Thankfulness

Thankfulness for God’s goodness

Psalm 100:4–5 NASB 2020

4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courtyards with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. 5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting And His faithfulness is to all generations.

2170 I have not always found it easy to practice this duty; this I confess to my shame. When suffering extreme pain some time ago, a brother in Christ said to me, “Have you thanked God for this?” I replied that I desired to be patient, and would be thankful to recover. “But,” said he, “in everything give thanks, not after it is over, but while you are still in it, and perhaps when you are enabled to give thanks for the severe pain, it will cease.” I believe that there was much force in that good advice.—19.64

Charles Spurgeon

See also 1 Ch 16:8; 1 Ch 16:34–35; 2 Ch 7:3–6; Ezr 3:10–11; Ps 68:19; Ps 106:1; Ps 116:12–14; Ps 136:1–3; Ps 136:26; Is 63:7; 1 Th 5:18; Heb 12:28

Thankfulness for deliverance

From adversity

Psalm 35:9–10 NASB 2020

9 So my soul shall rejoice in the Lord; It shall rejoice in His salvation. 10 All my bones will say, “Lord, who is like You, Who rescues the afflicted from one who is too strong for him, And the afflicted and the poor from one who robs him?”

See also Ps 31:7–8; Ps 31:21–23; Ps 44:6–8; Ps 66:8–9; Ps 66:16–20; Ps 103:1–5

From slavery in Egypt

Exodus 15:20–21 NASB 2020

20 Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. 21 And Miriam answered them, “Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”

See also Ex 15:1–18; Ps 105:1–45; Ps 136:1–26

From the power of death

1 Corinthians 15:53–57 NASB 2020

53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. 55 Where, O death, is your victory? where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thankfulness for answered prayer

1 Samuel 2:1–10 (NASB 2020)

1 Then Hannah prayed and said, “My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. 2 “There is no one holy like the Lord, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. 3 “Do not go on boasting so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the Lord is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed. 4 “The bows of the mighty are broken to pieces, But those who have stumbled strap on strength. 5 “Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, But those who were hungry cease to be hungry. Even the infertile woman gives birth to seven, But she who has many children languishes. 6 “The Lord puts to death and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and brings up. 7 “The Lord makes poor and rich; He humbles, He also exalts. 8 “He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the garbage heap To seat them with nobles, And He gives them a seat of honor as an inheritance; For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He set the world on them. 9 “He watches over the feet of His godly ones, But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; For not by might shall a person prevail. 10 “Those who contend with the Lord will be terrified; Against them He will thunder in the heavens, The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength to His king, And will exalt the horn of His anointed.”

See also Ps 30:1–12; Ps 66:16–20; Ps 138:1–5; Jn 11:40

Thankfulness for others

Philemon 4 NASB 2020

4 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,

See also Ne 11:17; Ro 1:8; Php 4:6; Col 1:10; Col 4:2; 1 Ti 2:1; 2 Ti 1:3

Thankfulness for Jesus Christ

2 Corinthians 9:15 NASB 2020

15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

See also Lk 2:25–32; Lk 2:36–38; Col 2:6; Col 3:15–17

Thankfulness for God’s provision

Matthew 14:19 NASB 2020

19 And ordering the crowds to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looked up toward heaven. He blessed the food and breaking the loaves, He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

See also Ps 147:7–9; Mt 15:36; Mt 26:26–27; Lk 24:30; Ac 27:35; Ro 14:6; 1 Ti 4:3

Means of expressing thankfulness to God

In song

Ephesians 5:19–20 NASB 2020

19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father;

See also Ps 69:30; Ps 95:2; Ps 96:1; Is 55:12

In music

Ps 27:6; Ps 92:1–3

In dance

Psalm 149:3 NASB 2020

3 They shall praise His name with dancing; They shall sing praises to Him with tambourine and lyre.

In worship

Ps 95:2; Ps 100:4; Heb 12:28