Thanksgiving Bible Verses: 12 Scriptures About Giving Thanks

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name."

— Psalm 100:4 (NIV)

People who search bible verses about thanksgiving want Scripture for a holiday table, a hard week that still holds gifts, or a prayer life that always asks and rarely thanks — not a seasonal card list. This page is a numbered list of twelve passages with the NIV text and a short note on each, then a short set of verses for Thanksgiving Day to read at the table. Related lists: Bible verses for Thanksgiving, Bible verses about gratitude, Bible verses about praise, Bible verses about prayer, Bible verses about joy, and Love and gratitude. Here the focus is the act of giving thanks to God — distinct from gratitude as a settled heart posture (Bible verses about gratitude) and from praise as naming his worth (Bible verses about praise).

Word study (lead theme). In Hebrew, "give thanks" is often יָדָה yadah (Strong's H3034; Bible Hub H3034) — to throw the hand out, confess, praise, thank — thanksgiving as open acknowledgment. In Greek, εὐχαριστέω eucharisteō (Strong's G2168; Bible Hub G2168) is to be thankful, give thanks — the word behind "eucharist," gratitude spoken.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalm 100 presses entering God's presence with thanksgiving as the right door, not bare duty (Bible Hub commentaries on Psalm 100:4; Bible Hub MHC Psalm 100). On Colossians 3 he marks singing and thanksgiving as the natural overflow when Christ's word dwells richly (Bible Hub commentaries on Colossians 3:16; Bible Hub MHC Colossians 3).

12 Bible verses about thanksgiving

Psalm 100:4. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." Thanksgiving is the doorway into God's presence. See Bible verses about praise.
Psalm 50:14-15. "Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." Thanksgiving still belongs on a day of trouble, with hope of deliverance. See Bible verses about hope and Bible verses about worry.
1 Timothy 4:4-5. "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer." Ordinary gifts, including what a working day provides, are received with thanksgiving. See Bible verses about work.
Psalm 116:17. "I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord." Coming to God starts with a thank offering, then calling on his name. See Bible verses about worship.
Ephesians 1:16. "I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers." Thanksgiving stays inside prayer, not only after it. See Bible verses about prayer.
Psalm 136:26. "Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever." Thanksgiving rests on God's lasting love. See Bible verses about God's love.
Psalm 118:1. "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." The refrain of forever love trains repeated thanks. See Bible verses about faithfulness.
Colossians 4:2. "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Watchful prayer stays thankful, not only urgent. See Bible verses about prayer.
Romans 1:8. "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world." Thanksgiving includes telling what God has done through people's faith. See Bible verses about faith.
1 Chronicles 29:13. "Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name." Thanksgiving is spoken thanks, aimed at God's name.
2 Corinthians 9:11. "You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." Generosity is meant to multiply thanksgiving. See Bible verses about generosity.
Jonah 2:9. "But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, 'Salvation comes from the Lord.'" Even from the deep, thanksgiving and praise can rise. See Bible verses about salvation.

Bible verses for Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day in the United States falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026. If you want one Scripture to read before the meal, these are short enough to say out loud at the table, write on a place card, or send in a family text. For a longer holiday list, see Bible verses for Thanksgiving. Hosting this year? See Bible verses about hospitality for verses on welcoming guests.

Deuteronomy 8:10. "When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you." A full table is a reason to remember the Giver.
Psalm 145:15-16. "The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing." A long-used table grace: the food in front of us came from God's open hand.
Psalm 107:1. "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." One line the whole table can say together.
Psalm 126:3. "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." A prompt to go around the table and name this year's gifts.
1 Thessalonians 5:18. "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." For the year there is an empty chair at the table. See Bible verses about hope.

A short Thanksgiving table prayer from these verses. "Lord, you are good, and your love endures forever. The eyes of all look to you, and today you have opened your hand to us. Thank you for this food, for the people at this table, and for the ones we miss. Teach us to give thanks in all circumstances. In Jesus' name, amen."

How to use these verses

Pick one verse for a holiday meal, a week of asking without thanking, or a hard circumstance that still holds gifts — not twelve. If you need the doorway into God's presence, start with Psalm 100:4. If you need thanks in hard weather, start with Psalm 50:14-15. If you need prayer that stays thankful, start with Colossians 4:2. For gratitude as a heart posture, see Bible verses about gratitude. For praise as naming God's worth, see Bible verses about praise. For the land flowing with milk and honey, open Bible verses about the land of milk and honey. For a daily verse, open Bible verse of the day.

Questions people ask

What Bible verse is good for Thanksgiving Day?

Deuteronomy 8:10 and Psalm 145:15-16 fit a meal, and Psalm 107:1 is short enough for the whole table to say together. The Thanksgiving Day section above has five verses and a short table prayer.

Is Thanksgiving in the Bible?

The American holiday is not, but thanksgiving runs all through Scripture: thank offerings (Psalm 50:14 and Psalm 116:17), entering God's gates with thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4), and Paul's call to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

What is a good Bible verse about thanksgiving?

Psalm 100:4 (enter with thanksgiving), Psalm 50:14-15 (thanks in the day of trouble), and Colossians 4:2 (watchful and thankful prayer) are clear starting places.

What does the Bible say about giving thanks?

Scripture presents thanksgiving as the doorway into God's presence (Psalm 100:4), a thank offering in the day of trouble (Psalm 50:14-15), and the companion of watchful prayer (Colossians 4:2).

What is a Bible verse about thanksgiving in hard times?

Psalm 50:14-15 pairs a thank offering with the day of trouble. Jonah 2:9 shows grateful praise rising even from the deep.

How does thanksgiving relate to gratitude and praise?

Gratitude is the settled heart (Bible verses about gratitude); praise names God's worth (Bible verses about praise). Thanksgiving is the act of giving thanks that links both to God in prayer.

How can I use Bible verses about thanksgiving in prayer?

Read Psalm 100:4 before requests. Use Colossians 4:2 to keep prayer watchful and thankful, and Psalm 50:14-15 when circumstances feel thankless.

Sources

NIV text quoted above.
Blue Letter Bible / Bible Hub Strong's entries for yadah (H3034) and eucharisteō (G2168).
Matthew Henry Concise via Bible Hub on Psalm 100:4 and Colossians 3:16.