Now supper was ready, the table spread, and all things set on the board. So they sat down, and did eat, when one had given thanks. And the Interpreter did usually entertain those that lodged with him with music at meals; so the minstrels played. There was also one that did sing; and a very fine voice he had.
His song was this:
“The Lord is only my support And He that doth me feed: How can I, then want anything Where of I stand in need?”
Notes and Commentary
At last the pilgrims sit down to a table spread with a fine meal. They have been anticipating this feast since arriving at the Interpreter’s House. Before they can continue the long journey ahead, they need nourishment and strength. The meal they enjoy highlights several important biblical truths.
O give thanks to the Lord for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 118:1)
Below is a list of psalm settings, hymns, and spiritual songs that focus on giving thanks to the Lord.
If you have additional suggestions for songs related to thanksgiving that should be included in the index, please comment or send me a message.
Note: The songs are listed below by title and author. For more complete entries (including tunes and hymnal page numbers) see the page for Songs and Thanksgiving in the Theological Index of Music for Worship online. I will be updating the online Index with more songs and topics in the days ahead as I receive recommendations.
Songs and Thanksgiving
1. It is good to give thanks to the Lord
All People That on Earth Do Dwell—Psalm 100 (William Kethe / Thomas Ken)
How Good It Is to Thank the Lord—Psalm 92:1–9, 12–15 (The Psalter, 1912)
It Is Good to Sing Your Praises (The New Metrical Version of the Psalms, 1909)
2. All people should praise and thank the Lord
All People That on Earth Do Dwell—Psalm 100 (William Kethe / Thomas Ken)
Let All Things Now Living (Katherine Davis)
Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart (Edward Plumptre)
3. Give thanks for who God is
10,000 Reasons – Bless the Lord (Jonas Myrin / Matt Redman)
All People That on Earth Do Dwell—Psalm 100 (William Kethe / Thomas Ken)
Be Exalted, O God—Psalm 57:9–11 (Brent Chambers)
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing (Robert Robinson)
For the Beauty of the Earth (Folliott Pierpoint)
Forever (Chris Tomlin)
Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Thomas O. Chisholm)
How Good It Is to Thank the Lord—Psalm 92:1–9, 12–15 (The Psalter, 1912)
Let All Things Now Living (Katherine Davis)
Let Us with a Gladsome Mind—Psalm 136 (John Milton)
My Heart Is Filled with Thankfulness (Stuart Townend / Keith Getty)
Now Thank We All Our God (Martin Rinkert / Catherine Winkworth)
Rejoice, the Lord Is King (Charles Wesley)
With Grateful Heart My Thanks I Bring—Psalm 138 (The Psalter, 1912)
4. Give thanks for life and daily provision
All People That on Earth Do Dwell—Psalm 100 (William Kethe / Thomas Ken)
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come (Henry Alford)
For the Beauty of the Earth (Folliott Pierpoint)
Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Thomas O. Chisholm)
It Is Good to Sing Your Praises (The New Metrical Version of the Psalms, 1909)
Let All Things Now Living (Katherine Davis)
Let Us with a Gladsome Mind—Psalm 136 (John Milton)
My Heart Is Filled with Thankfulness (Stuart Townend / Keith Getty)
Now Thank We All Our God (Martin Rinkert / Catherine Winkworth)
5. Give thanks for salvation and eternal life
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing (Robert Robinson)
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come (Henry Alford)
Father I Thank You (Jeremy & Adrienne Camp, David & Natalie Leonard)
Forever (Chris Tomlin)
Give Thanks (Henry Smith)
Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Thomas O. Chisholm)
Jesus Thank You (Pat Sczebel)
My Heart Is Filled with Thankfulness (Stuart Townend / Keith Getty)
Rejoice, the Lord Is King (Charles Wesley)
Thank You, Lord (Seth and Bessie Skies)
There Is a Redeemer (Melody Green)
With Grateful Heart My Thanks I Bring—Psalm 138 (The Psalter, 1912)
Worthy Is the Lamb (Darlene Zschech)
6. Begin each day with thanksgiving
10,000 Reasons – Bless the Lord (Jonas Myrin / Matt Redman)
How Good It Is to Thank the Lord—Psalm 92:1–9, 12–15 (The Psalter, 1912)
It Is Good to Sing Your Praises (The New Metrical Version of the Psalms, 1909)
7. Conclude each day with thanksgiving
10,000 Reasons – Bless the Lord (Jonas Myrin / Matt Redman)
A Prayer for God’s Presence (Ken Puls)
How Good It Is to Thank the Lord—Psalm 92:1–9, 12–15 (The Psalter, 1912)
It Is Good to Sing Your Praises (The New Metrical Version of the Psalms, 1909)
8. Give thanks to the Lord in gathered worship (with the church)
We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise (Kirk C. Dearman)
We Gather Together (Adrianas Valerius, Theodore Baker)
We Give Thanks (Drew Hodge)
With Grateful Heart My Thanks I Bring—Psalm 138 (The Psalter, 1912)
9. Give thanks to the Lord before a watching world
Be Exalted, O God—Psalm 57:9–11 (Brent Chambers)
With Grateful Heart My Thanks I Bring—Psalm 138 (The Psalter, 1912)
10. Give thanks to the Lord with joy
All People That on Earth Do Dwell—Psalm 100 (William Kethe / Thomas Ken)
He Has Made Me Glad—Psalm 100:4 (Leona Von Brethorst)
How Good It Is to Thank the Lord—Psalm 92:1–9, 12–15 (The Psalter, 1912)
It Is Good to Sing Your Praises (The New Metrical Version of the Psalms, 1909)
Let All Things Now Living (Katherine Davis)
Now Thank We All Our God (Martin Rinkert / Catherine Winkworth)
Rejoice, the Lord Is King (Charles Wesley)
Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart (Edward Plumptre)
We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise (Kirk C. Dearman)
11. Give thanks to the Lord even in times of trial and sorrow
Blessed Be Your Name (Matt & Beth Redman)
Count Your Blessings (Johnson Oatman, Jr.)
