BibleVerse

Bible Verses About Gratitude

The Bible's instruction on gratitude is unusually unconditional. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 does not say give thanks for everything but "in every thing give thanks" — gratitude as a stance inside circumstances rather than a reaction to the nice ones. Psalm 107:1 and Psalm 118:1 open and close with the same line — "O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever" — a sentence so central it appears in four different psalms. Colossians 3:17 makes thanksgiving the wrapper around all activity: "whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God." These fifteen verses, in full KJV text, are for practicing the habit rather than merely feeling it.

Quick answer: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 gives the command: "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Psalm 100:4 gives the liturgy of it — "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise" — and James 1:17 gives the reason: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." Colossians 3:17 locates gratitude inside ordinary work and words.

The 15 verses, in full text

01 · King James Version

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

02 · King James Version

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Psalms 100:4

03 · King James Version

For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Psalms 100:5

04 · King James Version

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.

Colossians 3:17

05 · King James Version

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Philippians 4:6

06 · King James Version

O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalms 107:1

07 · King James Version

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

James 1:17

08 · King James Version

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalms 136:1

09 · King James Version

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Ephesians 5:20

10 · King James Version

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

1 Chronicles 16:34

11 · King James Version

I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.

Psalms 9:1

12 · King James Version

Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:7

13 · King James Version

Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Psalms 30:4

14 · King James Version

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Hebrews 12:28

15 · King James Version

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalms 118:1

When to read these verses

Gratitude is one of the few spiritual practices the Bible assigns a schedule to. Psalm 119:164 marks seven times a day; Daniel 6:10 records three; 1 Thessalonians 5:18 covers "every thing." The verses below are used at meals, in morning and evening prayer, at Thanksgiving observances, and — perhaps most usefully — on days when gratitude is an act of will rather than a reflex. Psalm 30:4 and Psalm 9:1 are good starting places on such days because they are themselves deliberate acts of remembering rather than reports of good moods.

How to use this list

Copy a verse from any card and put it where a habit needs the reminder — a kitchen wall, a journal cover, a desk edge. Each card toggles between the King James Version and the World English Bible; "O give thanks unto the LORD" becomes "Give thanks to Yahweh," the same imperative in both. A practical suggestion many readers use: pick one psalm of thanks (Psalm 100 is short enough to memorize) and carry it through a full week, then rotate. The random verse tool above can pull additional gratitude verses one at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Bible verse about gratitude?
1 Thessalonians 5:18 — "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" — is the most comprehensive. Psalm 107:1 and Psalm 118:1 give the shortest recurring line in the Bible's thanksgiving corpus: "O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." Psalm 100:4 is the most-used at gatherings.
What does "in every thing give thanks" mean?
1 Thessalonians 5:18 distinguishes "in every thing" from "for everything" — the command is to give thanks within all circumstances, not to call every circumstance good. The context (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) groups it with two other short, unconditional commands: "Rejoice evermore" and "Pray without ceasing," framing all three as ongoing practices rather than one-time actions.
What verses are good for Thanksgiving and gratitude prayers?
Psalm 100 has been the standard for centuries — seven verses of thanksgiving written for public worship. Psalm 136 alternates its call-and-response refrain — "for his mercy endureth for ever" — through twenty-six verses. Colossians 3:15-17 and Philippians 4:6-7 are the standard New Testament passages, and James 1:17 — "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above" — is the most common one-verse grace before meals.
How many psalms say "give thanks unto the LORD"?
The exact phrase "O give thanks unto the LORD" appears in Psalm 105:1 ("O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name"), 106:1, 107:1, 118:1, and 136:1 — five occurrences of a line that anchors the closing section of the Psalter. Psalm 118:1 and 136:1 pair it with the recurring refrain "for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever."

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