這首詩的原作者是一位年輕的瑞典牧師包博（Carl Boberg, 1859-1940），詩的原名是“O Store Gud”。 包博的父親是船塢的木匠。 包博曾在他的家鄉牧會並編輯基督徒週報，他在瑞典的國會，任上議員達十二年之久。
1880年夏，有一天包博郊遊時，突遇雷雨，不及躲避。 一時雷聲隆隆，電光閃閃，暴雨傾盆而下。 然而瞬間雨霽天晴，陽光普照，大地甦醒，清澈寧靜，花草上滿綴著晶瑩水珠，枝頭小鳥飛回輕唱。 他震驚於宇宙主宰創造的偉大和奇妙，屈膝讚美 神的大能，他的心靈如沐而更新，於是寫下了九段詩章；隨著雨後的彩虹，踏上歸途。 回家後他將詩分成二節，配上瑞典古老民謠的曲調。 其後他在講道時，與信徒分享這一段經歷和詩歌，一時大受歡迎。 1886年這首詩經付印後，傳詠瑞典全國各教會。 1907年被譯成德文。
1927年，有一位俄人將這首聖詩自德文譯成俄文。 同年有一位英國衛理公會的宣教士韓恩（Stuart K.Hine, 1899-1989）到烏克蘭傳道，聽到這首歌後，十分喜歡，經常在傳福音時，與妻子合唱此聖詩。 數年後他返國，遍走歐洲各國傳道，當他在捷克一個小山莊工作時，就把它譯成英文，但並未付印。 二次世界大戰後，韓恩在英國居住了十年。 1948年，他去探望一個難民營，那裡有數百名反對蘇聯共產主義的流亡俄人，他帶領了多人信主，他們雖在寄居之地有較多的自由與安全，但內心無時不在思念「何日才能歸故鄉？」有感於這些難民的情操，他寫下了第三節，頌揚主再來時的喜樂，而交給一個小出版商付印。
1954年葛理翰佈道大會時，有人遞給謝伯偉（George Beverly Shea）這首聖詩。 翌年他在加拿大多倫多佈道大會時，由數百人聯合的詩班，將這首聖詩唱得氣勢磅礡，接著又在倫敦的佈道大會選唱。 不久它就流傳全球，成為佈道會最有效的工具。 1974年基督教論壇報稱「祢真偉大」和「奇異恩典」是現代最熱門的二首聖詩。
Elvis gospel album His Hand in Mine had been a solid catalog seller for RCA. While Presley faced difficulty getting radio airplay in the mid-1960s, during that decade radio stations played Christmas music at Christmas-time and religious music at Easter, and the Colonel was convinced Presley could break through in these niche markets. So, recording sessions were arranged with the purpose of producing a Christmas single and a follow-up LP to His Hand in Mine.
How Great Thou Art would in fact be Presley’s first non-soundtrack album recording of new material since Pot Luck with Elvis in 1962, and his first album release not to include any soundtrack recordings since the previous gospel album in 1960. It also introduced producer Felton Jarvis to Presley on the singer’s second non-soundtrack sessions since May 1963. Jarvis would continue to work with Presley for the remainder of his career.
As the sessions progressed, Elvis rejected many of the planned songs for which Freddy Bienstock had obtained publishing deals, and began picking favorites of his own and those of the musicians. The five songs in the public domain were credited as “arranged by Elvis Presley” and published by Elvis Presley Music allowing Bienstock to secure the royalties for those selections. In fact, it is likely that an engaged and enthusiastic Presley indeed did the arrangements, as he certainly did with the title song, his months of practice at home on his beloved gospel songs paying off.
By Elvis Presley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wDJjpAr5kI
Lyrics
| 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. 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 see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze. 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 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. 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 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 then 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! |
主阿，我神！ 我每逢舉目觀看， 祢手所造一切奇妙大工， 看見星宿，又聽到隆隆雷聲， 祢的大能遍滿了宇宙中。
當我想到，神竟願差祂兒子， 降世捨命，我幾乎不領會； 主在十架，甘願背我的重擔， 流血捨身，為要赦免我罪。 當主再來，歡呼聲響徹天空， 何等喜樂，主接我回天家； 我要跪下，謙恭的崇拜敬奉， 並要頌揚，神阿，祢真偉大。 副歌 我靈歌唱，讚美救主我神， 祢真偉大！何等偉大！ 我靈歌唱，讚美救主我神， 祢真偉大！何等偉大！ |