A full heart often uses song to express thankfulness.  Anna W. Waterman and another woman had been praying for Anna's husband, Charles, for three years.  His drinking was getting worse and compromising his work.

One night while heavily intoxicated, Charles felt an inexplainable fear.  He hurried home and said that he wanted to be saved.  Together, Anna and her friend saw Charles turn his life over to Christ.

Identifying with being a sinner herself, Anna wrote the first verse of the song as an invitation to all:

Come, ye sinners, lost and hopeless;

Jesus' blood can make you free;

For He saved the worst among you,

When he saved a wretch like me.

With joy, Anna went on to write in the chorus, "Yes, I know," which became the title of the song.

And I know, yes, I know

Jesus' blood can make the vilest sinner clean,

And I know, yes, I know

Jesus' blood can make the vilest sinner clean.

The song is effective in a Southern Gospel style, which was becoming popular in 1920, when she wrote it.  Anna continues to tell of God's love and power in three more verses:

To the faint He giveth power,

Through the mountains make a way;

Findeth water in the desert,

Turn the night to golden day.

In temptation He is near thee

Hold the pow'rs of hell at bay;

Guides you to the path of safety,

Gives you grace for every day.

He will keep thee while the ages

Roll throughout eternity;

Though earth hinders and hell rages,

All must work for good to thee.