At 7 a.m. this morning a tall female runner whizzed past me with music blaring from the iPhone on her hip. What is appropriate early morning music you ask? March music perhaps? More likely rap, pop or rock. What I heard was none of these. It was a very pleasant surprise — “How Great Thou Art,” a Christian hymn.
According to Wikipedia, "How Great Thou Art" is a Christian hymn based on a Swedish traditional melody and a poem written by Carl Boberg in Mönsterås, Sweden, in 1885. It was translated into German and then into Russian. It was translated into English from the Russian by English missionary Stuart K. Hine, who also added two original verses of his own. It was popularized by George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows during the Billy Graham crusades. It was voted the United Kingdom's favorite hymn by BBC's Songs of Praise. "How Great Thou Art" was ranked second — after "Amazing Grace" — on a list of the favorite hymns of all time in a survey by Christianity Today magazine in 2001.
Boberg wrote the poem "O Store Gud" (O Great God) in 1885 with nine verses. According to J. Irving Erickson:
Carl Boberg and some friends were returning home to Mönsterås from Kronobäck, where they had participated in an afternoon service. Presently a thundercloud appeared on the horizon, and soon lightning flashed across the sky. Strong winds swept over the meadows and billowing fields of grain. The thunder pealed in loud claps. Then rain came in cool fresh showers. In a little while the storm was over, and a rainbow appeared. When Boberg arrived home, he opened the window and saw the bay of Mönsterås like a mirror before him… From the woods on the other side of the bay, he heard the song of a thrush… the church bells were tolling in the quiet evening. It was this series of sights, sounds, and experiences that inspired the writing of the song.
According to Boberg's great-nephew, Bud Boberg, "My dad's story of its origin was that it was a paraphrase of Psalm 8 and was used in the 'underground church' in Sweden in the late 1800s when the Baptists and Mission Friends were persecuted."
The author, Carl Boberg himself gave the following information about the inspiration behind his poem:
It was that time of year when everything seemed to be in its richest coloring; the birds were singing in trees and everywhere. It was very warm; a thunderstorm appeared on the horizon and soon there was thunder and lightning. We had to hurry to shelter. But the storm was soon over, and the clear sky appeared. When I came home, I opened my window toward the sea. There evidently had been a funeral, and the bells were playing the tune of "When eternity's clock calls my saved soul to its Sabbath rest." That evening, I wrote the song "O Store Gud."
In the 1950s Billy Graham Crusades, the song didn't really catch on until Madison Square Garden in 1957. According to Cliff Barrows, Dr. Graham's longtime associate, they sang it one hundred times during that campaign because the people wouldn't let them stop. Evangelist Billy Graham said: “The reason I like 'How Great Thou Art' is because it glorifies God. It turns Christian’s eyes toward God, rather than upon themselves. I use it as often as possible because it is such a God-honoring song.”
There have been over 1,700 documented recordings of "How Great Thou Art." It has been used on major television programs, in major motion pictures and has been named as the favorite gospel song of at least three United States’ presidents. Among notable renditions of "How Great Thou Art" are recordings by the Blackwood Brothers Quartet, Dixie Carter, Tammy Wynette, Charlie Daniels, Tennessee Ernie Ford, (backed by the Jordanaires), Burl Ives, Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton, Martina McBride, Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Roy Rogers, George Beverly Shea, Carrie Underwood and Connie Smith. Mahalia Jackson performed “How Great Thou Art” in Hamburg in 1961. A rendition by the Statler Brothers, from their album Holy Bible New Testament, peaked at No. 39 on the Hot Country Songs charts in 1976.
This hymn was the title track of Elvis Presley's second gospel LP How Great Thou Art which was released in March 1967. The song won Presley a Grammy Award for "Best Sacred Performance" in 1967 and another Grammy in 1974 for "Best Inspirational Performance (Non-Classical)" for his live performance album "Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis" recorded on 20 March 1974 at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee.
Amy Grant recorded it as part of a medley "What a Friend We Have in Jesus/Old Rugged Cross/How Great Thou Art" for her 2002 studio album Legacy... Hymns and Faith and later included it on her 2015 compilation album Be Still and Know... Hymns & Faith.
On April 4, 2011, Carrie Underwood performed this song on “ACM Presents: Girls Night Out.” Carrie sang together with Vince Gill and received a standing ovation. It was televised on CBS on April 22, 2011, and shortly after the show had ended, her version of “How Great Thou Art” single reached the No. 1 spot in iTunes Top Gospel Songs and Top 40 in iTunes All-Genre Songs. It debuted at the No. 2 position on Billboard Christian Digital songs chart and No. 35 on the Country Digital Songs chart. As of December 2014, it has sold 599,000 digital copies in the USA. Underwood's version — featuring Gill — is included on her 2014 compilation album Greatest Hits: Decade No. 1.
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