Thanksgiving is defined in the dictionary as "the giving of gratitude, especially towards God." The Greek word for thanksgiving is "eucharistia," which translates to "the giving of thanks for God's grace," gratitude, and giving of thanks. The Bible commands believers to thank God. An example of this is found in Psalm chapter 100 verse 4, which states "enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." The structure of this statement is not a suggestion. It is a definite command. A few reasons why the Bible commands Christians to give thanksgiving to God is because it keeps us in a right relationship with God and allows us to maintain a good perspective on life. When our hearts are filled with thanksgiving, we keep the sins and temptations of greed, selfishness, and self-sufficiency away. As Christians thank God daily, they are reminded of everything that God has given to them. Everything is from God. Thanksgiving reminds Christians of what they have and the blessings they have received from the LORD. Christianity Daily compiled a list of 18 Bible verses on the importance of giving thanks to God.

Bible Verses About Thanksgiving

1. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. - Psalm 100:4

2. The meat of their fellowship offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it is offered; they must leave none of it till morning. - Leviticus 7:15

3. With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: "He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. - Ezra 3:11

4. For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. - Nehemiah 12:46

5. I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. - Psalm 69:30

6. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. - Psalm 95:2

7. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. - Psalm 100:4

8. The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. - Isaiah 51:3

9. From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing. I will add to their numbers, and they will not be decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained. - Jeremiah 30:19

10. I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Corinthians 1:4

11. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? - 1 Corinthians 10:16

12. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. - 2 Corinthians 4:15

13. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. - 2 Corinthians 9:11

14. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. - Ephesians 5:4

15. I thank my God every time I remember you. - Philippians 1:3

16. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6

17. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, - Colossians 1:3

18. We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. - 2 Thessalonians 1:3