Carl Boberg

Carl Gustav Boberg (1859–1940) was a Swedish poet, preacher, government official, and hymn writer best known for penning the original Swedish text that became the beloved hymn How Great Thou Art. He was born on August 16, 1859, in Mönsterås, Sweden, the son of a carpenter, and grew up during a time of evangelical revival in that country. As a young man he worked briefly as a sailor before giving his life to Christ at age nineteen and entering religious service. He studied at a Bible school in Kristinehamn and served as a lay minister in the Mission Covenant Church of Sweden, reflecting both his deep personal faith and his gifts in speaking and writing. 

Boberg became widely known for his work as editor of the weekly Christian magazine Sanningsvittnet (“Witness of the Truth”) from 1890 to 1916, during which time he published collections of poetry, devotional works, and many hymn texts. He also served in the Swedish parliament (Riksdag) from 1912 to 1931, where he balanced public service with his commitment to Christian life and literature. Boberg was a member of the committee responsible for compiling the first two hymnals of the Swedish Covenant Church, demonstrating his influence on Swedish hymnody beyond his own writings.

His most enduring contribution to Christian music is the Swedish hymn text “O store Gud” (“O Mighty God”), written in 1885 and inspired by a powerful experience of God’s revelation in nature during a thunderstorm. This text later became the basis for the English‑language hymn How Great Thou Art after translation through German and Russian versions, and then into English in the twentieth century. The hymn has since been translated into many languages and remains one of the most widely sung and cherished Christian songs around the world. 

Boberg continued writing, preaching, and participating in church and national life until his death on January 7, 1940, in Kalmar, Sweden. His legacy endures in hymns that celebrate God’s majesty, the beauty of creation, and the wonder of Christian faith.