As a federal holiday, Thanksgiving was never tied to one religion. The day was proclaimed a holiday by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 during the height of the Civil War.
Lincoln wrote, “I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”
Since that time this simple holiday has been celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November by people of all faiths and backgrounds. You may want to use thanks-giving Bible verses to help you observe the “day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father.” Here is a list of 18 verses for you to contemplate.
- And now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name (1 Chronicles 29:13).
- I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving (Psalm 69:30).
- Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! (Psalm 95:2)
- Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name (Psalm 100:4).
- Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 106:1).
- You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you. (Psalm 118:28).
- Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre (Psalm 147:7).
- Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish (Mark 6:41-43).
- I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:4).
- But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57).
- But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him (2 Corinthians 2:14).
- He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us (2 Corinthians 9:10-11).
- Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:18-21).
- I thank my God every time I remember you (Philippians 1:3).
- Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6).
- And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:17).
- We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly (1 Thessalonians 1:2).
- We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing (2 Thessalonians 1:3).
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