In a world often marked by the hustle and bustle of daily life, it's easy to overlook the simple yet profound act of giving thanks. The Book of Psalms is renowned for its prayers for mercy and praises of thanksgiving. Psalms of Thanksgiving, found within the pages of the Old Testament, offer a timeless and cherished guide to expressing gratitude, celebrating the blessings of life, and connecting with a deeper heart of gratitude for God's blessings. These psalms and hymns resonate with a message of thankfulness that continues to inspire and uplift people today.
Here, we have collected 25 of the best Thanksgiving Psalms to inspire your gratitude for God and the many blessings He provides. The authorship of the Psalms is usually attributed to King David. David, who had a close and personal relationship with God, used the psalms to share his feelings and experiences. He wrote many of them as a way to express his faith, talk about his struggles, and offer praise to God.
David’s psalms teach us several important lessons about giving thanks:
- Thankfulness as a Response to God’s Goodness: David frequently expresses gratitude for God's goodness and faithfulness. For example, in Psalm 107:1, he writes, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” This verse highlights that our thankfulness is a response to God’s inherent goodness and enduring love.
- Thankfulness in All Circumstances: David demonstrates that gratitude isn’t dependent on our circumstances but on God's character. In Psalm 34:1, he says, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Even during difficult times, David chooses to praise and thank God, showing us that thankfulness is an attitude of the heart.
- Thankfulness as a Form of Worship: David sees thankfulness as a vital part of worship. Psalm 100:4 encourages us to “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise,” indicating that thankfulness is integral to approaching God and engaging in worship.
- Thankfulness Amidst Challenges: David’s psalms often reflect his personal struggles and victories. For example, in Psalm 30:12, he writes, “That my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.” His willingness to thank God despite hardships teaches us that gratitude can persist even when life is challenging.
David’s life and writings are a powerful reminder to make thankfulness a daily habit. His example shows us how important it is to recognize God’s goodness, no matter what we're going through. Just like David, we can keep a grateful heart, even in tough times, and let our thankfulness shine through in everything we do. Let's take a page from David's Psalms of Thanksgiving and embrace a life of thankfulness despite our circumstances. As we do, we’ll find that our worship becomes richer, our daily experiences more meaningful, and our hearts more aligned with God’s incredible love and grace.
Write down your favorite Psalms from this list as an inspiration to give thanks in all things to God, say a thanksgiving prayer around the dinner table, and meditate on Thanksgiving Bible verses to keep your mind and heart focused on the full life God has for you.
To help you in thanking God, we created a 30 Days of Gratitude Prayer Guide. Download and see what a difference daily prayers of gratitude can make!
10 Psalms of Thanksgiving to God
Read through some of the best Psalms of thanksgiving for inspiration to have gratitude for your Creator, Almighty God!
Psalm 107:1-9 - Give Thanks to the Lord
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story- those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things
Psalm 103:1-5 - Bless the Lord, Oh My Soul
Of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Psalm 7:17
I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
Psalm 100:1-5 - An Exhortation to Thanksgiving
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 50:14
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,
Psalm 69:30
I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 111
Praise the Lord I will extol the Lord with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate. He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations. The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. hey are established for ever and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness. He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever— holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
Psalm 28:7
The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
10 Psalms of Gratitude
Psalm 75:1
We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.
Psalm 103:2
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
Psalm 31:19
Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!
Psalm 106:1
Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
Psalm 34:1-8
I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Psalm 9:1
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
Psalm 116:17
I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.
Psalm 35:18
I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.
Psalm 147:7-9
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre! He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry.
10 Psalms of Thanksgiving and Praise
Psalm 30:4
Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.
Psalm 50:23
The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!
Psalm 69:30-31
I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.
Psalm 89:1-2
I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
Psalm 92
It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, o the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, LORD, how profound your thoughts! Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever. But you, LORD, are forever exalted.
Psalm 95
Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker
Psalm 147:10-11
His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
Psalm 113
Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD! Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised! The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the LORD!
What Does the Bible Say About Giving Thanks?
Thankfulness is like a thread running through the entire Bible, and it's so much more than just saying "thank you" every now and then. It's about recognizing God's amazing role in our lives and giving Him the glory He so richly deserves. A grateful heart isn’t just a nice gesture; it’s a way to honor God for who He is, how He constantly provides for us, and how He reigns over every aspect of our lives.
When we thank God, we’re acknowledging that He’s in charge and that we’re utterly dependent on His grace and mercy. It’s a beautiful reminder that despite our imperfections, God pours out His love and blessings on us each day.
Here are a few of my favorite Bible verses that really capture the spirit of gratitude and remind us to be thankful in every situation:
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” This verse tells us that no matter what’s going on in our lives, there’s always a reason to give thanks.
- Psalm 107:1: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” It’s a simple yet powerful reminder of God’s unending goodness and love.
- Colossians 3:16-17: “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly... And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” This encourages us to infuse gratitude into everything we do.
- Psalm 100:4: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” This verse invites us to approach God with a heart full of thankfulness and praise.
Read more: 10 Powerful Psalms You Should Pray Regularly
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