Asked to say grace? Start with the short prayer below. Leading a service? See the opening prayer. Kids at the table? Try God is great.
Lord God, thank you for this day and this table. Thank you for the food in front of us and the people around us, for every good gift that comes from your hand, and most of all for Jesus. Help us remember you in all our joy today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Psalm 107:1
Three graces the whole table can join. The first is new; the other two are graces American families have said and sung for generations.
Father, thank you for bringing us together. Some of us drove a long way and some of us only walked down the hall, but you gave every one of us a place here. Thank you for the hands that grew this food and the hands that cooked it. Bless the stories we tell today, the old ones and the new ones. Teach us patience with each other and a generous spirit with what we have. Amen.
“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17
Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen.
Source: Traditional Lutheran table prayer, translated from German
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Source: Thomas Ken, 1674 (public domain)
A verse before the prayer settles a noisy room. Martin Luther taught families to say Psalm 145:15–16 before meals.
Thanksgiving Bible versesEvery Thanksgiving table is a little different. Find the blessing that looks like yours, read it as written, or change a line to make it your own.
Lord, thank you for everyone who came through that door today, the ones we see every week and the ones we have missed all year. This house is yours, and so is this food. Help us to be good hosts and grateful guests, and let everyone here feel at home. Amen.
“Use hospitality one to another without grudging.” 1 Peter 4:9
Father, I have sat at many Thanksgiving tables, and you have been faithful at every one of them. Thank you for this family, from the oldest to the youngest. Let the children here grow up knowing you, and let them tell their own children what you have done for us. Bless this food and all of us who share it. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4
Lord, our table looks different than it used to: new names, new faces, new traditions mixed in with the old ones. Thank you for each person you have made part of this family. Give us grace for one another while we are still learning how to fit together, and make us one family in you. Amen.
“And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God…” Ruth 1:16
Father, thank you for everyone gathered here, and for ____, who can’t be with us today. Watch over them wherever they are. Keep them safe, let them feel loved, and bring us all together again soon. Thank you that no distance is too far for you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you…” Philippians 1:3
God, thank you for this meal and for the friends sharing it. Thank you for good food, good company and the gift of being together. Bless our time around this table. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1
Lord, this year brought something new to our family: ____. Thank you for it. You are still doing new things in us. Bless what you have started, keep us faithful in it, and let us look back next Thanksgiving amazed at your goodness. Amen.
“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19
A blessing can be spoken over people as well as food. These are the Bible’s own words, in the King James Version. The host can say one at the end of the meal, looking around at everyone.
Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
Psalm 67:6–7, King James Version
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13, King James Version
Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
2 Thessalonians 3:16, King James Version
Deuteronomy 8:10 tells God’s people to give thanks once they have eaten and are full, not only before. Try this one before the pie comes out.
Lord, we have eaten and we are full. Thank you for this food, for this day, and for the good land you have given us to live in. Don’t let us forget who gave it. Amen.
“When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.” Deuteronomy 8:10
One or two lines for a card, a text or a note on someone’s door. The last two are Scripture, word for word.
Happy Thanksgiving! I thank God for you, and I’m praying this day is full of good food, good company and his peace.
Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving. May you know today how much you are loved, by us and by God.
Every good gift comes from above, and you have been one of mine this year. Happy Thanksgiving.
Thinking of you this Thanksgiving. You are not walking through this alone. We are praying for you.
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you…
Philippians 1:3, King James Version
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee…
Numbers 6:24, King James Version
For a Thanksgiving Eve service, the Sunday before, a community dinner or a senior center. The two classic prayers come from the Book of Common Prayer and are in the public domain.
Almighty God, we come into your house with thanksgiving, just as you invited us to. You made us, and we are yours. You have carried us through another year: through good news and hard news, plenty and want, full tables and empty chairs. You have not forgotten one of us. Open our eyes this morning to see your hand in all of it. Quiet our worries, warm our hearts, and teach us to say thank you with our whole lives, not just with our words. Receive our songs, our prayers and our gifts, and be glorified in this place. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” Psalm 100:4
Leader: O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good:
People: For his mercy endureth for ever.
