Come with me on a journey through time and space and watch God spin a miracle, crossing more than ten countries and spanning more than seventy years.
First, Sweden, 1885: Pastor and poet Carl Boberg watches a storm roll across the countryside—loud and blustery with pelting rain. For all its fury however, the maelstrom soon moves on and leaves behind a sparkling landscape, arched by a glowing rainbow.
Boberg is inspired to write and composes a nine-verse poem, “O Great God,” celebrating the beauty of God’s creation.
In 1891 he hears his poem being sung, set to a traditional Swedish melody. He publishes his poem and the tune together. However, the popularity of “O Great God” quickly subsides.
Second, Estonia, 1907: Manfred von Glehn becomes acquainted with Boberg’s hymn and translates the lyrics into German. . .
. . . and third, in 1925, E. Gustav Johnson brings the hymn to America and translates it to English, titling it “O Mighty God.”
In Russia, 1927, Ivan Prokhanoff hears the hymn while imprisoned for his faith. He translates the lyrics into Russian and his rendition is published in Moscow.
Fifth, the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe, 1934: British missionary Stuart L. Hine bicycles from village to village, sharing his faith in Jesus and distributing Bibles to peasants who’ve never even seen one.
No doubt there were few paved roads through the Carpathian Mts. in the 1930s
Like Boberg, Hine also witnesses a fearsome storm and is reminded of a hymn he’s heard, the Russian form of “O Great God.” However, new lyrics begin to develop in his mind, and he writes an original stanza in English.
In Romania Hine marvels at the beauty and serenity of the woods, the warbles, trills, and whistling of the birds. He adds a second verse.
High up in the mountains he comes upon the village of Dmitri and Lyudmila who do own a Bible, left behind by a Russian soldier in 1915.
Just that year Lyudmila had learned to read, and as Hine arrives at their home, she’s just completed a read-aloud to other villagers. They’re discussing the wonder of God’s love, and Hine is prompted to write verse three.
By 1939, war threatens Europe again. Hine and his wife Mercy are forced to return home to England.
Nazi troops marching through Warsaw, Poland, September, 1939
Six years later they immerse themselves in ministering among the thousands of refugees. “Their stories of loss and hope inspire the fourth verse of the hymn, filled with the promise of eternal reunion” [1].
In 1949, Hine publishes his lyrics in a gospel magazine that’s sent to missionaries in fifteen countries across Europe and Asia.
India, 1954: British-American missionary J. Edwin Orr hears a choir singing Hine’s hymn. He experiences the power of the lyrics and tune.
Back in America, 1954, Orr begins sharing the song at conferences he leads on college campuses.
Children of actor/singer/song-writer Tim Spencer attend one of those colleges. Tim had been a well-known singing cowboy in the 1930s and ‘40s, appearing in numerous films.
(One cowboy trio, but no Tim!)
But in 1949 Tim had become a Christian. When his kids share with him this new, inspiring song, he also becomes an enthusiast.
In 1955 Spencer founds Manna Music Publishing and purchases the rights to Hine’s song. This same year, a friend of George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows introduces them to the newly-published hymn.
(Some of you will recognize those names. Shea was a featured soloist and Barrows was the music and program director for the Billy Graham Crusades.)
Toronto, Canada, 1955: Shea sings the hymn at one of the crusades and it rapidly gains popularity.
New York City, 1957: Shea and the crusade choir sing the song ninety-nine times during the sixteen weeks of meetings [2].
1959: It became the theme song for Billy Graham’s weekly radio program and continued to grow in popularity.
1978: The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers named the song “The All-Time Outstanding Gospel Song” in America [3].
It has been translated into more than fifty languages and recorded by dozens of artists.
To this day the hymn “How Great Thou Art” remains a beloved favorite of many, as the lyrics lift our hearts in worship:
[1] https://worshipleader.com/worship-culture/how-great-thou-art-75-years-later/
[2] https://billygraham.org.uk/p/summer-soul-refresher-how-great-thou-art/
[3] https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/fiftieth-anniversary-of-how-great-thou-art-in-the-united-states
Other Sources:
https://www2.cbn.com/article/not-selected/story-behind-how-great-thou-art
https://www.ibelieve.com/slideshows/10-incredible-facts-about-how-great-thou-art.html
Photo credits: http://www.garystockbridge617.getarchive.net; http://www.commons.wikimedia.org; http://www.picryl.com; http://www.rawpixel.com; http://www.boudewijnhuijgens.getarchive.net; http://www.rawpixel.com.
From the Inside Out 