Count Your Blessings

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." — Ephesians 1:3 (KJV)

Among the most beloved hymns sung in both Sunday Schools and church services is Count Your Blessings, a song cherished for its cheerful melody and uplifting message. From childhood classrooms to adult congregations, this hymn has long reminded Christians to look beyond trials and focus instead on the countless blessings God bestows. Its encouraging tone and memorable chorus make it an enduring favorite in gospel services across generations.

The text was written by Rev. Johnson Oatman, Jr., one of the most prolific gospel hymn writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born on April 21, 1856, near Medford, New Jersey, Oatman grew up immersed in church music, influenced by the rich singing voice of his father. At nineteen, he joined the Methodist Church and later received a license to preach in local Methodist congregations. Although he authored more than 5,000 hymns, Oatman was not a full-time minister or musician. He balanced his songwriting with a successful career in the mercantile business and later as an administrator with a major insurance company in New Jersey. Among his other well-known hymns are Higher Ground and No, Not One!, both still sung widely today.

Count Your Blessings is considered by many to be Johnson Oatman's finest contribution to gospel hymnody. The hymn was first published in 1897 in Songs for Young People, a songbook compiled by the noted gospel composer Edwin O. Excell. The song’s simple but profound message—urging believers to focus on God's blessings rather than life’s difficulties—resonated deeply across cultures and continents. One hymnologist observed, “Like a beam of sunlight, it has brightened up the dark places of the earth.” Its global reach was especially evident in Great Britain, where it gained extraordinary popularity. The London Daily once reported on an evangelistic meeting led by famed revivalist Gypsy Smith, who introduced the hymn by saying: “In South London, the men sing it, the boys whistle it, and the women rock their babies to sleep on this hymn.” During the Welsh Revival of 1904–1905, it was regularly sung alongside traditional Welsh favorites such as Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah and O That Will Be Glory.

The uplifting music for Count Your Blessings was composed by E. O. Excell, a central figure in American gospel music. Born in Stark County, Ohio, on December 13, 1851, Excell began his musical journey as a singing teacher at the age of twenty. He traveled extensively, conducting singing schools and establishing a strong reputation as a dynamic song leader. For two decades, he worked alongside Southern revivalist Sam Jones, contributing significantly to the spread of gospel music. Excell was more than just a composer; he was a gifted publisher and organizer who authored or arranged over 2,000 gospel songs and published around fifty songbooks. He also operated a thriving music publishing business in Chicago. In 1921, while assisting Gypsy Smith in a revival campaign in Louisville, Kentucky, Excell was suddenly stricken and passed away at the age of seventy—closing a life dedicated to lifting hearts through music.

As a touching postscript to this hymn’s message of gratitude, the following poem titled The Remorse of Nine Ungrateful Lepers reflects on the biblical account in Luke 17:11–19, where only one of ten healed lepers returned to thank Jesus. The poem reads:

"I meant to go back, but you may guess
I was filled with amazement I cannot express
To think that after those horrible years,
That passion of loathing and passion of fears,
By sores unendurable — eaten, defiled —
My flesh was as smooth as the flesh of a child.
I was drunken with joy; I was crazy with glee;
I scarcely could walk and I scarcely could see,
For the dazzle of sunshine where all had been black;
But I meant to go back, Oh, I meant to go back!
I had thought to return, when my people came out.
There were tears of rejoicing and laughter and shout;
My cup was so full I seemed nothing to lack —
But I meant to go back. Oh, I meant to go back!"

The poem powerfully underscores the danger of neglecting gratitude, even when our intentions are sincere. In the words of Cicero, the Roman philosopher and statesman, “A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues.” Hymns like Count Your Blessings serve as musical reminders to cultivate that virtue daily—no matter our circumstances.