Father I Thank You (Jeremy & Adrienne Camp, David & Natalie Leonard)
Now Thank We All Our God (Martin Rinkert / Catherine Winkworth)
Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart (Edward Plumptre)
With Grateful Heart My Thanks I Bring—Psalm 138 (The Psalter, 1912)
12. Give thanks to the Lord always
10,000 Reasons – Bless the Lord (Jonas Myrin / Matt Redman)
All People That on Earth Do Dwell—Psalm 100 (William Kethe / Thomas Ken)
Father I Thank You (Jeremy & Adrienne Camp, David & Natalie Leonard)
He Has Made Me Glad—Psalm 100:4 (Leona Von Brethorst)
For more complete entries (including tunes and hymnal page numbers) see the online Index:
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night, On an instrument of ten strings, On the lute, And on the harp, With harmonious sound.” (Psalm 92:1–3)
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord.” And it is good to share and celebrate thanksgiving with music. If you play classical guitar, here are a few hymns for you to enjoy:
For the Beauty of the Earth We Gather Together Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Now Thank We All Our God Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
You can download free sheet music for these hymns (and more) here:
You are welcome to copy and share these hymns with friends and fellow guitarists. You can use them for accompanying congregational singing, playing prelude or offertory music, or simply playing for your own enjoyment. Please copy the full page with the website address and the “Used by Permission” notice at the bottom (see Permissions).
Excerpt from: “Reforming Church Music” A Paper presented at the 2001 Founders Conference
Ken Puls
God has purpose and intent in including music as an element of worship. The Bible has much to say about music and its role in worship. The following list summarizes seven roles that will help us define the purpose of music in worship.
1. Music is a primary means of praising God. The majority of references to music in the Bible, including verses that teach about music, as well as Psalms and other passages that are the texts to songs, are in the context of praising God. Through music we exalt, glorify, honor, bless, and adore God. We marvel at the perfection of His character, attributes, gifts, names, and works, ascribing to Him in song all that He is! The Psalter itself culminates in praise:
Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! (Psalm 150:1–2)
Music exists first and foremost to the glory and praise of God and Scripture convincingly bears this out.
2. Music is a primary means of giving thanks to God. Thanksgiving is a grateful acknowledgment or public confession of the goodness of God manifest in what He has done for His people. It is a grateful response to God for His deliverance, healing, forgiveness, salvation, and other blessings that He brings to us. Music accompanies thanksgiving in worship:
Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart In the company of the upright and in the convocation. (Psalm 111:1)
Thanksgiving is also sung in the context of evangelism:
I will give thanks to You among the peoples, O Lord; I will sing praises to You among the nations. (Psalm 57:9)
As with praise, references in Scripture to giving thanks most often occur in song.
3. Music serves as a means of prayer. Many of the songs and psalms of Scripture are addressed directly to God. David, for example, in Psalms 4 and 5 pours out his heart to God, brings petitions and asks for help and mercy. Throughout the Psalter, psalmists lament over sorrows, anguish over difficulties, confess their sinfulness, rejoice over God’s kindness, celebrate His goodness, and express numerous other emotions as they pour out their hearts before Him. Music can serve as invocation, petition, supplication, intercession, repentance, lamentation, and other forms of prayer, lifting our concerns before God.
4. Music serves as a means to proclaim truth. As we sing praise, thanksgiving, and prayer we voice our words to God, but music can also bring God’s Word to us. We can sing the words of Scripture, Psalms and other passages set to music. We can also teach and admonish one another in song with the truths of Scripture. Psalm 1, for example, is a didactic song that teaches us the difference between the blessed and the ungodly. Music helps us to remember and meditate on the truths of Scripture. It serves alongside preaching as a means of proclamation, edifying the church and evangelizing the lost, as it provides an emotional context in which we can interpret, understand, and express the truths of God’s Word.
5. Music serves as a means of exhortation. Music lifts our words to God in prayer and brings God’s Word to us in proclamation, but it can also voice our words to one another. Psalm 95, for example, is a call to worship. We exhort one another with the words:
Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. (Psalm 95:1–2)
Through music God’s people speak to one another, stirring up one another to good works. Music can call us to worship, exhort us to love and serve one another, encourage us to live in obedience to God’s Word, admonish us to flee from sin and pursue holiness, and enjoin us to go out and witness and share the gospel.
6. Music serves as a means to confess our faith. With music God’s people can express common beliefs and doctrines as one voice. In the Old Testament Israel rehearsed their faith and history through music. Psalm 118, for example, is a public confession of the goodness and enduring mercy of God. The New Testament contains several confessional statements such as 2 Timothy 2:11 that many scholars believe are fragments of early hymns. Music provides an effective way to unite in declaring our confessions of faith.
Perhaps the most notable example of this in church history is the “Doxology,” written by Thomas Ken in 1709, a musical affirmation of the doctrine of the Trinity:
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
7. Finally, music serves as a means of enriching worship with beauty. According to Scripture, singing praise to God is pleasant and beautiful. Psalm 147:1 reads:
Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.
It is good when we unite our voices together in singing to God. Music provides a beautiful garb in which we dress our words and actions in worship. It is a pleasant means of joining together to express our love and devotion to God in worship.These are seven roles or functions of music that God affirms in His Word. God has commanded us to make music and included it in His design for worship. It is not the purpose of music to amuse, manipulate, or entertain us in worship. God has given us music that we might beautifully lift our praise, thanksgiving, and prayers to Him; that we might proclaim the truth of His Word, confess our faith, and exhort one another to good works as we gather in corporate worship.
Ken Puls, “Reforming Church Music,” in Reclaiming the Gospel and Reforming Churches: The Southern Baptist Founders Conference, 1982–2002, ed. Tom Ascol (Cape Coral, FL: Founders Press, 2003), 438–442.
The book Reclaiming the Gospel and Reforming Churches is a compilation of papers presented over the first 25 years of the Founders Conference and is available for purchase from Founders Press.
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so…
(Psalm 107: 1–2)
Psalm 107 teaches us that we are to give thanks to the Lord. And we are to do so in the hearing of others: Let the redeemed of the Lord say so! In each stanza we see people in various afflictions and trials. And each time the Lord brings deliverance, each time we see His hand at work, we see an exhortation to give thanks.
In light of God’s glory manifest in His work in us, we are to speak and sing and pray His praise. We are to encourage one another by giving thanks for what God has done and what He has promised to do. God intends that our words and our prayers strengthen those who are weak and feeble among us, that they might hear and have faith and persevere in prayer and hope.
The word that is translated “thanks” here in Psalm 107 is the Hebrew word yadah. Literally it means “to publically confess or acknowledge.” Thanksgiving in the Hebrew understanding of the term was not a private affair. It was always public—making known what God has done. The verb yadah simply means to declare or recognize a fact, whether that fact is good or bad. When it is used in the context of sinful human beings, the verb denotes the acknowledgment of a person’s character, most often in the context of confessing or acknowledging sin. When it is focused upon the glory and splendor of God however, it denotes the giving of thanks—a grateful acknowledgement and public confession of the greatness of God.
Having an attitude of thankfulness was not just for the Old Testament or worship in the temple. We see it in the New Testament as well, especially in the ministry of Paul.
Listen to what he writes to the churches:
To the church at Corinth:
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:4).
To the church at Ephesus:
For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers (Ephesians 1:15–16).
To the church at Colossae:
giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (Colossians 1:12).
To the church at Thessalonica
We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers (1 Thessalonians 1:2).
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth (2 Thessalonians 1:3).
And remember, these were churches that were experiencing many problems and troubles. Paul writes long letters explaining how they are to live and serve together as sinners saved by grace. And yet when Paul thinks of them, he give thanks. He recognizes that each assembly is a miracle of the power of the gospel, a display of God’s glory in changed lives. Here were people who had been in darkness, worshipping idols and false gods, and now they are serving Christ and giving glory to God. The transformation of their lives is amazing!
We need to keep this in mind as well—as we live and serve here at Grace—as we remember and think of one another. We are a testimony to the saving power of the gospel and we have every reason to give thanks.
Paul instructs the churches—including us:
[give] thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20).
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).
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Let me encourage you to take time to give thanks. Think about God’s work in your life and in the lives of brothers and sisters here in the church. Where you see evidence of God’s grace and mercy—Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.
