Lyrics Of Count Your Blessings Hymn: The Complete Words, Meaning, And Story Behind This Timeless Song

Do you ever feel like life is piling one worry on top of another? I’ve had weeks like that. Nothing seems to go right, and gratitude feels miles away. That’s exactly why the lyrics of Count Your Blessings hymn have comforted people for over a century.

This old hymn doesn’t ask you to ignore your problems. It asks you to pause and notice what God has already done.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the full lyrics, break down what each verse means, and show you why this song still moves people at church, at funerals, and on quiet mornings at home.

You’ll get the complete text, the history behind it, scripture connections, and answers to the questions people search for most. By the end, you won’t just know the words. You’ll understand why they still matter today.

Complete Lyrics Of Count Your Blessings Hymn

The full lyrics of Count Your Blessings hymn tell a story of hope through four verses and one repeating chorus. Johnson Oatman Jr. wrote these words in 1897, and they’ve barely changed since.

Here’s the complete text, exactly as it’s sung in most hymnals:

Verse 1 When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Chorus Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God has done, Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

Verse 2 Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, And you will be singing as the days go by.

Verse 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.

Verse 4 So amid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged, God is over all. Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

I’d suggest reading each verse slowly first, before you try to sing it. The words carry more weight that way.

Beautiful Meaning Behind Count Your Blessings Lyrics

The beautiful meaning behind these lyrics comes down to one simple idea: gratitude changes how you see hard times. Oatman didn’t write a song about pretending life is easy. He wrote one about shifting your focus.

Look at verse one again. It opens with a storm, “tempest-tossed,” and discouragement, “thinking all is lost.” That’s real pain, not sugarcoated positivity.

Then the very next line offers the fix. Count your blessings. Name them one by one. This is active gratitude, not passive wishful thinking.

I find that specific instruction powerful. The hymn doesn’t say “feel thankful.” It says “name them.” That’s a task you can actually do, even on your worst day.

Here’s why that distinction matters:

• Naming blessings forces your brain to search for evidence, not just emotion
• Specific gratitude beats vague gratitude every time
• Writing or singing blessings out loud makes them feel more real

Try this small exercise inspired by the hymn:

Step	Action
1	Write down three blessings from today
2	Say each one out loud
3	Notice how your mood shifts

That’s the whole method behind Count Your Blessings. It’s simple, and it works because it’s simple.

Inspirational Lyrics From Count Your Blessings That Comfort People

The most inspirational lyrics from Count Your Blessings tend to be verse two and verse four, because they speak directly to burdens and conflict. These lines meet people exactly where they hurt.

Verse two asks a question many of us avoid: “Are you ever burdened with a load of care?” I love that it’s phrased as a question. It doesn’t assume you’re fine. It assumes you’re carrying something heavy, and it invites you to set it down through gratitude.

The promise that follows is bold. “Every doubt will fly.” Not shrink. Fly away completely. That’s a strong claim, and it’s exactly why this hymn has stayed popular through wars, recessions, and personal tragedies.

Verse four widens the lens even further:

• It speaks to “conflict, whether great or small”
• It reminds singers that “God is over all”
• It promises angels will “attend” and give “help and comfort”

These aren’t small comforts. They’re meant for real crisis moments.

I’ve heard this hymn sung at hospital bedsides and at funerals. Families tell me the words feel steady when everything else feels shaky. That’s the mark of truly inspirational lyrics. They don’t just sound nice. They hold up under weight.

Good Reasons To Sing Count Your Blessings Today

The good news is that Count Your Blessings still fits modern life, even though it’s over 125 years old. Gratitude research and this old hymn actually agree on a lot.

Modern psychologists talk about “gratitude journaling” as a proven mood booster. Oatman was doing the same thing in hymn form back in 1897, decades before anyone ran a clinical study on it.

Here are good reasons this hymn deserves a place in your week, not just your Sunday service:

• It gives you a simple gratitude practice with built-in melody, which makes it easier to remember
• It works for any tradition or denomination, since the message centers on thankfulness
• It fits funerals, hospital visits, Thanksgiving services, and quiet personal devotion equally well
• It’s easy to sing without a hymnal once you know the chorus

Try singing just the chorus during a hard morning. You don’t need the piano or the choir. Your own voice, even a quiet one, is enough.

