Martin Rinckart composed a poem in 1636 – “Now thank we all our God”. About 10 years later the music was composed. The song has been sung for centuries in churches big and small.
Interesting part? The song talks of thanking God, of God’s bounty, and blessed peace.
Not sure how you would have taken his circumstances.
He was a pastor in Eilenberg, Germany as the Thirty Years war was starting. The walled town became a refugee center. There was famine as the town was besieged – and poverty. And the plague rained down upon them. Martin buried up to 40-50 people a day – in all a total of 4,480 people.
And these words reigned supreme – NOW, THANK WE ALL OUR GOD!!