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"How Great Thou Art" & the 100-Year-Old Bass
The story of George Beverly Shea's signature tune.
George Beverly Shea turns 100 on Sunday, February 1. Ever since 1944, when 26-year-old Wheaton College student Billy Graham 
recruited him to sing on the radio program "Songs in the Night," Bev Shea has been the face and the voice most associated in the public mind with the famous evangelist.
The song most associated with Billy Graham is "Just As I Am," but Bev Shea's signature tune is clearly "How Great Thou Art." Even though nearly every gospel artist - from Elvis Presley to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir - has recorded it, it is Bev Shea's tune. Here's the story of that song.
George Beverly Shea's first contact with "How Great Thou Art" dates to 1954. But the song itself dates to 1885, when Swedish pastor Carl Gustav Boberg was caught in a thunderstorm.
It was a thunderstorm that, according to legend, struck fear into the heart of Martin Luther and extracted from him a vow to become a monk. Pastor Boberg, on the other hand, was filled with awe at the grandeur of the storm, the rainbow, and the brilliant light and bird songs that followed the storm.
Boberg sensed the power of God in that storm much the way the writer of Psalm 29 did: "The God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. ... The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning." The storm's majesty inspired Boberg (who later became editor of the Christian newspaper, Witness of the Truth, and a member of the Swedish parliament) to write a nine-stanza poem along the same lines. "I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, / Thy power throughout the universe displayed."
Boberg published the poem in 1886, then sold the rights to the Mission Covenant Church in Sweden. Two years later he visited a church in Varmland and was surprised to hear the congregation singing his words to an old Swedish folk tune. In 1891, Boberg published the poem again, this time with the tune in Witness of the Truth.
From Sweden to Nagaland
The hymn made its way to the English speaking world circuitously - via a German translation (Wie gross bist Du, 1907) and from German into Russian (1912). In 1922, that Russian version was published in America as part of a collection of Russian language hymns by the American Bible Society. The hymn reached American shores again in 1925, thanks to a Swede named E. Gustav Johnson who translated several verses of the Swedish original into English. At that time, however, the song just didn't catch on with American worshipers.
It was the Russian version that caught the attention of English missionary Stuart K. Hine who with his wife was evangelizing the Ukrainian countryside. Hine used the Russian hymn in his ministry there and developed an English version as well. The first two verses of Hine's English mirrored Boberg's awe at God's power in nature. To these he added a third verse devoted to the amazing love of God expressed in Christ's atoning death: "And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, / Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in."
The outbreak of World War II forced the Hines back to London, where they continued to evangelize among war refugees frightened by the German blitz. The promise of deliverance at Christ's Second Coming inspired Hine to add a fourth and final verse: "When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation ..."
In 1949, Hine published the hymn in a missionary magazine that went out to 15 countries. The song spread and reached America again in 1951when it was introduced by James Caldwell at the Stony Brook Bible Conference Center on Long Island. And in 1954, the future Fuller Seminary missiologist J. Edwin Orr heard it sung by Naga tribespeople in India.
The Graham Team
That was the same year that George Beverly Shea bumped into his friend George Gray on Oxford Street in London. Gray gave him a copy of "How Great Thou Art" that he just happened to have in his briefcase. In this 1982 video produced by World Wide Pictures, Shea recalls that meeting and the way the song began to play a role in Billy Graham crusades. (The segment dealing with "How Great Thou Art" begins 16 minutes and 23 seconds into the 20-minute video.)
Song leader Cliff Barrows had also been given a copy of the song, and after the 1954 London Harringay crusade, Barrows had Paul Mickelson arrange the music for use in the 1955 Toronto crusade in Maple Leaf Garden. However it was not until Billy Graham's 1957 Madison Square Garden crusade that the song became extremely popular. "We sang it about a hundred times at the insistence of the New York audiences," says Shea. "And from then on, it became a standard at most of the crusades."
That sounds like the end of the story. But history is full of ironies and strange twists. This surely is one: Although Boberg's "O Store Gud" was sung in Sweden since the 19th century, it never became really popular there until, as Swedish gospel singer Per-Erik Hallin notes, Elvis Presley recorded a Grammy-winning version of "How Great Thou Art." Then, thanks to Elvis, "O Store Gud" experienced a major revival and became a favorite in its native land.
