Overview
The Bible addresses thanksgiving across 93 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Psalms, 1 Chronicles and Romans. Closely related themes include Praise, Thankfulness, Commandments and Music. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Jesus, David, Hezekiah and Daniel.
Key Bible verses about thanksgiving
Old Testament
1 Chronicles
And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:
Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.
And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;
Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly,
And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.
And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the LORD, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.
Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.
Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.
But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. be able: Heb. retain, or, obtain strength of thine: Heb. of thine hand
2 Chronicles
Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)
It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD.
Nehemiah
And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer: and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.
Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:
So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:
Psalms
Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. give: or, confess
Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. at: or, to the memorial
To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. my glory: that is, my tongue, or, my soul
I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. much: Heb. strong
Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
To the chief Musician, Altaschith, A Psalm or Song of Asaph. Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare. Altaschith: or, Destroy not of: or, for
A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. come: Heb. prevent his face
Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. at: or, to the memorial
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.
Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Praise: Heb. Hallelujah
O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Daniel
I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
New Testament
Matthew
Luke
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. Jerusalem: or, Israel
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
John
And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
Acts
And when he had thus spoken he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.
And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.
Romans
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. which: Gr. whereto ye were delivered
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? the body: or, this body of death
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. regardeth: or, observeth
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.
Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. bountifulness: or, liberality: Gr. simplicity
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
Ephesians
Philippians
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, remembrance: or, mention
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Colossians
We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
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.
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
1 Thessalonians
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Timothy
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; exhort: or, desire
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
Revelation
And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
People in the Bible and thanksgiving
Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.
In the Bible dictionary
Studying thanksgiving for yourself
- Begin with 1 Chronicles 16:4, then read the passages below in canonical order.
- Compare how Psalms, 1 Chronicles and Romans each treat the theme.
- Consider the lives of Jesus, David and Hezekiah and how their stories intersect with it.
- Widen the study to related themes: Praise, Thankfulness, Commandments and Music.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about thanksgiving?
The Bible addresses thanksgiving across 93 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Psalms, 1 Chronicles and Romans. Closely related themes include Praise, Thankfulness, Commandments and Music. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Jesus, David, Hezekiah and Daniel.
How many Bible verses are about thanksgiving?
The Bible references thanksgiving in 93 verses (King James Version).
Where does the Bible first mention thanksgiving?
In canonical order, the first of these passages is 1 Chronicles 16:4: “And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:”
Which people in the Bible are associated with thanksgiving?
Jesus, David, Hezekiah, Daniel and Paul.
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