URC Daily Devotion Friday 26 June 2026
Hymns 5 O Lord My God When I In Awesome Wonder
Rejoice and Sing 117
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
consider all the works thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
thy power throughout the universe displayed;
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee,
How great thou are, 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 hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze;
But when I think that God. His Son not sparing,
sent him to die – I scarce can take it in
that on the cross, our burden gladly bearing,
he bled and died to take away our sin;
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
and take me home – what joy shall fill my heart!
Then shall I bow in humble adoration,
and there proclaim: My God, how great thou art!
Carl Boberg (1859-1940) Translated by Stuart K Hine which you can hear here.
© Hope Publishing Company The words are copyright and covered by the URC’s OneLicence No. # A-734713
Job 38:28 -33
[Aldebaran is a bright red star in the constellation of Taurus]
Does the rain have a father?
Who sired the drops of dew?
What womb gave birth to the ice,
and who was the mother of the hoar-frost in the skies,
which lay a stony cover over the waters
and freeze the surface of the deep?
Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades or loose Orion’s belt?
Can you bring out the signs of the zodiac in their season
or guide Aldebaran and satellite stars?
Did you proclaim the rules that govern the heavens
or determine the laws of nature on the earth?
Reflection
This hymn became popular in Britain after its use in the Billy Graham Crusades of the 1950s and is internationally sung. It originated in Sweden and Stuart Hine came across it in a Russian translation to which he added further verses leading to the familiar version given here. It is a firm favourite, even in city centres amongst people with little access to forests and mountains. The chorus is that essential song of praise which is central to our Christian living. It is said that the last verse was written with the return of refugees after the Second World War in mind. By combining the wonders of creation and the mystery of salvation the hymn offers a comprehensive celebration of the greatness of God which, with an eminently singable tune, is the key to its success.
Prayer
God, whose creation stretches from the cosmos to the atom and beyond, we are humbled by the breadth of your imagination. Throughout time your people have marvelled at your care for the least of your creation amongst all the splendour of the galaxies. No detail escapes you and, like a parent, you share our joys and sorrows and give us freedom to grow and flourish. May we not take it all for granted but renew our songs of thanks and praise throughout our lives.