This song was sung at my Mom’s funeral. It was a good summary of her life experience. She went through many difficulties but always believed God was faithful. Every morning brought new mercies and new hope.
Three forces joined to make this one of the most popular hymns of the 20thcentury. The words came first. Portions came directly from Lamentations 3:23–24. The remainder came from the Methodist minister and prolific Christian poet Thomas Chisholm.
The second force was the melody, provided by fellow Methodist minister William Runyan, composer and hymnal editor. As near as I can tell, it was originally written in 3:4 time, perhaps in the key of E-flat. As an homage, I included a section in 3:4 time but stayed in the key of C.
The third force was the popularization of the hymn by George Beverly Shea. It was a beloved American gospel song but became an international favorite during the 1954 Billy Graham crusade in London. Over a three-month period, an estimated 2 million people attended the meeting and came away with having heard Great Is Thy Faithfulness and Just As I Am.
Great is Thy Faithfulness was written and published in 1923. It became part of the public domain in 2019.
An arrangement for a men’s ensemble.
Version 1
In this version, there is a basic assignment for a men’s ensemble. Written in the key of C, and is 4:4 time.
Take a look and see what you think.
Version 2
In this version, there is more complete treatment of the song. All three verses are included, the rhythm pattern is altered and the harmonies varied. Enjoy.
Here is the score and an MP3 of the computer “singing” the tune.