Chapter 5
2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the publication of “How Great Thou Art,” and to celebrate the hymn’s legacy, songwriters Matt Redman and Mitch Wong contributed a new verse in a collaborative recording. CT
The original poem, written in 1885 by Carl Boberg, was set to a traditional folk tune and published in the Swedish Missionary Alliance hymnbook as well as a US Swedish hymnbook called Sionsharpen. Subsequent translations preserve Boberg’s focus on God’s power displayed in creation and human wonder.
The version we know and sing now came from British missionary Stuart Hine, who learned the Russian version while ministering in western Ukraine in the 1930s and eventually created his own translation in English. He wrote the fourth verse (“When Christ shall come …”) in 1948, moved by his encounters with some of the Ukrainian refugees flooding into England in the aftermath of World War II.
How Great Thou Art” is an example of a hymn that invites a response of praise—like inhaling and exhaling. It’s a striking “music and mission collide” …. with a forward-looking tone…
Until that day
When heaven bids us welcome,
And as we walk this broken warring world,
Your kingdom come,
Deliver us from evil,
And we’ll proclaim our God how great You are!
Since you know how much I like paraphrased versions of Bible verses, it was interesting what the great-nephew of Boberg writes. “My dad’s story of its origin was that it was a paraphrase of Psalm 8”.
Charles Spurgeon calls this psalm “the song of the Astronomer”, as gazing at the heavens inspires the psalmist to meditate on God’s creation and man’s place in it.
In the insightful narrative of the Midrash Tehillim, sharing from the verses 5 through 10 of Psalms in Hebrew, as a profound dialogue unfolds. The celestial beings inquire of the Almighty during the divine act of world creation, focusing on the esteemed figures among the righteous men of Israel.
The angels query, “What is man that You are mindful of him?”—a reference to the patriarch Abraham. They continue, “And the son of man that You remember him?”—alluding to Abraham’s son, Isaac, born through God’s remembrance of Sarah. The narrative progresses, “Yet You made him less only than God,” signifying Jacob, who demonstrated remarkable prowess in breeding flocks.
The angels observe, “And have crowned him with glory and honour,” spotlighting Moses, whose countenance radiated divine brilliance. “You give him dominion over the work of Your hands,” resonates with Joshua, who commanded the sun and moon to stand still. “You put all things beneath his feet,” reflects the triumphs of David, whose enemies fell prostrate before him (II Samuel 22:43).
The celestial discourse extends to encompass Solomon, noted for his understanding of the language of beasts, symbolized by “Sheep and oxen, all of them” (I Kings 5:13). The angels then evoke “the beasts of the field,” attributed to either Samson or Daniel. “The birds of the sky” are linked to Elijah, who traverses the world with bird-like agility and is nourished by ravens.
The dialogue deepens with “and the fish of the seas,” referencing Jonah’s dwelling in the belly of a fish. The angels acknowledge, “He traverses the ways of the seas,” symbolizing the miraculous journey of the Israelites through the parted sea on dry land.
The heavenly conversation concludes with a reverent acknowledgment: ‘O Lord, our Lord, how magnificent is Your name throughout the earth.’ The angels confirm, ‘Do as You please; Your glory is to dwell among Your people and Your children.’ In this harmonious exchange, the angels celebrate the divine connection with humanity and express awe for the splendor that fills the entire earth.
Somewhat further afield, did you see Coldplay play at the Citadel in Amman, Jordan? It was amazing. In their performance of ‘Arabesque’, a poignant lyric resonates, “Music is the weapon of the future”. This has remarkable resonance in the context of our current conflict-ridden times. In the midst of war, the assertion that music serves as a potent weapon takes on a profound meaning.
Songs endure, unlike conventional weapons, which are quickly used and exhausted. Transcending the ephemeral nature of conflict, these songs endure, outlasting any weapon and the passage of time itself. In this lyrical assertion, a real, tangible force, both in the present moment and for generations to come.
There is a song that sends out a message and there is a song that answers just the one question that you may be asking. This is where this song resonates in both ways.
“Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.”
Until that day … How great Thou art!
Wishing you a good start to this new week
Philemon