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Comments
WHAT A TREAT! THANK YOU TO ALL THAT PRODUCED THE SITE. YES,MUSIC SUCH AS THIS TOUCHES EVERY SOUL, HEALS AND INSPIRES. I PRAISE GOD FOR THIS MINISTRY AND GIVING MR.SHEA SUCH A WONDERFUL VOICE!
Posted By: Candida Labrecque | January 29, 2009 1:12 PM
A side note: the hymn was sung at a conference at Forest Home Christian Conference Center in the summer of 1953. Sitting on the front row was the son of Tim Spencer, owner of Manna Music. His son Hal left the conference, drove to Hollywood, showed the music to his father -- and that's why all copies of How Great Thou Art in hymn books show
a copyright by Manna Music.
Just an interesting sidelight.
Posted By: Wes Harty | January 29, 2009 2:27 PM
THANK YOU! I now know the history of one of my favorite hymns - I love it so much I sing it before my prayer time every morning. I am also happy to know the way it came to be Beverly Shea's signature song. I have heard him sing it in person and it is a thrill!
Posted By: Susan | January 29, 2009 2:33 PM
You would not even believe the millions of dollars which has gone to the man who copyrighted the Mr. Hines English words! Dave Anderson, Phoenix
Posted By: Dave Anderson | January 29, 2009 2:34 PM
"The Love of God" is still my Bev Shea memory and song. Happy birthday. We have been blessed.
Posted By: Jack Kremers | January 29, 2009 9:01 PM
Happy, happy birthday, Mr. Shea. Your voice was a major part of my childhood, your songs etched into my memory, and my faith deepened.
My favorite song of yours? "Out of the Ivory Palaces."
Many blessings,
DLMP
Posted By: Desiree LM Pheister | January 30, 2009 10:08 AM
Happy brithday George. Your version of How Great has stuck in my fifty five year old memory. I can still see my family sitting down on a sunday night and the radio would play "This is the hour of decision" and George's voice has been stamped into my memory.
Posted By: CLIFFORD ZAMMETT | January 30, 2009 2:31 PM
Happy birthday George. Have fond memories going to a gospel concert in London England as a teenager and hearing him sing. Am reminded of another great Bev Shea favourite, that was a turning point in his life - I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold.
Posted By: Albert J Gunter | January 31, 2009 9:19 AM
I agree, "The Love of God" is a favorite of mine although all the others mentioned are way up there on my list! What a blessing to read this.
Judith Makinson
Posted By: Judith Makinson | January 31, 2009 10:15 AM
Happy Birthday, Mr. Shea! Thank you very much for your contributions to the community of followers of Christ Jesus. May you be blessed beyond measure because you chose Jesus rather than silver or gold! How Great is our God!
Posted By: Connie | January 31, 2009 12:33 PM
Happy Birthday!
I have a fond memory of when you sung that song on Billy Graham's Program 44 years ago.
My parents had always wanted me to learn to play the piano. We were too poor to afford music lessons. There was no one at church who could play and one Sunday while the saints tried to sing without music, I prayed silently to God. "Lord, if You will teach me to play the piano, I'll play for you here in church."
It was about 2 weeks later while listening to the "The Hour of Decision" that George Shea was singing, "How Great Thou Art!" There was a thunder and lightning storm at the same time and it stuck in the area, putting out the power. The radio went silent but in the darkness, I got up and went to the piano. As I began to touch the keys, a little miracle happened. The melody began to flow from my fingers. My father came with the oil lantern. Sitting it on the side of the piano he asked, "How did you learn to play like this? Just keep it up!" God was answering my prayer to play the piano. I played with four finger chord combinations with both hands in the key of Bb, right where I continue to play it for congregational worship today!
From that moment until this, God has continued to bless me with music and I have played for many choirs and congregations. Thank you for sharing the song.
May songs of joy fill your heart today and always.
Posted By: Betty McCarty | January 31, 2009 3:27 PM
You can wish Mr. Shea a happy 100th at www.GeorgeBevShea.com. The site also has an excerpt from his upcoming biography, George Beverly Shea: Tell Me the Story.
