10 Beautiful Worship Songs about Thanksgiving
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Sometimes there is nothing better than a good worship song to help focus the mind and the spirit on the things of the Lord. Music connects people with their emotions. It also helps concentrate the mind on God. Both of these things can improve the relationship with the Lord if used in partnership with prayer and regular Bible reading.
Another benefit of worship music is that it can be a way to meditate on things the Holy Spirit is bringing to mind or a fruit of the Spirit in which someone may want to grow. One of the fruits of the Spirit that often features in worship music is gratitude, or thankfulness.
Whether it is an old-fashioned hymn or a contemporary and up-beat tune, song-writers have expressed their gratitude to God for their life, for Creation, for their salvation, for blessings, and even for the lessons learned during trials and tribulations.
Focusing on gratitude is a good way to create a mentality that does not easily fall into despair, and a heart that is open to helping others to share their gifts and blessings. Here are ten worship songs about being thankful.
1. Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart - Henry Smith
Lyrics We Love: “Give thanks with a grateful heart / Give thanks to the Holy One / Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son”
Written in 1978, this simple song focuses on the basics, but expresses a depth of feeling. Smith wrote the lyrics after going through several different difficulties, something to which everyone can relate. No matter our circumstances, we can be grateful for our hope in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation.
Click here to listen to this song.
To help you in thanking God, we created a 30 Days of Gratitude Prayer Guide HERE. Download and print this guide to keep with you as a reminder of God's love and promises.
2. 10,000 Reasons - Matt Redman
Lyrics We Love: “You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger / Your name is great and Your heart is kind / For all Your goodness I will keep on singing / Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.”
This worship song has become a staple in churches because of how it connects the countless blessings of God in this life, as well as looks forward to an eternity of infinite blessings.
Click here to listen to this song.
3. Hills and Valleys - Tauren Wells
Lyrics We Love: “On the mountains, I will bow my life / To the One who set me there / In the valley, I will lift my eyes to the One who sees me there / When I'm standing on the mountain, I didn't get there on my own / When I'm walking through the valley I know I am not alone / You're God of the hills and valleys”
Tauren Wells reminds everyone that God is sovereign in the hardest times in life as much as He is when everything is going well. More importantly, He deserves praise and gratitude no matter how life seems now, because the future is in God’s hands.
Click here to listen to this song.
4. Thank You Lord - Israel & New Breed featuring BJ Putnam
Lyrics We Love: “I’m grateful for who you are / And all you’ve done / Thank you, Lord, for saving me / Thank you, Lord, for saving me.”
This song’s simple lyrics keep it focused on what matters. It lifts up praise to God for salvation, reaching down into the soul to cry out in thankfulness for being redeemed from sin.
Click here to listen to this song.
5. To God Be the Glory - Fanny Crosby
Lyrics We Love: “Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord / Let the earth hear His voice / Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord / Let the people rejoice”
Fanny Crosby was one of the most prolific hymns writers in documented history, so it would be hard to have a list about Christian music and not include one of her songs. This song expresses thankfulness for the gift of Jesus Christ by lifting up praise, and calling others to praise Him too.
Click here to listen to this song.
6. How Can It Be - Lauren Daigle
Lyrics We Love: “You gave Your life to give me mine / You say that I am free, how can it be? Yeah, how can it be?”
Sometimes gratitude comes out in waves of overwhelming awe, and Daigle’s lyrics focus on this strong emotion. It is a feeling of confusion, awe, and humility at the idea that God Himself would take on the sins of the world in order to make a way for sinners to have a relationship with Him.
Click here to listen to this song.
7. You Know My Name - Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Lyrics We Love: “And oh how you comfort me / And oh how you counsel me / Yet it still amazes me / That I am your friend / So now I pour out my heart to You / Here in Your presence I am made new.”
The longer a believer has a relationship with the Lord, the more the Spirit sanctifies that individual, and they become new creations. Tasha Leonard’s song revels in the gratitude Christian’s feel when they realize they are becoming more like the Lord.
Click here to listen to this song.
8. Thank You God for Saving Me - Chris Tomlin
Lyrics We Love: “I called your name, you heard my cry / Out of the grave, and into life / My heart is yours, my soul is free / Thank you God for saving me / Thank you God for saving me”
Reaching out to the Lord in honesty can be hard, so when someone finally does it, that can be a big deal. Tomlin’s song addresses how big a deal that is to a sinner, transformed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Click here to listen to this song.
9. Gracias A Mi Salvador - Alex Zurdo
Lyrics We Love: “Jesús respiras y yo me la paso / Alabándole, adorándole, exaltándole / Mi propósito lo se solo atreves de El / Y que otra cosa si es en lo que estoy supuesto hacer / Pues existimos gracias a su gran puposito”
This Spanish-language song exalts Jesus for His sacrifice above all other gods, idols, and superstitions. Zurdo lifts up thanks in praise and by making Jesus His priority. His passion and love for the Lord translates in any language.
Click here to listen to this song.
10. Let Us Break Bread Together - Spiritual
Lyrics We Love: “Let us praise God together on our knees / Let us praise God together on our knees / When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me.”
This traditional spiritual is focused on the basic act of going to God. Sometimes it is important to just get on our knees in prayer and thank the Lord for food, for drinks, for the fellowship of the church, and do it with praise.
Click here to listen to this song.
Worshipping God is not just engaging with Him in song, but it is a simple and universal way to spend time with the Creator. Thankfulness is more than just a quick and simple “thank you” expressed in haste, it is a state of being. Find worship songs that highlight the Lord’s blessings, and meditate on how He has put them in your life. Create a playlist of these and other songs that fill your home with an attitude of gratitude.
For more, read: Powerful Thanksgiving Prayers and Blessings to Inspire Gratitude This Year and 50 Thanksgiving Bible Verse for Gratitude and Praise
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/MangoStar_Studio
Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer who uses her passion for God, reading, and writing to glorify God. She and her husband have lived all over the country serving their Lord and Savior in ministry. She has a blog on graceandgrowing.com.