30 Psalms That Remind Us of Why We Celebrate Thanksgiving

Renee Hanlon

November 23, 2023 at 9:39 PM·6 min read

When you think of Thanksgiving Day, what is the first thing that comes to mind? For many of us, the first thing we think about is the feast and the gathering with family or friends. It's a tradition that we have come to love and look forward to each year. However, it's also good to remember why we have Thanksgiving. It's a time to reflect on all that we are thankful for. And if you need some inspiration, the book of Psalms (or "Psalter") has you covered.

There are so many Psalms of Thanksgiving that focus on gratitude. Reading through them will help our hearts get into the right posture and set a tone of thankfulness before partaking in the Thanksgiving dinner this year.

One phrase or verse that we see over and over in the Psalms is "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." We have a good God who loves us and this is something to be praised. Even in difficult times, we can be thankful for all He has blessed us with.

Whether you want to read through these Bible verses in Psalms for your own meditation or wish to recite them before dinner, these 30 Psalms of praise and thanksgiving will put your heart where it needs to be.

What Are Psalms?

The book of Psalms is in the Old Testament of the Bible, preceding Proverbs. The psalms are songs or poems—many of which were written to be accompanied by a string instrument. While some of the Psalms are "Psalms of lament," a great deal of them are known as "Psalms of thanksgiving," which include songs and prayers of praise.

30 Psalms of Thanksgiving

1. I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. –Psalm 7:17

2. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. –Psalm 28:7

3. You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever. –Psalm 30:11-12

4. Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations. –Psalm 100

5. I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you. –Psalm 35:18

6. We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds. –Psalm 75:1

7. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. –Psalm 107:1

8. You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. –Psalm 118:28-29

9. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. –Psalm 150

10. 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. –Psalm 95:1-2

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11. Praise the Lord. I will extol the Lord with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. –Psalm 111:1

12. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. –Psalm 44:8

13. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created. –Psalm 148:5

14. It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night. –Psalm 92:1-2

15. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. –Psalm 86:12

16. I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. –Psalm 89:1

17. Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you, and you will honor me. –Psalm 50:14-15

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18. I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. –Psalm 69:30

19. Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. –Psalm 147:7

20. I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. –Psalm 57:9

Thanksgiving Psalms

21. I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of your wonders. –Psalm 9:1

22. Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. –Psalm 105:1

23. I am under vows to you, O God; I will present my thank offerings to you. –Psalm 56:12

24. I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord. –Psalm 116:17

25. Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. –Psalm 118:19

26. I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Psalm 34:1-2

27. I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. –Psalm 138:1-2

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