Psalter Hymnal (Gray) ‎#517

517. There's No God as Great

There's no god as great as you, O Lord,
O Lord, my God.
There's no god as great as you, O Lord,
O Lord, my God.
There's no god who works the mighty wonders,
all the wonders that you do.
There's no god who works the mighty wonders,
all the wonders that you do.
Not by our weapons, nor by our power,
but by your Spirit we are led.
Not by our weapons, nor by our power,
but by your Spirit we are led.
The Holy Spirit will move the church,
the Holy Spirit will move the church,
the Holy Spirit will move the church,
for by your Spirit we are led.

No hay dios tan grande como tú,
no lo hay, no lo hay.
No hay dios tan grande como tú,
no lo hay, no lo hay.
No hay dios que pueda hacer las obras
como las que haces tú.
No hay dios que pueda hacer las obras
como las que haces tú.
No es con espada, ni con ejército,
mas con tu Santo Espiritu.
No es con espada, ni con ejército,
mas con tu Santo Esperitu.
Y esta iglesia se mover,
y esta iglesia se mover,
y esta iglesia se mover
con tu Santo Espíritu.

Text Information

• First Line: There's no god as great as you, O Lord (No hay dios tan grande como tú)
• Title: There's No God as Great
• Spanish Title: No Hay Dios tan Grande
• Meter: irregular
• Language: English; Spanish
• Publication Date: 1987
• Scripture:
  Psalm 77:13-14
  ;
  Zechariah 4:6
• Topic: Doxologies; Songs for Children: Hymns; Texts in Two Languages; Church and Mission; Church; Holy Spirit
• Source: Spanish; Translation Psalter Hymnal, 1987

Tune Information

• Name: NO HAY DIOS
• Meter: irregular
• Key: F Major
• Source: Spanish

Text Information:

Scripture References:
st. = Ps.77:13-14, Hosea 1:7, Zech. 4:6, Rom. 8:9, 11, 21

One of the marks of any folk song is that its origins cannot be traced. That is certainly the case for this infectiously joyful song. 'There's No God as Great" is known all over Central and South America by evangelical Christians who love to sing one song after the other, often stringing them together in medley fashion. This hymn is built in four sections, almost like a little medley in itself. Each section is repeated and is based on a different Scripture passage.

The text confesses the greatness of our Lord; he does "mighty wonders" by his Spirit in leading his people, the church.

Liturgical Use:
A chorus to be sung prior to Scripture reading or the sermon; a sung confession of faith or response to preaching; Pentecost season; church festivals and ecumenical services.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

Tune Information:

Like much Hispanic folk music, NO HAY DIOS has simple harmonies. The melody is matched by a parallel line found alternately in the alto and tenor line. That parallel line, either the interval of a third or a sixth below the melody, makes for good duet possibilities (see. 1 and 3-soprano and tenor duet, see. 2 and 4-soprano and alto duet). Because the range of both tenor and alto is just an octave (from A to A), that harmony part would be accessible to either altos or tenors, who could switch back and forth from treble to bass clefs. Accompaniment is designed for piano, guitars, and some rhythm instruments, including maracas, castanets, and woodblocks. Try making up rhythmic patterns that reflect the joyful confidence of this song. Use a light registration if organ is the only available instrument. In the medley fashion typical of Hispanic performance, try pairing “There's No God as Great” with some of the eight other Hispanic songs in the Psalter Hymnal (234, 186, and 629 would work well).

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook