5 Timeless Truths “How Great Thou Art” Reveals about God
- Whitney Hopler Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
- Published Jul 24, 2024
The hymn “How Great Thou Art” is a timeless worship song, cherished by generations of believers for its inspiring description of God’s greatness. Its verses resonate deeply in our souls, leading us into moments of awe as we contemplate the wonder of who God is and how God works in our world. “How Great Thou Art” is a classic hymn that remains popular today because it invites us to marvel in fresh ways at our Creator’s beautifully designed creation and his wonderful presence in our lives. Each verse of this song serves as a gateway to understanding God more deeply and celebrating our great God in worship. When we sing the beloved hymn “How Great Thou Art,” we can grow closer to our great God.
The hymn originated as a poem written by Swedish pastor Carl Boberg in 1885. Boberg was inspired to write the poem after experiencing a wondrous sight in nature: a sudden thunderstorm followed by a clear, beautiful view over a bay. The poem was set to music in Sweden, and the song later went through various translations. In the 20th century, British missionary Stuart Hine translated the hymn into English and expanded it with additional verses. Hine’s version of “How Great Thou Art” became popular around the world after George Beverly Shea sang it during Billy Graham’s evangelistic crusades in the 1950s.
Here are five truths “How Great Thou Art” reveals about God.
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1. God’s glory in creation.
Slide 1 of 5The opening lines of “How Great Thou Art” exclaim: “O Lord my God,/when I in awesome wonder,/consider all the worlds thy hands have made./I see the stars/I hear the rolling thunder,/Thy power throughout the universe displayed.” This echoes Psalm 19:1, which declares: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” It also evokes the imagery in Psalm 29:3-4: “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.”
As we enjoy God’s creation – from the sparkling stars to the powerful thunder – we can’t help but marvel at the wondrous beauty of its precise design and power. Nature itself is evidence of God’s glory and creativity. Romans 1:20 points out: “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Psalm 104:24 celebrates God’s creative power: “How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” Job 9:10 says about God: “He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”
Throughout the entire song, “How Great Thou Art” emphasizes the importance of noticing the wonder of God’s work around us. Every single part of God’s creation shows us something valuable about God that can inspire us with awe. Singing “How Great Thou Art” can motivate us to spend time in nature as often as possible, experiencing environments that help us discover God’s greatness.
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2. God’s holiness and righteousness.
Slide 2 of 5Another profound truth “How Great Thou Art” reveals about God is his perfect holiness and righteousness. The awe expressed in the hymn’s refrain, “Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,/How great Thou art, How great Thou art!” reminds us of the vision of God’s holiness the Bible describes in Isaiah 6:3, where the seraphim angels call to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” God’s holiness means that he is absolutely uncorrupted by sin and completely morally pure.
As Psalm 145:17 says: “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.” The hymn’s refrain captures the reverent awe we feel when we think about God’s great holiness and righteousness. In 2 Corinthians 5:21, we see that God’s holiness and righteousness are accessible to us through relationships with Jesus: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” This profound truth should inspire us to praise God like the hymn’s refrain does. It should also motivate us to live lives that reflect God’s character by growing to be more holy ourselves.
Ephesians 4:24 encourages us to: “… put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” The refrain of “How Great Thou Art” calls us to a deeper reverence for God’s majesty. It highlights a grateful response to God’s perfect nature and inspires us to make that response our own.
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3. God’s constant presence with us.
Slide 3 of 5“How Great Thou Art” reflects on God’s constant presence with us as it describes experiencing the extraordinary presence of God during ordinary moments like walking in nature: “When through 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 see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.”
In Psalm 23:4, King David also uses the imagery of walking to describe the power of God’s constant presence: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Throughout the Bible, God promises us to be present with us. In Exodus 33:14, God assures Moses, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” In Matthew 28:20, Jesus promises his disciples: “…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” God’s presence is a tangible reality we can experience regularly through prayer, meditation, and other spiritual practices. In fact, if we have saving relationships with Jesus, God’s Holy Spirit comes to live right inside our souls, as 1 Corinthians 3:16 points out: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”
Psalm 139 beautifully describes God’s presence with us everywhere, pointing out in verses 7-10: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” In its refrain, “How Great Thou Art” encourages us to notice God’s loving presence with us wherever we go.
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4. God’s plan to save us.
Slide 4 of 5One of the most moving verses in “How Great Thou Art” declares: “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.” This verse reminds us of what is perhaps the most famous Bible verse of all, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
The hymn’s reflection on God’s profound love for us through Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice invites us to feel awe at God’s wondrous plan to save our souls from sin and death. Jesus’ death on the cross made it possible for humanity to connect with God again, as 2 Corinthians 5:17-18: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” In Ephesians 1:7-8, The Bible highlights the enormous generosity of God’s grace through his plan to save us: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us…”.
Isaiah 53:5 prophesies about Jesus’ healing work for us on the cross: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Jesus offers forgiveness from sins to all who place their faith in him, fulfilling God’s plan to save us. Singing “How Great Thou Art” can help us focus on the greatest gift of all that God has given us through Jesus, the world’s Savior. Just like the song says, we “scarce can take it in,” but it’s still important to remember it on a regular basis.
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5. God’s promise of eternal life.
Slide 5 of 5“How Great Thou Art” concludes with a triumphant declaration of hope: “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 then proclaim: ‘My God, how great Thou art!’” This evokes the promise of Revelation 21:4, which envisions our future joy in heaven, saying about God: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Jesus describes our eternal life with him when he says in John 14:2-3: “My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” Titus 1:2 assures us that we have “…the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.” When we sing the song “How Great Thou Art,” we joyfully celebrate the reality of this hope. “How Great Thou Art” reminds us that our great God has prepared great joy for us to experience in heaven with him for eternity.
In conclusion, “How Great Thou Art” is a powerful worship hymn that declares and celebrates God’s greatness. It invites us to explore the wonders of God’s glory displayed in creation, God’s perfect holiness and righteousness, God’s constant presence with us, God’s loving plan to save us, and God’s promise of eternal life for all who choose relationships with him. As we sing “How Great Thou Art,” we can perceive more of God’s awe-inspiring greatness and worship him with gratitude.
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