By Sandra Gilkerson
As a child of the 1940’s, I remember singing this chorus often in Sunday School. We would all sing together before going to our classes. At that time, there was 100 or more children eager to learn about Jesus. In our primary class, we had a Missionary bank. The missionary would nod his head in thanks when we put coins in the bank. We were thrilled. The tune of this song is simple and the words easy to learn.
Chorus:
Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul.
Thank you, Lord, for making me whole.
Thank you Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free.
In researching the song I have found out that it also, has three verses. It was a hymn written in 1940 by Seth and Bessie Sykes. Mr. Sykes (1892 – 1950) began his career as a conductor and Motorman for Glasgow Corporation Tramways. He served as a secretary for the Tramway Christian Association where he was allowed to hand out Christian Literature and Bibles. In 1929, he left his job and along with his wife, became a full-time traveling evangelist, traveling in the U. K. and the U.S.A. Their home base was in Glasgow, Scotland. They used lantern slides ( transparent glass slides). Bessie played rousing songs by cranking their barrel organ (mechanical instrument consisting of bellows and one or more ranks of pipes housed in a case of wood, highly decorated with metal notes of pins – short notes and staples- long notes en corded onto wooden cylinders) to gain full interest of the crowd. Seth’s sermons led countless people to Christ and this hymn was sung as a regular part of their service.
Be filled with gratitude to God for His wonderful free gift of salvation. Tell others what God has done for you in your own words. Let Christ do the rest! How have you been in the right place and at the right time to tell of your love for God?
1.Some thank the Lord for friends and home,
For mercies sure and sweet;
But I would praise Him for His grace
In prayer I would repeat: – chorus
2.Some thank Him for the flowers that grow,
Some for the stars that shine;
My heart is filled with joy and praise,
Because I know He’s mine.
3. I trust in Him from day to day,
I prove His saving grace;
I’ll sing this song pf praise to Him
Until I see His face.
Chorus:
Thank you ,Lord, for saving my soul,
Thank you, Lord, for making me whole;
Thank you Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free.
Ephesians 2 :8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God….
