Carl Boberg

Carl Gustav Boberg (16 August 1859 – 7 January 1940) was a Swedish poet, preacher, government official and member of parliament, best known for writing the Swedish-language poem "" ('O Great God') from which the English language-hymn "How Great Thou Art" is derived.

Biography

Upbringing and work in the free church movement Born in Mönsterås, Kalmar County, in Småland, Boberg was the son of carpenter Nils Petter Jonsson Boberg and Hedvig Gustava Jonsdotter. The religious revival movements of the time strongly affected him as a young man.

Political roles and views Boberg served in the Riksdag's Första kammare (upper house of Parliament) from 1912 to 1931. From 1921, he was also a state auditor.

Writings He published more than 60 poems, hymns, and gospel songs, including a collaboration with Swedish hymnist Lina Sandell. Of his works, "" ('O Great God'), upon which "How Great Thou Art" is based, the best known. The song is a natural romantic description of God's creation, which in each chorus ends with the songwriter wanting to cry out that God is great. It was written after Boberg experienced a thunderstorm at the Kalmar Strait.

Boberg is represented in the Church of Sweden's fourth hymnal, Den svenska psalmboken (1986) with three works, ("", , and ) and in other hymnals such as the Swedish-American (1892), 's (1895), the (1986) and the Bibeltrogna Vänner hymnal (1987). He is abundantly represented in the Mission Covenant Church's 1920 hymnal . Several of his songs are also published for children in the Sunday school hymnal (1908).

Family On 5 January 1884 Boberg married Anna Maria Elisabet Pettersson. On 23 November 1915 he married Selma Charlotta Elisabet Ydrén.