Welcome

This is the official website for Stuart K. Hine’s popular hymn How Great Thou Art! which has been voted on many occasions as The Nation’s Favourite Hymn by the viewers of Songs of Praise in Great Britain.

Despite the hymn’s enduring popularity, the story of how it came into being is still little-known. It is an inspiring true story of faith, courage and providence.

Did You Know?..

How Great Thou Art! will remain in copyright until March 2059. This means that it is still protected today and therefore you will need permission to use it.

To find out who to contact regarding permission in your region please check our ‘contact‘ page.

In America How Great Thou Art! has been recorded by Elvis Presley and many other artists. It became the theme tune for Billy Graham’s weekly Hour of Decision broadcasts and has received two Grammy Awards.

Here are some examples of how it has been performed over the years:

Stuart was inspired to write his hymn over a period of fourteen years and first included it in his gospel magazine Grace and Peace on the 15th April 1949. His inspiration came from his own personal experiences in the Carpathian Mountains, and from hearing Ivan Prokhanoff’s Russian hymn Mighty God. Many years later he was to discover the hymn was based upon Carl Boberg’s Swedish poem O Store Gud. Read more…