Give thanks to the Lord, bless his name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100:4-5

A Sonnet of Thanksgiving

Thankful we are, and thankful we should be,
For the Lord is good, now and forever.
And so we give thanks, with gladness and glee,
Rejoicing in grace beyond all measure.
But we dare not wait until the ‘morrow,
When sadness might come to make this harder,
When our joys become tainted by sorrow,
And today’s blessings seem to drift farther
Than time or our memory can cling to.
Thanks, like manna, needs daily be given,
Lest our struggles should lead us to eschew
Steadfast mercies that seem to us hidden.
So let us not store gratitude like grain,
But give our thanks now, again and again.

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Psalm 100 is described as “A Psalm of thanksgiving,” so I thought it would be appropriate to share a sonnet of thanksgiving inspired by this psalm as our country gets ready to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Writing this sonnet, though, caused me to reflect on the importance of giving thanks daily, not just on special occasions like Thanksgiving Day. Every day God sends us mercy like manna, and so every day we are offered countless reasons to give thanks. And we should not delay in doing so, because the attitude of gratitude is best developed by giving thanks daily. When we do this, we learn to see reasons to be grateful everywhere we look, and we find it easier and easier to do as scripture commands, which is to give thanks in all circumstances.

Here, then, is Psalm 100, followed by other scripture passages that I had in mind when I wrote the sonnet, along with the sonnet again, followed by a closing prayer. Wherever and whenever you read this, I hope that you are able to join me in giving thanks to the Lord, today and every day.

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord,
all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come into his presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he that made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise.
    Give thanks to him, bless his name.
For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

Scripture Passages

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. – Hebrews 13:15-16

A Sonnet of Thanksgiving

Thankful we are, and thankful we should be,
For the Lord is good, now and forever.
And so we give thanks, with gladness and glee,
Rejoicing in grace beyond all measure.
But we dare not wait until the ‘morrow,
When sadness might come to make this harder,
When our joys become tainted by sorrow,
And today’s blessings seem to drift farther
Than time or our memory can cling to.
Thanks, like manna, needs daily be given,
Lest our struggles should lead us to eschew
Steadfast mercies that seem to us hidden.
So let us not store gratitude like grain,
But give our thanks now, again and again.

Closing Prayer (Prayer of the Day for Thanksgiving)

Almighty God our Father, your generous goodness comes to us new every day. By the work of your Spirit lead us to acknowledge your goodness, give thanks for your benefits, and serve you in willing obedience, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen