Thanksgiving is almost here, and what a year to be thankful for God’s blessings. There were challenges this year, along with disappointments. I wouldn’t want to have gone through the year without Him.
Today, I’m sharing a list of favorite Thanksgiving hymns. Songs of praise and worship perfect for this grateful season. Singing or listening to hymns is a good way to celebrate the holiday. It’s a good way to be thankful in your heart.
Let’s get started.
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Thanksgiving in America
Each year, Americans celebrate a season of thanksgiving, culminating with Thanksgiving Day. This annual tradition dates back to 1621. When Plymouth colonists and Native Americans shared a fall harvest feast.
We call this the “First Thanksgiving.”
For more than two centuries, the colonies and states observed days of thanksgiving. But it wasn’t until 1863 – in the midst of the Civil War – that Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving.
Americans celebrate Thanksgiving in many ways. Parades, football games, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. The traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.
Mitch and I celebrate the holiday in all these ways. We also integrate music into our celebrations – modern praise and worship songs as well as classic hymns.
📖 READ – 10 Christian Thanksgiving Songs to Enjoy All Month Long
10 Traditional Thanksgiving Hymns
Have you lived through difficult moments this year? Loss, illness, financial struggles, a family crisis? Thankfulness can be hard to come by when you’re worried, worn, or weary.
Gratitude is a powerful weapon against despair.
The Bible instructs us to thank God in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Philippians 4:6, 1 Timothy 4:4-5). When you set gratitude to music, it becomes easier somehow – and more potent.
Here are 11 Thanksgiving hymns to praise and worship God. Songs you can integrate into your own celebrations of gratitude. They will also give you a boost of cheer as you head into the busy Christmas season.
1. “All Creatures of Our God and King”
William Henry Draper (1855-1933) was an English clergyman and hymnwriter. He wrote “All Creatures of Our God and King” sometime between 1899 and 1919. The melody originated in Germany.
St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) was a Catholic friar and founder of the Franciscans. He wrote a poem based on Psalm 148, which inspired Draper’s hymn. “They are to praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His majesty is above earth and heaven (Psalm 148:13).”
“Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship God in humbleness,
Alleluia, alleluia!
To God all thanks and praise belong!
Join in the everlasting song:
O sing ye … alleluia!”
2. “Amazing Grace”
“Amazing Grace” is a hymn by John Newton (1725-1807), an English clergyman and writer. It debuted in print in 1779. William Walker (1809-1875), an American composer, set the words to a tune called “New Britain.”
Newton’s work echoes his transformation from faithless seaman to faithful servant of God. Whether classic hymn or modern rendition, “Amazing Grace” inspires gratitude for salvation.
“Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see.”
3. “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”
Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German theologian, religious reformer, and hymnwriter. He wrote “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” circa 1529.
The hymn has been called “The Battle Hymn of the Reformation.” Luther used battle imagery drawn from Psalm 46. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).”
“A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our helper he, amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.”
A Thankful Heart | Top 20 Hymns of Thanksgiving | We Gather Together
4. “Come Thy Fount of Every Blessing”
Robert Robinson (1735-1790) was an English pastor and hymnwriter. He wrote “Come, Thy Fount of Every Blessing” in 1758. The song is usually set to an American folk tune called “Nettleton.”
Writing for Bible Study Tools, Lori Stanley Roeleveld called Robinson’s hymn a celebration. He wrote “knowing that even if we wander, Jesus will receive us to Him,” she said. “He is truly the fount of all blessings.”
“Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.”
5. “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come”
Henry Alford (1810-1871) was an English churchman, theologian, and hymnwriter. He wrote “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” in 1844. George Job Elvey (1816-1893), an English organist and composer, supplied the melody.
Alford wrote the hymn as a harvest festival hymn. It is popular in Thanksgiving celebrations. The first verse calls people to thank God for the harvest. The last verses point to the Parable of the Tares (Matthew 13:24–43) and Christ’s Second Coming.
“Come, ye thankful people, come,
Raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in,
Ere the winter storms begin.”
6. “Count Your Blessings”
Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1856-1922) was an American businessman and local preacher. He wrote “Count Your Blessings” in 1897. Edwin O. Excell (1851-1921), an American composer and music publisher, provided the melody.
“Count Your Blessings” is a standard in many hymnals, and it’s well known in Christian circles. It promotes counting your blessings and naming them. By this, you can better appreciate God’s work in your life.
“When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”
7. “For the Beauty of the Earth”
Folliott Sandford Pierpoint (1835-1917) was an English poet and hymnwriter. He wrote “For the Beauty of the Earth” in 1864. Conrad Cocher (1786-1872), a German composer, supplied the melody – a tune called “Dix.”
Pierpoint’s inspiration for the hymn was the beautiful countryside that surrounded him. The lyrics praise many aspects of our world – from the beauty of nature to spiritual blessings.
“For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.”
8. “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
Thomas Chisholm (1866-1960) was an American hymnwriter, poet, and minister. He published “Great is Thy Faithfulness” in 1923. William M. Runyan (1870-1957), an American composer, supplied the melody.
Chisholm based the hymn on the Old Testament Book of Lamentations. In particular, Lamentations 3:22-23: “The Lord’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, for His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”
“Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with thee.
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
As thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.”
9. “How Great Thou Art”
Stuart K. Hine (1899-1989) was an English missionary. His version of “How Great Thou Art” is a loose translation of a Swedish hymn by Carl Boberg (1859-1940).
The poet Boberg wrote the Swedish original, “O Store Gud,” in 1885. He drew inspiration from Psalm 8:1. “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!”
“Oh Lord, my God
When I, in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed”
10. “It Is Well With My Soul”
Horatio Spafford (1828-1888) was an American lawyer and church elder. He wrote “It Is Well With My Soul” in 1873, after a series of traumatic events. The death of his children, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the ensuing financial ruin.
Philip Bliss (1838-1876), an American composer, supplied the melody for Spafford’s influential hymn. It reminds us of God’s blessings even in the midst of sorrow, storms, and trials.
“When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know
It is well, it is well, with my soul.”
11. “We Gather Together”
Adriaen Valerius (circa 1575-1625) was a Dutch poet and composer. He wrote “We Gather Together” in 1597, to celebrate the Dutch victory over Spain in the Battle of Turnhout.
In the United States, “We Gather Together” is a popular Thanksgiving song. Americans sing it at Thanksgiving dinner and church services.
“We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing:
Sing praises to his name; he forgets not his own.”
Wrapping It Up
As you prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, consider integrating music into your celebration. Make a playlist of Thanksgiving hymns and other songs that inspire gratitude. Not only will it bless the Lord, but it will gladden your heart. Happy Thanksgiving! ◻️
Related Posts
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Now It’s Your Turn
Thank you for reading my post. Now it’s YOUR turn to chime in. How do you use music in your Thanksgiving celebrations? What are your favorite Thanksgiving hymns?
Let’s fill the comments with friendly conversation. Scroll down to leave a reply, ask a question, or say just hello. And if you liked this post, please give it a share.
Blessings, Annette
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Photo Sources
- cstar55 / Getty Images Signature | Canva | License
- Jean Leon Gerome Ferris | Wikimedia Commons | Public Domain
Reference Sources
- Bible Study Tools
- Christianity.com
- Crosswalk.com
- HISTORY
- Hymnary.org
- Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia
