HOW GREAT THOU ART

"How Great Thou Art" was originally written as the Swedish poem "O Store Gud" in 1885 by Carl Boberg. It was first translated into english by E. Gustav Johnson in 1925. In 1949 missionary Stuart K. Hine loosely translated Bobergs poem into english and added the 3rd verse and melody known today.

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Here are the lyrics from the original E. Gustav Johnson english translation:

 

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O mighty God, when I behold the wonder
Of nature’s beauty, wrought by words of Thine,
And how Thou leadest all from realms up yonder,
Sustaining earthly life in love benign,

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Refrain
With rapture filled, my soul Thy name would laud,
O mighty God! O mighty God!
With rapture filled, my soul Thy name would laud,
O mighty God! O mighty God!

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When I behold the heavens in their vastness,
Where golden ships in azure issue forth,
Where sun and moon keep watch upon the fastness
Of changing seasons and of time on earth,

 

Refrain

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When I behold His Son to earth descending,
To help and heal and teach distressed mankind;
When evil flees and death in fear is bending
Before the glory of the Lord divine,

 

Refrain

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When, crushed by guilt of sin, before Him kneeling
I plead for mercy and for grace and peace,
I feel His balm and, all my bruises healing,
He saves my soul and sets my heart at ease.

 

Refrain

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When finally the mists of time have vanished,
And I in truth my faith confirmed shall see,
Upon the shores where earthly ills are banished,
I enter, Lord, to dwell in peace with Thee.

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The version most used today was written by Stuart K. Hine and is still under Copyright.

 

Chords can be found HERE

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