The hymn “Thanks to God” was written in Swedish by August Ludvig Storm and translated to English by Carl E. Backstrom. The tune was composed by J. A. Hultman. The words of this song express a simple faith in God and all that He sends our way.

Around Thanksgiving, our thoughts usually turn towards gratefulness and the things in our lives we can be grateful for. Food, clothing, shelter, family, friends, and the list goes on. God has truly blessed us in this country, and we should be thankful for those things.

But what happens when those things are taken away? What happens when hard times come upon us? Can we still retain that thankful spirit when it would appear that we have nothing to be thankful for?

I’m often reminded of the story of Corrie ten Boom and her sister, Betsie. They were imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp for harboring Jews and were quite literally stripped of everything dear to them.

During this time, the two sisters were moved to a new location, and, upon arrival, they realized that their barracks were entirely infested with fleas. Corrie was in despair, wondering how on earth they could live in such conditions.

But that’s when Betsie said something surprising, “Let’s pray and thank God for everything.” “Thank God for everything?” Corrie exclaimed. “What could we possibly thank Him for?” Betsie simply knelt down and began to pray aloud. “Dear God, we thank You for this barracks, and for our Bible that You allowed us to keep. And we thank You, God, for the fleas−”

“The fleas?” Corrie couldn’t believe it. “How can be grateful for them?” “The Bible says to give thanks in all things,” Betsie replied simply. So, kneeling next to her sister, Corrie reluctantly gave thanks for the fleas.

Time passed in the camp, and Corrie and Betsie were able to hold Bible studies and witness to the other women in the barracks. The guards never gave them any trouble, which they had always wondered about.

One day, when Corrie returned from working in another part of the camp, Betsie had some exciting news. “You know how the guards have never searched our barracks or interrupted our Bible studies?” “Yes,” Corrie said. “Well,” Betsie continued. “Today, I overheard the guards talking. ‘I’ll never set foot in those barracks,’ one of them said. ‘It’s completely infested with fleas!’”

So even the fleas, which Corrie had been so reluctant to be grateful for, had been used by God to bless them.

No matter what we are going through, or what we have experienced in the past, we can always be grateful to God. Everything in our lives happens for a reason, and He is working all things for good. We can trust that He knows what is best for us, even when it doesn’t seem like it.

The words of “Thanks to God” reflect this very truth. While it encourages us to thank God for the good things in our lives, it also urges us to thank Him for the bad things, as well. Often, it’s the most painful things that are there to protect us and help us grow.

You can read the lyrics for “Thanks to God” below, and you can listen to the tune here.

Thanks to God

Verse 1:

Thanks to God for my Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a mem’ry,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!

Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,
Thanks for dark and stormy fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!

Verse 2:

Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thanks for storms that I have weathered,
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!

Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure,
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Thanks for grace that none can measure,
Thanks for love beyond compare!

Verse 3:

Thanks for roses by the wayside,
Thanks for thorns their stems contain!
Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,
Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!

Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,
Thanks for heav’nly peace with Thee!
Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,
Thanks through all eternity!

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