Read It:
Carl Boberg- “How Great Thou Art” Psalm 8 & Psalm 104
Live It:
In 1886, a Swedish minister named Carl Boberg was watching a storm on the coastline. The visuals of this storm moving over the coastline inspired a poem that began with the words, “O Store Gud,” which is Swedish for “Oh Mighty God.” He set the poem to an old Swedish melody. It was translated to German, then to Russian, then to English.
We know the English version today, which was written by Stuart K. Hine who added the following line:
“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”
This line was inspired by the time he spent with European refugees during World War II. These refugees arrived in Britain and were separated from their families. They didn’t know when they’d see their families again. It’s a verse full of hope, a verse that looks to the future. Our scriptures today also fill us with hope and remind us that our future is secure because God will take care of us.
Pastor James