Thanks To God!

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20)

Thanks, O God, for boundless mercy
From Thy gracious throne above;
Thanks for ev’ry need provided
From the fullness of Thy love.
Thanks for daily toil and labor
And for rest when shadows fall;
Thanks for love of friend and neighbor
And Thy goodness unto all.

Thanks for thorns as well as roses,
Thanks for weakness and for health;
Thanks for clouds as well as sunshine,
Thanks for poverty and wealth.
Thanks for pain as well as pleasure--
All Thou sendest day by day;
And Thy Word, our dearest treasure,
Shedding light upon our way.

Thanks, O God, for home and fireside,
Where we share our daily bread;
Thanks for hours of sweet communion,
When by Thee our souls are fed.
Thanks for grace in time of sorrow
And for joy and peace in Thee;
Thanks for hope today, tomorrow,
And for all eternity!

(August Ludvig Storm, Swedish Traditional Hymn "Tack O Gud" - 1891)

Thanks to God! is one of the most popular Swedish hymns that found its way into many of our evangelical hymnals.

August Storm was born 1862, in Motala, Sweden. He converted to Christ in a Salvation Army meeting and although he suffered a back ailment at the age of 37 that left him crippled for life, he continued his Salvation Army work until his death. The gratitude expressed to God ranges from the "dark and dreary fall" to the "pleasant, balmy springtime," and "pain" as well as "pleasure." There is gratitude, warmth of text and a folk-like quality in the music. Go to http://www.hymntime.com/ (Johannes Hultman score) to hear the melody.