Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Words: Thomas O. Chisholm, 1923 · Tune: William M. Runyan, 1923 · Public domain (as of Jan. 1, 2019)
Verse 1
FGreat is Thy Bbfaithfulness, C7O God my CFather
CThere is no Fshadow of Dmturning with BbThee
CThou changest Fnot, Thy Bbcompassions they Ffail not
FAs Thou hast Dmbeen, Thou Bbforever wilt Fbe
Chorus
FGreat is Thy Ffaithfulness! BbGreat is Thy Ffaithfulness!
DmMorning by Gmmorning new Cmercies I Fsee
CAll I have Fneeded Thy Bbhand hath Fprovided
DmGreat is Thy Ffaithfulness, CLord, unto Fme
Verse 2
FSummer and Bbwinter, and C7springtime and Charvest
CSun, moon and Fstars in their Dmcourses above Bb
CJoin with all Fnature in manifold Fwitness
FTo Thy great Dmfaithfulness, mercy and Flove
Verse 3
FPardon for Bbsin and a C7peace that Cendureth
CThine own dear Fpresence to Dmcheer and to Bbguide
CStrength for Ftoday and bright hope for Ftomorrow
FBlessings all Dmmine, with ten thousand beside F
Chords in the key of F
- F
- Bb
- C
- Dm
- Gm
- C7
About this hymn
- Words
- Thomas Obadiah Chisholm, 1923
- Music
- FAITHFULNESS, William Marion Runyan, 1923
- Meter
- 11.10.11.10 with refrain
- In
- 252 hymnals
- Scripture
- Lamentations 3:19-33, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8
The story
Thomas Chisholm wrote the poem and mailed it to William Runyan. Runyan set it to music in Baldwin City, Kansas, in 1923, and he said he prayed his tune would do the words justice. Hope Publishing put it out the same year. The text leans on Lamentations 3, the mercies that are new every morning. It did not spread on its own. Dr. William Henry Houghton of Moody Bible Institute took it up, then Billy Graham used it on crusades with George Beverly Shea singing it, and that carried it around the world. In the United States the 1923 words and tune are public domain. Newer arrangements may still be under copyright.
CeCe Winans sang it as a duet with Carrie Underwood on Underwood's 2021 gospel album.
Where it fits in a service
Often used at a morning opening, a watch night or new year service, an anniversary, and a homegoing. It also sits well before the sermon when the theme is God's steadiness.
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