The Story Behind the Hymns THE STORY BEHIND "GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS" Some hymns are written in moments of triumph while others are born from the testimony of a life that has learned, through hardship and uncertainty, that God never fails. “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” is one of those hymns. In 1923, American Methodist minister Thomas Obediah Chisholm wrote words that would eventually become one of Christianity’s most cherished hymns. The hymn was not born from one spectacular miracle or a single dramatic event but grew from Chisholm’s personal experience of God’s steady care throughout his life. Born in Franklin, Kentucky, in 1866, Chisholm experienced financial difficulties and recurring health challenges. Yet, through the changing seasons of life, he became increasingly convinced that God’s faithfulness was not dependent on circumstances. His inspiration came largely from the powerful words of Lamentations 3:22–23: “It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” That biblical declaration became the foundation of his hymn. Chisholm sent the poem to his friend, William Marion Runyan, a Methodist minister and musician associated with the Moody Bible Institute. Deeply moved by the words, Runyan composed the melody that would carry the hymn into churches around the world. Then came the unforgettable opening: “Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee.” The hymn celebrates something profoundly simple: God’s character does not change. Morning after morning, His mercies are renewed. Through seasons of abundance and seasons of need, through joy and sorrow, uncertainty and hope, His faithfulness remains. That is why the hymn has endured for generations. It reminds us that we do not have to wait for a great miracle to recognize God’s goodness. Sometimes, the greatest evidence of His faithfulness is simply waking up to another morning, another day of mercy, another opportunity to trust Him. Nearly a century after Chisholm wrote those words, the hymn continues to cross generations, cultures and denominations. Its message remains as powerful today as when it was first written: God was faithful yesterday. God is faithful today. And God will be faithful tomorrow. Every new morning is another testimony. Great is Thy faithfulness.