Bible Verses About Thanksgiving

The Bible calls God's people to give thanks again and again, in good seasons and in hard ones. The best-known Thanksgiving verse is Psalm 100:4, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise," and the simplest command is 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "In every thing give thanks." Below are King James Version verses about thanksgiving grouped by how you might use them: for hard times, for your Thanksgiving dinner, and short lines for cards, along with a table prayer and a brief look at how Scripture shaped the first American thanksgivings.

In the Bible, thanksgiving is more than good manners. It is a way of remembering what God has done, so that the heart does not forget where every good thing came from. Israel had thank offerings (Leviticus 7:12), whole psalms written for giving thanks, and Levites appointed "to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even" (1 Chronicles 23:30).

What the Bible Says About Giving Thanks

Two passages sum up the Bible's teaching on gratitude. The first is a song Israel sang on the way into worship.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

— Psalm 100:4-5 (KJV)

The Hebrew heading of Psalm 100 calls it "a psalm for thanksgiving," and it may have been sung as worshippers brought their thank offerings to the temple. Notice the reasons it gives. We thank God because he is good, because his mercy does not run out, and because his faithfulness reaches every generation, including ours.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

— 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV)

Paul says "in" every thing, not "for" every thing. He is not asking anyone to be grateful for a diagnosis or a loss. He is saying that in every situation there is still something to thank God for, starting with God himself. Paul wrote these words to a young church that was suffering for its faith (1 Thessalonians 2:14).

Gratitude in Hard Times

Not every Thanksgiving is a happy one. Some families gather with an empty chair, a lost job or a worried heart. The Bible does not ask you to pretend. Some of its most powerful thanksgiving comes from people in trouble.

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

— Habakkuk 3:17-18 (KJV)

For a farming people, this is a picture of total failure: no figs, no grapes, no olives, no grain and no animals. In other words, no harvest at all. Habakkuk's joy does not rest on the harvest. It rests on "the God of my salvation." That is a thanksgiving no bad year can take away.

Daniel is another example. When he learned that a law had been signed to have him thrown to the lions, he went home, opened his windows toward Jerusalem and "gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime" (Daniel 6:10). His gratitude was a daily habit before the crisis came, so it was still there when he needed it most.

Jesus himself gave thanks on the night he was betrayed. At the Last Supper he took bread and "gave thanks" before breaking it (Luke 22:19), knowing the cross was hours away. If you are carrying a heavy burden this year, our page of Bible verses about strength may also help.

Bible Verses for a Thanksgiving Dinner or Table Prayer

Many families like to read a verse before the meal or ask a child to read one aloud. These work well at the table.

O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

— Psalm 107:1 (KJV)

This short line was one of Israel's favorite songs of thanks. The same words appear in several psalms and were sung when the ark of the covenant came to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 16:34).

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

— Psalm 145:15-16 (KJV)

In the King James Version, "meat" means food in general. These two verses have been used as a grace before meals for centuries, in homes, monasteries and schools. They remind us that every meal, even a modest one, comes from God's open hand.

When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

— Deuteronomy 8:10 (KJV)

Moses knew that full stomachs can lead to forgetful hearts, so he warned them against thinking, "My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth" (Deuteronomy 8:17). This is a fitting verse for after the meal, when everyone is full.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

— James 1:17 (KJV)

The food, the people around the table and the health to enjoy it are all gifts. James adds that the Giver does not change: the sun's light shifts and casts moving shadows, but God's goodness stays the same.

A Short Thanksgiving Table Prayer

You can pray these words before your Thanksgiving dinner, or use them as a starting point:

Heavenly Father, thank you for this food and for the hands that prepared it. Thank you for every person at this table and for those we miss today. Every good gift comes from you, and we have received more than we deserve. Bless this meal, bless our time together, and make us generous to those who have less. Your mercy endures forever. In Jesus' name, amen.

