Every Thanksgiving, we bring out our best china, plan the meal down to the smallest detail, and spend hours cooking in anticipation. Finally, as we gather around the table with friends and family, we pause to do something deeply meaningful: we offer thanks. Before anyone picks up a fork, someone begins a prayer, thanking God for the blessings of the past year—our loved ones, the food before us, our homes, health, and so much more. It’s a moment that captures the true spirit of Thanksgiving.
Today, I’m sharing a few of my favorite Thanksgiving prayers, simple and heartfelt blessings that bring us back to gratitude. Some call this pre-meal blessing “grace”—a brief moment to recognize the abundance in front of us. These prayers may be short, but they remind us to thank God for our daily bread and the essentials we often take for granted. In this small act of gratitude, we’re reminded of the deeper meaning behind our celebrations and the importance of giving thanks.
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Scripture Reading
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! Psalm 150:6 (NASB)
Thanksgiving Prayers
While I don’t typically recite memorized prayers at mealtime, I’ve found inspiration in these simple Thanksgiving blessings. Each one is short and meaningful, perfect for those moments when we want to express our gratitude without needing to find the perfect words ourselves. These prayers are easy to remember, so you can recite them aloud, or, if you enjoy journaling, consider copying or illustrating them as reminders of thankfulness that you can revisit year-round.
God is Great,
God is Good,
Let us Thank Him for our Food.
AMENGod, we thank you for this food,
For rest and home and all things good;
For wind and rain and sun above,
But most of all for those we love.
~~Maryleona FrostThank you for the world so sweet,
Thank you for the food we eat,
Thank you for the birds that sing,
Thank you, God, for everything!
~~Edith Rutter LeathamTo God who gives our daily bread
A thankful song we raise,
And pray that he who sends us food;
May fill our hearts with praise.
~~Thomas Tallie (1505-1585)We Thank Thee
by Ralph Waldo Emerson
For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!For blue of stream and blue of sky;
For pleasant shade of branches high;
For fragrant air and cooling breeze;
For beauty of the blooming trees,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!
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30 DoT Project/Homework
- Write your own short prayer, thanking God for His many blessings and gifts, in your Thanksgiving journal.
- Share it with someone. I’d love to see it, too. Feel free to share it in our 30 Days of Thanksgiving Facebook group
More Thanksgiving Links
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Originally published on Nov 4, 2017.
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