I also think this hymn works well for families with kids. The rhythm is simple, and the “name them one by one” line teaches children a real skill, specific gratitude, instead of a vague “be thankful” lesson.

History And Origin Of Count Your Blessings Hymn

Johnson Oatman Jr. wrote Count Your Blessings in 1897, with the tune composed by Edwin Othello Excell. Together they created what became one of the most recorded gospel hymns in history.

Oatman wasn’t a full-time musician. He trained as a lawyer and worked in his family’s business before becoming a Methodist Episcopal preacher. Writing hymns was something he did alongside that work, and he wrote thousands of them over his lifetime.

Excell brought the melody, named “Blessings” in hymnals. He was known for bright, singable tunes that regular congregations, not trained choirs, could pick up quickly. That’s part of why this hymn spread so fast.

A few quick facts worth knowing:

• The hymn first appeared in print around 1897 to 1904
• It uses a meter of 11.11.11.11 with refrain
• It has been translated into languages including German, Latvian, and Ukrainian

The hymn’s popularity grew through Thanksgiving services, revival meetings, and later, radio broadcasts. By the mid-1900s, it had become a staple in hymnals across multiple Christian denominations, not just one church tradition.

Scripture References Behind Count Your Blessings Lyrics

Count Your Blessings draws directly from several Bible passages about gratitude and God’s faithfulness. Knowing these references adds depth to the words.

Scholars commonly connect the hymn to these verses:

• Psalm 40:5 — a reflection on God’s many wonderful works, too numerous to count
• Lamentations 3:22-23 — God’s mercies being “new every morning”
• Ephesians 1:3 — God blessing believers “with every spiritual blessing”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 — the instruction to “give thanks in all circumstances”

I think this is what separates Count Your Blessings from a generic feel-good song. It’s rooted in specific biblical teaching about gratitude as a discipline, not just a passing feeling.

The line “see what God has done” in the chorus echoes this idea throughout scripture: gratitude comes from remembering specific actions, not abstract faith alone. That’s a consistent biblical pattern, from the Psalms recounting God’s deeds to Paul’s letters urging thankfulness in hard circumstances.

If you’re studying this hymn for a sermon or a devotional, pairing each verse with its matching scripture passage makes for a strong, well-grounded teaching structure.

How To Sing Count Your Blessings Hymn With The Right Tune And Tempo

Count Your Blessings works best at a brisk, hopeful tempo, not slow and mournful. The tune, called “Blessings,” was written to feel uplifting from the first note.

Excell composed this hymn in a major key, which naturally gives it a bright, confident sound. That’s intentional. The lyrics deal with hard times, but the melody refuses to sound defeated.

A few practical tips if you’re leading this hymn or learning it yourself:

• Keep the tempo moving, closer to a march than a lullaby
• Let the chorus build slightly in energy each time it repeats
• If you’re playing guitar, common simple chord progressions in G or D major fit this hymn well
• Avoid dragging verse four, since it’s meant to close on a note of strength, not fatigue

I’ve noticed choirs sometimes slow this hymn down too much, treating it like a somber piece. That undersells the message. The words are hopeful, and the music should match that energy.

If you’re new to hymn singing, start with just the chorus on repeat. Once that feels natural, add one verse at a time.

Count Your Blessings Chorus Explained Line By Line

The chorus of Count Your Blessings repeats one core instruction four times: name your blessings and see what God has done. That repetition is the entire engine of the song.

Here’s the chorus broken into its parts:

“Count your blessings, name them one by one” — this is the action step, repeated for emphasis, so it sticks in memory.

“Count your blessings, see what God has done” — this shifts from action to result, connecting gratitude directly to faith.

“Count your many blessings, see what God has done” — the final line adds “many,” reinforcing abundance rather than scarcity.

I think the repetition is deliberate, not lazy songwriting. Gratitude, like any habit, needs repetition to actually take hold. Singing the same instruction four times in a row mirrors how gratitude practices work in real life: you don’t do it once and stop.

This structure also makes the chorus easy to memorize, even for people who’ve never opened a hymnal. That’s likely a big reason it has outlived so many hymns from the same era.

Using Count Your Blessings In Worship, Funerals, And Thanksgiving Services

Count Your Blessings fits naturally into worship services, funerals, and Thanksgiving gatherings because its message applies to both grief and celebration. Few hymns work across that entire range.

For Thanksgiving services, the hymn’s direct focus on counting blessings makes it an obvious fit. Many congregations sing it as their closing or opening hymn every November.

For funerals, families often choose it because verse four speaks about comfort and journey’s end without sounding grim. Lines about angels giving “help and comfort” offer reassurance during grief.

For everyday worship, it works as:

• A response hymn after a sermon on gratitude or trust
• A congregational singalong that doesn’t require a trained choir
• A personal devotional song for private reflection

I’d encourage pastors and worship leaders to pair this hymn with a short prayer time. Ask the congregation to silently name one blessing before singing verse one. It turns the song from performance into practice.

Modern Renditions And Covers Of Count Your Blessings Hymn

Modern artists and church choirs continue recording Count Your Blessings, often blending the original melody with contemporary gospel or acoustic arrangements. The hymn hasn’t stayed frozen in 1897.

You’ll find versions ranging from traditional pipe organ recordings to stripped-down acoustic guitar covers on platforms like YouTube. Southern gospel groups, in particular, have kept the song alive through recordings spanning decades.

Some churches update the arrangement with:

• Piano-led contemporary worship style
• A cappella four-part harmony versions
• Slower, reflective renditions for candlelight or evening services

I think the flexibility of this hymn is part of its staying power. The lyrics don’t require a specific musical style to land emotionally. Whether you hear it from a full choir or a single voice with a guitar, the message about naming your blessings comes through the same way.

If you’re searching for a version to use in a service, listen to a few different styles first. The right arrangement often depends more on your congregation’s mood than any fixed rule.

Frequently Asked Questions About Count Your Blessings Hymn

Who wrote the lyrics to Count Your Blessings hymn?

Johnson Oatman Jr. wrote the lyrics in 1897. He was a Methodist Episcopal preacher who wrote thousands of hymns during his lifetime. Edwin O. Excell composed the tune, called “Blessings,” which paired with Oatman’s words to create the hymn we know today.

What is the main message of Count Your Blessings?

The main message is that naming your specific blessings, one by one, shifts your focus away from discouragement and toward gratitude. It teaches that remembering what God has already done builds hope during hard times, rather than ignoring the hardship itself.

What scripture is Count Your Blessings based on?

The hymn draws from several Bible passages, including Psalm 40:5, Lamentations 3:22-23, Ephesians 1:3, and 1 Thessalonians 5:18. These verses all focus on God’s faithfulness and the instruction to give thanks in every circumstance, not just easy ones.

Is Count Your Blessings a public domain hymn?

Yes, Count Your Blessings is in the public domain. It was written in 1897, and copyright protection on works from that era has long expired. Churches, choirs, and individuals can freely use, print, and perform the hymn without licensing restrictions.

How many verses does Count Your Blessings have?

The hymn has four verses and one repeating chorus. Each verse addresses a different struggle, storms, burdens, envy, and conflict, while the chorus consistently returns to the same instruction: count your blessings and see what God has done.

What tune is used for Count Your Blessings?

The tune is called “Blessings,” composed by Edwin O. Excell in 1897. It’s written in a bright major key with a meter of 11.11.11.11 plus refrain, designed to feel uplifting and easy for congregations to sing without formal musical training.

Final Thoughts On The Lyrics Of Count Your Blessings Hymn

The lyrics of Count Your Blessings hymn have lasted more than a century because they offer something practical, not just poetic. Naming your blessings one by one is a small act, but it genuinely shifts your perspective during hard seasons.

We’ve walked through the complete lyrics, the meaning behind each verse, the scripture that inspired them, and the history of Johnson Oatman Jr. and Edwin O. Excell’s work together. Whether you’re preparing for a Thanksgiving service, comforting a grieving family, or just having a rough week, this hymn still holds up.

My honest suggestion: don’t just read these lyrics once and move on. Try the exercise. Name three blessings today, out loud, one by one. You might be surprised, just like the hymn promises, at what you notice.