Leader: Give thanks for the gift of life and breath, and for the world he made and called good:
People: For his mercy endureth for ever.
Leader: Give thanks for food on our tables and work for our hands:
People: For his mercy endureth for ever.
Leader: Give thanks for family and friends, and for those who first taught us the faith:
People: For his mercy endureth for ever.
Leader: Give thanks for this church, and for all God has brought through its doors:
People: For his mercy endureth for ever.
Leader: Give thanks that he did not leave us in our sins, but sent his Son to save us:
People: For his mercy endureth for ever.
Leader: Give thanks for the hope of heaven, where every tear will be wiped away:
People: For his mercy endureth for ever.
All: Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
Lord God, thank you for the freedom to gather and worship today. We pray for our country and for all who lead it, in Washington, in our state and in this town, the leaders we agree with and the ones we don’t. Give them wisdom and humility. Heal what divides us, and let your people be known for kindness in every argument. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” 1 Timothy 2:1–2
Father, many of us will eat more today than we need, while some of our neighbors will not have enough. Remember the hungry, the homeless, the lonely and the sick. Open our eyes to the people near us who need a plate, a ride or a phone call, and give us the will to do something about it. Amen.
“And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday…” Isaiah 58:10
Lord, thank you for our pastor and for everyone who serves this church: the ones who preach and the ones who stack chairs, teach Sunday school and bring the casseroles. Thank you for their faithfulness this year. Give them rest over the holiday, protect their families, and encourage them in their work. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.” 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and lovingkindness to us, and to all men; We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
Source: Book of Common Prayer (1928), Morning Prayer; first written by Bishop Edward Reynolds for the 1662 Prayer Book
O most merciful Father, who hast blessed the labours of the husbandman in the returns of the fruits of the earth; We give thee humble and hearty thanks for this thy bounty; beseeching thee to continue thy loving-kindness to us, that our land may still yield her increase, to thy glory and our comfort; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Book of Common Prayer (1928), Collect for Thanksgiving Day
Lord, thank you for every year you have given us, and for carrying us through each one. Thank you for the people who loved us, the work we did and the faith we kept. Some days are slower now, but you have not changed. Fill this room with your peace, and let us keep bearing fruit for you to the very end. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
“And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” Isaiah 46:4
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
Source: Numbers 6:24–26, King James Version
Thanksgiving can be the hardest day of the year for a family that is grieving, struggling or not speaking. These prayers still give thanks, and they name the hard thing too.
Father, there is an empty chair at our table this year, and we feel it. Thank you for the years we had with ____, for every Thanksgiving they sat here, and for the love they left in this family. We miss them. Hold us close today, and let our tears and our laughter both be welcome before you. Thank you that in Jesus, death does not get the last word. In his name, amen.
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalm 34:18
Lord, this has been a hard year for us. There is less in the bank and more on our minds than we hoped. Even so, we thank you. Thank you for this meal, for a roof over us tonight, and for each other. Thank you that you have never once left us, and that you know what we need before we ask. Teach us to be content, and give us what we need for tomorrow. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
God of peace, you know what our table holds today: love, old hurts and a few topics we are trying not to bring up. Thank you for each person here, even the ones we find hard. Guard our words. Help us listen more than we talk, forgive the way you forgave us, and leave a little closer than we came. Amen.
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” Colossians 3:13
A grace a child can say alone, plus two that let the whole table join in.
God is great, God is good, let us thank him for our food. By his hands we all are fed; give us, Lord, our daily bread. Amen.
“Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11
Source: Traditional American children’s grace
Thank you, God, for this day.
Thank you for this food.
Thank you for my family.
Thank you most of all for Jesus.
Help me share, and help me love.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
Each person: Dear God, thank you for ____.