Short Thanksgiving Verses for Cards

These short verses fit well in a card, on a place setting or in a social media post:

• "This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
• "I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works." (Psalm 9:1)
• "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." (2 Corinthians 9:15)
• "The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad." (Psalm 126:3)
• "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you." (Philippians 1:3, a lovely line for a card to a friend or family member)
• "O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." (Psalm 136:1)

Psalm 136 repeats "for his mercy endureth for ever" in all 26 of its verses. Some families read it responsively at Thanksgiving: one person reads the first half of each verse, and everyone answers with the refrain.

Gratitude Every Day, Not Just in November

The Bible treats thankfulness as a way of life, not a single holiday.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

— Colossians 3:17 (KJV)

Paul ties gratitude to "whatsoever ye do": work, meals, conversations and chores. Thanks turns ordinary moments into worship.

The Gospels also show how rare real gratitude can be. Jesus healed ten men with leprosy, but only one came back, "and with a loud voice glorified God" (Luke 17:15). Jesus asked, "Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?" (Luke 17:17). The lesson is gentle but clear: it is easy to receive a blessing and forget to say thank you.

A few simple habits can help:

• Keep a gratitude list. Write down three things each day. Psalm 103:2 says "forget not all his benefits," and writing them down is one way not to forget.
• Thank God before asking. Philippians 4:6 joins prayer and thanksgiving together.

How the Bible Shaped the First American Thanksgivings

The American holiday has roots in Scripture. The Pilgrims who settled Plymouth in 1620 were devout English Christians who read the Geneva Bible. In their tradition, a "day of thanksgiving" was a religious holy day set apart for prayer, Scripture and worship when God had shown special mercy.

The famous harvest feast of autumn 1621 was shared with about ninety Wampanoag men and lasted around three days, according to a letter by colonist Edward Winslow. Two years later, in 1623, after a long drought was broken by rain, the colony held a day of thanksgiving in the religious sense: a day of worship to thank God for the rain and the harvest.

Later national proclamations, in 1789 and again in 1863, also called people to give thanks to God, and the late-November date became an annual national holiday from 1863 on. Through all of it, the idea came straight from passages like Psalm 100 and Deuteronomy 8: when God has provided, stop and give thanks.

Making This Thanksgiving Count

Consider reading a whole psalm of thanks together this year, such as Psalm 100, 103 or 136. Psalm 23, with its "my cup runneth over," is another beautiful choice. Daniel kept giving thanks three times a day even when his life was in danger, and you can watch his story in Daniel – The Movie.

▶ Watch the full movieDaniel – The MovieThe Man Who Outlasted Empires. A free 30-minute cinematic film by Epic Bible Movies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Bible verse for Thanksgiving?

Psalm 100:4 is the classic choice: "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise." Psalm 107:1, "O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever," is another favorite because it is short enough for a whole family to say together.

What is a good Bible verse to read at Thanksgiving dinner?

Psalm 145:15-16 has been used as a mealtime grace for centuries: "The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season." Deuteronomy 8:10 is a good choice after the meal, and James 1:17 reminds everyone that every good gift comes from God.

Does the Bible say to give thanks in all circumstances?

Yes. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." It means giving thanks in every situation, not pretending that painful things are good. Even on hard days, God's presence and mercy are still reasons for gratitude.

Is Thanksgiving a Christian holiday?

Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States and Canada, not a church feast like Christmas or Easter. Its American roots, however, lie in the Pilgrims' religious days of thanksgiving, which were based on Bible teaching about thanking God for his provision.

Who gave thanks in the Bible?

Many people did. David wrote psalms of thanks, Daniel gave thanks three times a day even under threat of death (Daniel 6:10), and Jesus gave thanks before feeding the five thousand (John 6:11) and at the Last Supper (Luke 22:19). The one healed leper who returned to thank Jesus is the Bible's best-known picture of gratitude (Luke 17:15-16).

What does "his mercy endureth for ever" mean?

"Mercy" here translates the Hebrew word hesed, which means God's loyal, steadfast love toward his people. To say it "endureth for ever" means it never runs out and never quits. It is the most repeated reason for thanksgiving in the Psalms.