15Apr 08
How Great Thou Art!
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While visiting a beautiful county estate, Carl Boberg was suddenly caught in a sudden thunderstorm! The storm did not last long though. The awesome and violent lightning and thunder quickly ended, leaving a clear brilliant sunshine and the calm, sweet singing of the birds in the trees. Falling to his knees in awe and adoration of his Almighty God, this Swedish pastor in the year of 1886 wrote nine stanzas of praise to his Lord!
May these words bless you and cause you to think once again about the unfathomable greatness of God and His wonderful redeeming love for each one of us!
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder. Consider all the works Thy hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, Thy power through out the universe display.
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.
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 Savior God to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art!!
Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? (Job 38:25-27)
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? (Psalms 8:3-4)
O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens (Psalms 8:1)
By the way, the first picture of the phlox is definitely my favorite. I never knew how beautiful they really were until seeing the magnified image. Makes me realize that there are countless stunning intricacies of creation that I overlook every single day.
Wow Jennifer those pictures are sure beautiful. and that hymn “How great though art” is one of my favorite.
Even Solomon with all his wealth was not able to compete with the beauty of Gods simple flower. Gods creation far surpasses anything man can even contemplate and to realize that man is the crowning jewel of all that God created is quite humbling. May we not forget the awesome privilige and responsibility we have as His creation. Thankyou Jennifer for your encouragement. Dad
How relaxing just to sit back and enjoy these brilliant pictures of God’s creation. What an incredible God He is!
Thank you for that message and those pictures. Flowers should be considered carefully (Mt. 6:28-29) and you are right Josh, it’s amazing how much more of an impact they have when seen magnified. It’s the time of year to get pictures of flowers… while they last. I happened to go by our lilacs this morning and their aroma was about enough to knock you over. It is a small taste of an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation!
These beautiful and detailed shots. I really enjoyed this post. I’m also amazed at the detail I find when I take macro shots of flowers and look at them later – zooming to 100%. When I’m out shooting nature subjects I often think of the hymn “How Great Thou Art”.
Keep up the great photography!
Very inspiring pictures! Creation certainly declares the glory of God!
Thank you, Jenny, for the beautiful post! “How Great Thou Art” is one of my favorite hymns – it’s so majestic and it really stirs my spirit to worship our truly great God! As I re-read the hymn here on your blog, I once again got chills of adoration and amazement at His awesome power and love!
Also, do you happen to know the other six stanzas to the song? We typically only sing three of them and the chorus, but I’d love to find the others.
Amanda, thank you for dropping a note! It is always good to hear from a representative of the Neely Team! Here are all six verses (or stanzas) to ‘How Great Thou Art’ that we have been able to find:
Verse 1:
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
(Repeat Refrain.)
Verse 2:
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:
(Repeat Refrain.)
Verse 3:
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:
(Repeat Refrain.)
Verse 4:
When Christ shall come with shouts 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!
(Repeat Refrain.)
Verse 5:
When burdens press, and seem beyond endurance,
Bowed down with grief, to Him I lift my face;
And then in love He brings me sweet assurance:
‘My child! for thee sufficient is my grace’.
(Repeat Refrain.)
Verse 6:
O when I see ungrateful man defiling
This bounteous earth, God’s gifts so good and great;
In foolish pride, God’s holy Name reviling,
And yet, in grace, His wrath and judgment wait.
(Repeat Refrain.)