Thanksgiving

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving in the Scriptures, word for word: the psalms of thanks, the one who came back, Scripture songs, studies, and people to spend Friday and Sunday with.

O give thanks to Jehovah, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever.

Thanksgiving in Scripture

Enter His gates with thanksgiving

Every verse below is quoted word for word from the KJ3 Literal Translation, with its [brackets]. Tap a verse number or a reference to open it in the Bible Reader.

From the Psalms and the Old Testament

Psalm 100

1 A Psalm of Thanksgiving. Shout joyfully to Jehovah, all the land.

2 Worship Jehovah with gladness; come before His face with joyful singing.

3 Know that Jehovah, He [is] God; He has made us, and not we ourselves, His people and the flock of His pasture.

4 Enter [into] His gates with thanksgiving, into His courts with praise; give thanks to Him; bless His name.

5 For Jehovah [is] good; His mercy is everlasting, and His faithfulness to generation and generation.

Psalm 100 KJ3 · chapter guide

Hebrew: “Thanksgiving” in the heading and in verse 4 is תּוֹדָה tôdâ. “Give thanks” in verse 4 is יָדָה yādâ.

The whole psalm is five verses. Its heading in the KJ3 is “A Psalm of Thanksgiving.”

Psalm 136

1 O give thanks to Jehovah, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever.

2 O give thanks to the God of gods; for His mercy [endures] forever.

3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords; for His mercy [endures] forever;

4 to Him who alone does great wonders; for His mercy [endures] forever;

5 to Him who by understanding made the heavens; for His mercy [endures] forever;

6 to Him who spread the earth on the waters; for His mercy [endures] forever;

7 to Him who made great lights; for His mercy [endures] forever;

8 the sun to rule by day; for His mercy [endures] forever;

9 the moon and the stars to rule by night; for His mercy [endures] forever;

10 to Him who struck Egypt in her first-born; for His mercy [endures] forever;

11 and brought Israel out from among them; for His mercy [endures] forever;

12 with a strong hand and a stretched out arm; for His mercy [endures] forever;

13 to Him who divided the Sea of Reeds into parts; for His mercy [endures] forever;

14 and made Israel pass through the middle of it; for His mercy [endures] forever;

15 but shook Pharaoh and his army off in the Sea of Reeds; for His mercy [endures] forever;

16 to Him who led His people in the wilderness; for His mercy endures forever;

17 to Him who struck great kings; for His mercy [endures] forever;

18 and killed majestic kings; for His mercy [endures] forever;

19 Sihon, king of the Amorites; for His mercy endures forever;

20 and Og, the king of Bashan; for His mercy [endures] forever;

21 and gave their land for an inheritance; for His mercy [endures] forever;

22 an inheritance to His servant Israel; for His mercy [endures] forever;

23 who remembered us in our low estate; for His mercy [endures] forever;

24 and [He] has turned us away from our adversaries; for His mercy [endures] forever;

25 who gives food to all flesh; for His mercy [endures] forever.

26 O give thanks to the God of Heaven; for His mercy [endures] forever.

Psalm 136 KJ3 · chapter guide

Hebrew: “Give thanks” in verses 1, 2, 3 and 26 is יָדָה yādâ.

Every one of its 26 verses ends with the same refrain. Between the opening calls to give thanks and the last one, the psalm names what God has done: the heavens and the earth (verses 5–6), the sun, moon and stars (7–9), the way out of Egypt (10–15), the wilderness and the land (16–22), and food for all flesh (25).

Psalm 107

1 Give thanks to Jehovah, for [He is] good; for His mercy [endures] forever.

8 Let them thank Jehovah [for] His mercy, and His wonders to the sons of man.

Psalm 107:1, 8 KJ3 · chapter guide

Hebrew: “Give thanks” in verse 1 and “thank” in verse 8 are יָדָה yādâ.

A call like verse 8 comes back three more times in this psalm: verse 15, verse 21 and verse 31.

Psalm 92

1 A Psalm, A Song for the Sabbath Day. [It is] good to give thanks to Jehovah, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;

2 to make Your mercy known in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night;

Psalm 92:1–2 KJ3 · chapter guide

His mercy in the morning, and His faithfulness every night.

Psalm 95

1 O come, let us sing to Jehovah; let us shout to the Rock of our salvation.

2 Let us go before His face with praise; let us shout to Him with songs.

Psalm 95:1–2 KJ3 · chapter guide

Psalm 103

1 Of David. Bless Jehovah, O my soul, and all within me, [bless] His holy name.

2 Bless Jehovah, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits;

3 [He] who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases;

4 who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you [with] kindness and tender mercies;

5 who satisfies your desire with good; your youth is renewed like an eagle.

Psalm 103:1–5 KJ3 · chapter guide

The psalm opens with David speaking to his own soul, and then lists the benefits not to forget.

1 Chronicles 16

8 O give thanks to Jehovah; call on His name, make known His deeds among the peoples.

34 Give thanks to Jehovah, for [He is] good; for His mercy [endures] forever.

1 Chronicles 16:8, 34 KJ3 · chapter guide

Hebrew: “Give thanks” in both verses is יָדָה yādâ.

These words come from the day the ark of God was brought into the tent David had pitched for it (1 Chronicles 16:1, 16:7).

