I’ve been exploring some of the very modern worship songs as an old guy 😀. But now, I’ve decided to alternate between very modern hymns, old hymns, and in-between hymns, namely the worship songs from the 60s to the 90s that feature in hymnbooks such as Mission Praise. Today it’s the turn of the old hymns.
Today’s song is Count Your Blessings from 1897.
I don’t remember singing this one in church much. Maybe it’s more of a song that people perform. I’ve heard it sung in various styles. I love the lyrics. It sits well with modern secular or Buddhist thinking on the benefits of gratitude to your mental health. Perhaps people all over the world and down through history have seen its benefits. On one of his missionary journeys, Paul was mistaken for a god because he worked a miracle. When he was pointing to the true God, he made the following point.
Acts 14:17-18
17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.
The crowd were thankful for their blessings, but Paul was trying to tell them who they should really thank, though some credit was due to Paul for bringing them the gospel and healing the man. And whoever blessed us, ultimately God Himself is the one behind it all.
I like how today’s hymn looks to future blessings in additional to current blessings. And the thought of future blessings is itself a blessing. Perhaps some see it as “Pie in the sky when you die”. But we should be thankful for the “pie on the ground when we’re still around” 😀.
3 When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
There’s an amazing number of secular songs with the word “blessed” or “blessing” in their titles and songs on the theme of thankfulness or gratitude. One that comes to mind is the December 1995 song, I Am Blessed by Eternal.
And here are some other versions of “Count Your Blessings”.
Hibernia Gospel 