

This gooey country version goes all out schaltz, but I think Elvis tops it. Hillsong do it here and Newsong here – slightly better. There are more versions of this on Youtube than I care to watch ( Susan Boyle anyone) but I am almost convinced by Johnny Cash, whose voice almost redeems it. Willy Nelson’s version is probably the best of all.

My backing is a bit country too, but unless Willy will sing it for me I think I’ll avoid it.

Stanza 1:

O Lord my God,

When I in awesome wonder

Consider all

The works Thy Hand hath made,

I see the stars,

I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy pow’r 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!

 

Stanza 2:

When through the woods

And forest glades I wander

I 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;

Refrain:

Stanza 3:

When Christ shall come,

With shouts 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!”

Refrain:

© Stuart K. Hine 1963.