How a Thunderstorm in Sweden Prompted the Writing of How Great Thou Art, One of Christianity's Greatest and Much-Loved Hymns

When the Hines arrived in the village, and approached Dmitri's house, they heard a strange and wonderful sound: Dmitri's wife was reading from the Gospel of John about the crucifixion of Christ to a houseful of guests, and those visitors were in the very act of repenting....

(Minnesota)—Michael Ireland, chief correspondent to ASSIST News Service, shares the origin of the great and well-loved hymn, How Great Thou Art.

The verses of the famous song did not come all at once, but through various circumstances and experiences, and the melody was apparently borrowed from an old Swedish folk tune.

Ireland tells of how the hymn began as a poem written by Swedish pastor, Carl Gustaf, after he was overwhelmed by God's power and presence revealed in a passing thunderstorm. The poem, titled, O Store Gud (O Mighty God), was published in a newspaper, and the text eventually was paired with the folk song, the original product being more of a waltz type of feel.

In that form, the popular song of praise underwent several translations and was included in various songbooks, before British missionary Stuart Hine and his wife Edith began using it in their services during the late 20's and early 30's.

According to Ireland, Hine worked on rewriting some of the verses, and including new ones. Once, the couple was traveling in the Ukraine, and sought out the home of a Christian named Dmitri....

When the Hines arrived in the village, and approached Dmitri's house, they heard a strange and wonderful sound: Dmitri's wife was reading from the Gospel of John about the crucifixion of Christ to a houseful of guests, and those visitors were in the very act of repenting. In Ukraine (as I know first hand!), this act of repenting is done very much out loud. So the Hines heard people calling out to God, saying how unbelievable it was that Christ would die for their own sins, and praising Him for His love and mercy. They just couldn't barge in and disrupt this obvious work of the Holy Spirit, so they stayed outside and listened. Stuart wrote down the phrases he heard the repenters use, and (even though this was all in Russian), it became the third verse that we know today: "And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in."

To read the inspiring story of this well-known hymn, in full, follow the link provided.