From the Gospels and the letters

The one who came back

11 And it happened in His going to Jerusalem even He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

12 And He entering into a certain village, ten leprous men met Him, who stood afar off.

13 And they lifted their voice, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

14 And seeing [them], He said to them, Going, show yourselves to the priests. And it happened in their going they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, seeing that he was cured, returned glorifying God with a loud voice,

16 and fell on his face at His feet, thanking Him. And he was a Samaritan.

17 And answering, Jesus said, Were not the ten cleansed? But where are the nine?

18 Were not [any] found returning to give glory to God except this foreigner?

19 And He said to him, Rising up, go! Your faith has cured you.

Luke 17:11–19 KJ3 · chapter guide

Greek: “thanking” in verse 16 is εὐχαριστέω eucharisteō.

Ten men were cleansed on the way. One of them turned back, glorifying God, and fell at the feet of Jesus, thanking Him. Jesus asked where the nine were.

Philippians 4

6 Be anxious about nothing, but in everything by prayer and by petition with thanksgivings, let your requests be made known to God;

7 and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6–7 KJ3 · chapter guide

Greek: “thanksgivings” is εὐχαριστία eucharistia.

Thanksgiving goes with the requests, and the next verse speaks of the peace of God guarding the heart and the mind.

Colossians 3

15 And let [the] peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you also were called in one body, and [coming to be] thankful.

16 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 And every [thing], whatever you [do] in word or in work, do all things in [the] name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:15–17 KJ3 · chapter guide

Greek: “thankful” in verse 15 is εὐχάριστος eucharistos; “giving thanks” in verse 17 is εὐχαριστέω eucharisteō.

Ephesians 5

20 giving thanks at all times for all things in [the] name of our Lord Jesus Christ, even to God the Father,

Ephesians 5:20 KJ3 · chapter guide

Daniel 6

10 And when he had learned that the writing was signed, Daniel went to his house. And his windows [were] open in his roof room toward Jerusalem. He knelt on his knees three times in the day, and prayed and praised before his God, as he was doing before.

Daniel 6:10 KJ3 · chapter guide

The king had just signed the decree (Daniel 6:9). Daniel went home and did as he had done before.

All 20 thanksgiving psalms

The site’s Psalms summaries group these 20 psalms as thanksgiving psalms. Each opens its summary and key verse.

Songs

Scripture set to music

Bible Ministries International’s own recordings, the words taken from the passage named on each song. Press play here, or open the song on the Scripture Music page.

A Song of Ascents

Song from Psalm 126 · 2:00

5Those who sow in tears shall reap with a ringing cry of joy. 6Walking [he who] walks and weeps, bearing a trail of seed, shall come again with a ringing cry of joy, bearing his sheaves.

Open on the Scripture Music page

Taste and See — A Psalm of David

Song from Psalm 34 · 5:02

1A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech; and he drove him away, and he went. I will bless Jehovah at all times; His praise shall always be in my mouth.

Open on the Scripture Music page

Habakkuk's Prayer

Song from Habakkuk 3:1-19 · 6:24

17Though the fig tree shall not blossom, and fruit [is] not on the vines; the product of the olive fails, and the fields make no food; the flock is cut off from the fold, and no herd is in the stalls, 18yet I will exult in Jehovah; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

Open on the Scripture Music page

All Scripture songs

Study further

Guides, studies and devotionals

Chapter guides

A guide to each chapter quoted on this page.

Prayer, Petition, Thanksgiving

The study of Philippians 4:6 in From Divided to Whole. Open the tab “The Three-Part Structure.”

From Divided to Whole

What the Bible Says About Anxiety

Built on Philippians 4:6–7, every verse in the KJ3.

Read the page

Light for Your Path

Understanding Blessing (17:15). Four faithful responses to God’s generosity: honest gratitude, generous stewardship, righteous lament, radical contentment. Key verse 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
Watch on YouTube

Breaking Free from Anxiety (10:03). Discovering peace through prayer, gratitude practices, and anchoring trust in God’s unchanging promises. Key verse Philippians 4:6–7.
Watch on YouTube

All Light for Your Path devotionals

If this season is hard

You don’t have to spend it alone

For some, this week brings an empty chair, a long illness, or a quiet house. The same Scriptures that call us to give thanks also speak to the broken-hearted.

He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their sorrows.

Psalm 147:3 KJ3

17 Though the fig tree shall not blossom, and fruit [is] not on the vines; the product of the olive fails, and the fields make no food; the flock is cut off from the fold, and no herd is in the stalls, 18 yet I will exult in Jehovah; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:17–18 KJ3

Friday Seminar

Fridays, 4:00 to about 5:30 PM Pacific · online

A Friday Seminar where we share what’s happening in our lives. Ernst and Lindy host. You join by video in BMI Studio, from your browser: type your name and go in. You can also join with just your voice, or to watch and listen.

About the Friday Seminar Join on Friday

For the week of Thanksgiving, check the Friday Seminar page.

Sunday Bible Study

Sundays, 2:30 PM Pacific / 5:30 PM Eastern · live online

Who Is My Neighbor? One story, read together each week. Join live, listen in, or send a question.

About the Sunday study Join on Sunday

If you are in crisis or thinking about ending your life, call or text 988 (the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S., 24/7).

At night

The Quiet Hour

A live broadcast, day and night: the Bible read aloud in the KJ3, Scripture set to music, and the Light for Your Path devotional. It has a sleep timer.

Listen to the Quiet Hour

Ask Sparrow

Ask a question

Sparrow is the guide on this site. Tap a question to ask it, or open the Guide button and ask in your own words.

But thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.