Posted By: Alison | January 31, 2009 5:33 PM
Happy 100. You have been a blessing to me the last 40 years. I love to hear you sing I rather have Jesus.
Posted By: reid andrews | January 31, 2009 9:36 PM
Happy Birthday George Beverly Shea. I attended The Billy Graham Crusade for the first time in Washington DC in 1951, and I have Always Loved to hear you sing -- on the radio, records, tapes, cassetts, whatever. I have your book, "Then Sings My Soul." May you live another 100 years! God Bless and Keep you!
Posted By: Cathryn Smith | February 1, 2009 5:09 PM
Happy 100th Birthday Mr. Shea! You have inspired me since my childhood with your beautiful voice and testemony of God's grace and love. One of my favorite songs has been "How Great Thou Art" both in English and German (my native language). I recall hearing you sing in person in New York and also Fargo North Dakota. As I sang in that choir. May the Lord richly bless you today and grant you His grace and peace.
Posted By: Gudrun Boe | February 1, 2009 5:18 PM
Mr. Shea,
Happy Birthday! I am thankful that you used the gift of your beautiful voice to sing songs of Praise to the one and only God of the Universe. God Bless and Keep You and keep you forever in his Grace.
Posted By: Patsy Self | February 1, 2009 9:09 PM
We up here in the great white frozen north want the rest of the world to know that G.B. Shea was born here in Canada. But we're happy to share him with all of you. Happy 100!
Posted By: John Duyck | February 2, 2009 8:55 AM
Happy Birthday Mr. Shea. If my father Hubert Mitchell were here, he would talk with you and you two could sing whatever you wanted to. You knew each other well, he is with Jesus now. The best is yet to come, Jesus in all His glory! Jean Mitchell Spitzer
Posted By: Jean Mitchell Spitzer | February 2, 2009 6:06 PM
For a hundred years his deep baritone voice raised praises to the Name of Jesus (some say he was born singing, I can believe it)
"Singing I go along life's road, praising my Lord.
Is the known part in the life of one who lead thousands of tongues to praise
In every time, clime and place on this Terestrial Ball,
With voices clear and strong in glorious praises to
The Name of Jesus.
Of that Name he loved to hear, Bev sang solos, combos in the hundreds.
Crowds of thousand he lead to sing, The Name above all names,
The Name of Jesus.
The God called preacher, Billy Graham with open Bible in hand,
Would extol Father whose Son, our Savior is the
Man named Jesus
"Bev." Shea's baitone would lead them sing, "Just as I am,"
And they flocked, by hundreds, thousands to give their hearts, lives
To The One Who was crucified to save their souls.
Now at age one hundred, that vibrant, mellowed voice, still deep and clear,
Continues to sing, not quite so strong, the words of hymns held dear, of
The Man Named Jesus
The day will come when someone will say,"Bev Shea is dead."
Don't you believe it, for then he will have eons to sing the praise, with the millions whom he helped by his singing, see the smile on the face,
And the Man named Jesus, for HE will be singing with them,
Of the Father's total encompassing Love which brought it all about.
gclkoch 02/02/09
Posted By: Gardner Koch | February 4, 2009 9:56 AM
I was in Lubbock, Texas in 1975 when as a young person and was so excited to hear you sing and Billy Graham preach! It still thrills my heart to hear you sing. Your song "I'd Rather Have Jesus" has been such an inspiration to me and still bring tears to my eyes even after all these years! What a tremendous blessing you are! I am so sorry I missed your 100th Birthday, but what a ministry you have had and what a blessing God has been through the you to the world!
Mark A Jones
Pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Lovington, NM and President of Psalms 91 Ministries of Texas and Evangelistic Center in Seagraves, Texas.
Posted By: Mark A Jones | March 7, 2009 6:29 PM
Hi george,One of my favorite songs has been "How Great Thou Art" in English . I recall hearing you sing in person in New York and also Fargo North Dakota. As I sang in that choir.i love it.Thank you
Posted By: jamescutler | June 12, 2010 5:36 AM
A very late birthday greeting I realize, but your singing of How Great Thou Art has been a singular blessing for me everytime I hear it. May the Lord bless you with health and comfort in the days to come.
Posted By: John Hoeksema | June 16, 2010 5:45 AM