The oldest closes: Thank you for every one of these good gifts, and most of all for Jesus. Amen.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17
Thanksgiving is one Thursday, but giving thanks is meant for every day. This one fits a morning, a quiet time or the drive to work.
Lord, before I ask you for anything today, I want to thank you. Thank you for waking me up and for the breath in my lungs. Thank you for the people I love and the people who love me. Thank you for forgiving me again. Help me notice your gifts today, the big ones and the small ones, and never forget where they came from. Amen.
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…” Psalm 103:2
Ask ahead. If you would like Grandpa, a teenager or a guest to pray, ask them the day before, not with everyone already holding hands. Most people are glad to do it with a little warning and a printed prayer.
Keep it under a minute. A plain, short prayer does more than a long one while the gravy goes cold. Every table grace and blessing on this page takes less than a minute.
If you have never prayed out loud, you don’t need special words. A table blessing has four parts: speak to God, thank him for something specific, ask him to bless the food and the people, and close. Fill in the blanks and you are done.
Lord, thank you for ____. Thank you for ____ and ____ around this table. Please bless this food and bless our time together. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Follow Jesus’ pattern. When Jesus fed the five thousand, he “took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed” them (John 6:11). Take, give thanks, share. You don’t need more than that.
Let everyone in. Let a child say one line, go around with a thank-you circle, or sing the Doxology together. A prayer the whole family shares is remembered longer than one person’s speech.
Five kernels of corn. Some families put five kernels of dried corn by every plate, from the story that the Pilgrims were once rationed five kernels a day in their first hard winter. As a bowl goes around, each person drops in their kernels and names five things they are thankful for.
A thankful tablecloth. Lay a plain cloth and a few fabric markers on the table. Each guest writes what they are thankful for and signs it. Bring it out again next year and read the old ones before you add new ones.
Get Five Minutes to Bethlehem, a free short Christmas skit, as a printable PDF. Leave your email and download it right away.
Building the whole evening? See our Christmas program ideas.
Start with the short Thanksgiving prayer at the top of this page. It takes about 25 seconds to say. If you want something even shorter that everyone can say together, use “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed.”
For a church service or a community dinner, use the opening prayer for a Thanksgiving service, then the responsive prayer if you want the whole room to take part. At home, the host’s welcome is written for the moment everyone sits down.
At an American Thanksgiving table the two words mean nearly the same thing: a short prayer before the meal. Strictly, grace is thanks (the word comes from the Latin for thanks), and a blessing asks God’s favor on the food and the people. Most table prayers do both.
Pray as yourself, briefly and kindly, and keep it about thanks rather than a sermon. The blessing for a table where not everyone prays thanks God for the meal and the friends sharing it. It still closes in Jesus’ name, because that is how Christians pray, but it puts no one on the spot.
Psalm 100:4 (“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving”), Psalm 107:1 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18 are the verses most people reach for. Read one aloud, then pray. We have 45 more, grouped for the table, the service and a hard year, on our Thanksgiving Bible verses page.
Use the prayer for a senior center or nursing home. It thanks God for a long life and admits that some days are slower now, and it pairs with Isaiah 46:4: “even to hoar hairs will I carry you.” Many older people also love to sing the Doxology, which most of them know by heart.
A line or two is enough. The short blessings to send include four for friends, family and someone having a hard year, and two straight from Scripture. Each has a Copy button for a text message.
Before is the American habit. Scripture gives a reason to do both. Jesus gave thanks before he fed the five thousand (John 6:11), and Deuteronomy 8:10 says, “When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God.” Try the blessing after the meal before dessert.
Traditionally the host or the oldest person at the table, but there is no rule. Ask your person a day ahead so they are not surprised. Many families let a child say a short grace, or take turns from year to year.
Yes. You are welcome to print, project and read these prayers in your church, school or home. Please don’t republish them on another website. The prayers marked with a source, such as the General Thanksgiving and the Doxology, are in the public domain and free for any use.