Easter music
According to the book 101 Hymn Stories, from which you can read an excerpt online, a Swedish preacher named Carl Boberg wrote a poem titled O Sotre Gud in 1886. From the Hymn Stories site:
"His inspiration for this text is said to have come from a visit to a beautiful country estate on the southeast coast of Sweden. He was suddenly caught in a midday thunderstorm with awe-inspiring moments of flashing violence, followed by a clear brilliant sun. Soon afterwards he heard the calm, sweet songs of the birds in nearby trees. The experience prompted the pastor to fall to his knees in humble adoration of his mighty God. He penned his exaltation in a nine-stanza poem beginning with the Swedish words O Store Gud, nar jag den varld beskader."
Those words, translated as literally as possible while maintaining a semblance of verbal rhythm, mean Oh mighty God, when I behold the wonder. Boberg presumably published the poem in a periodical that he edited. Years later, he heard his poem being sung to the tune of a traditional Swedish song. The song was later translated into German, then into Russian.
Two English missionaries learned the Russian version while working in the Ukraine. They saw the song affect believers and non-believers alike in powerful ways. Their later travels in the majestic mountains of Sub-Carpathian Russia made them want to share their experiences and the song with their English-speaking friends and congregations, so they wrote new English words inspired by the song and by their awe of God's handiwork. While not a literal translation, it expressed the same deep reverence for God's power and the grandeur of His creation.
They wrote two verses dealing mainly with nature and one verse of praise for His gift of salvation. After the second world war, a fourth verse was added to express hope for eternity. Two words in the modern version of the hymn were changed at some point: works changed to worlds and mighty became rolling. Now it is one of the great hymns of faith, praise, devotion, and adoration. I struggle to sing it without crying. For me, it was the centerpiece of the music in my church's Easter service yesterday.
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,
CHORUS:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
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 hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze;
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;
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 there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
And now you know…the rest of the story.………good day!
