Just the other day my Amish friend “John the Baptist” told me that he sang “How Great Thou Art” when he was thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. And that brought back memories because I too had sung that song on my thru-hike, and for the same reason; verse 2. The second verse of the hymn goes “When thro’ 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; Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee: how great thou art, how great thou art!”
And this got me thinking: what other hymns are great for hiking? So here’s my Top Ten Hymns for Hiking:
10: Fairest Lord Jesus
Fair are the meadows, fair are the woodlands, robed in the blooming garb of spring. Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer, who makes the woeful heart to sing.
9: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land
8: Trust and Obey
When we walk with the Lord in the light of his Word, what a glory he sheds on our way!
7: Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Just a closer walk with thee, grant it Jesus is my plea, daily walking close to thee
6: For the Beauty of the Earth
For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies, for the love which from our birth, over and around us lies, Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.
5: Go, Tell it on the Mountain
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
4: All Things Bright and Beautiful
All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all. Each little flower that opens, each little birds that sings, he made their glowing colors, he made their tiny wings. The purple headed mountain, the river running by, the sunset and the morning that brightens up the sky. The tall trees in the green-wood, the meadows where we play the flowers by the water we gather every day.
3: All Creatures of Our God and King
All creatures of our God and King …
Thou rushing wind that are so strong…
Thou flowing water pure and clear…
2: How Great Thou Art!
“When thro’ 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; Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee: how great thou art, how great thou art!”
1: Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah
“All you fruitful trees and cedars, all you hills and mountains high, creeping things and beast and cattle, birds that in the heavens fly, kings of earth, and all you people, princes great, earth’s judges all; praise his name, young men and maidens aged men, and children small.”