‘How Great Thou Art’ by Warren Zeiders - Lyrics & Meaning

As Christmas fast approaches, many country artists have been sharing their takes on classic festive chart-toppers and mistletoe-adorned pop hits. But Warren Zeiders has decided to take a different approach, with the ‘You For a Reason’ singer-songwriter eschewing the jingle bells and wintry whistles in favour of sharing a beautifully stripped-back rendition of the classic hymn, ‘How Great Thou Art’.

Zeiders first shared an acoustic rendition of the hymn, which was penned by Carl Boberg in 1885 as a Swedish poem, titled, ‘O Store Gud’. In 1949, the British missionary, Stuart K. Hine, adapted it into an English poem and added a couple of extra verses.

A shimmering pantheon of artists have covered ’How Great Thou Art’ - including Elvis Presley, Carrie Underwood and Alan Jackson - and we would forgive Zeiders if he felt some pressure before recording his take on the famous hymn. However, it's evident throughout this stunning rendition that the primary purpose is purely to pay homage to his faith, and the peace he receives from God and Jesus, rather than attempting to jazz up this offering with glitzy production.

‘How Great Thou Art’ opens entirely a cappella, with Zeiders’ gravelly, charismatic vocals ringing out into the abyss. Then, we get the introduction of a gentle guitar riff, with the ‘Relapse’ hitmaker keeping the composition simple and stripped-back. It allows the spotlight to fall on the real star of the show - the message.

“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”

The main purpose of ‘How Great Thou Art’ is to express the protagonist's immense, overwhelming sense of gratitude at all the wonderful things God has done for him.

The description of Him as “my God” conveys the personal, deep-seated nature of this relationship, with Zeiders addressing God as a trusted friend and companion.

He uses all the awe-inspiring landscapes and powerful weather as examples of God's magnificent feats, championing these natural wonders as displays of God's unrivalled power.

There's a lovely sense of juxtaposition here between the incomprehensible majesty and colossal scale of creative acts God can accomplish, and the tenderness and intimacy with which He endeavours to establish a relationship with each of us.

“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”

He describes his soul as “singing” with joy, such is the elation he feels when he contemplates God's greatness. He praises Him as his savior, courtesy of sending his only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for everyone's sins.

“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
Then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art”

Such is the protagonist's trust in God and His plan for us all, he looks forward to the day Jesus Chris returns as part of the Second Coming to take him “home” to Heaven.

He emphasises his immeasurable joy at knowing God and Jesus in this life, but excitedly stresses that he is well aware that, when he meets them in Heaven, it will be even more euphoric and momentous. He anticipates when he is stood before God, and has the opportunity to express the adoring sentiments of this song face-to-face.

Ahead of the song's arrival, Zeiders gushed, “‘How Great Thou Art’ has always been my favorite hymnal. It was one of those songs that always brought tears to my eyes”.

He expands by touching on the familial significance of the hymn, “This song was my grandmother’s and my dad’s favorite, and also my grandfather’s - the one I never got to meet, since he passed away before I was born. It holds so much meaning for me, and in the true spirit of Christmas, I wanted to record and share my version. When I got the first recording back, I had the blessing of playing it for my mom, dad, sister, and grandparents. Seeing all of us tear up together, I knew this song would touch hearts and connect with people in the way God intends”.

“Then sings my soul
My Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
-
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 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
-
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
Then 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
-
How great, 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”

For more on Warren Zeiders, see below:

Warren Zeiders

Artist