The Prayer of Thanksgiving

1. Thanksgiving is a theme of Psalms -- Ps. 100:4
2. Thanksgiving is a command
   1. A command in the psalms -- Ps. 75:1; 107:1; 118:1; 136:1-3
   2. A command in the prophets -- Isa. 12:4; Jer. 33:11
   3. A command in the New Testament -- Eph. 5:20; Phil. 4:6; Col. 3:15, 17; 1 Thes. 5:18
   4. The command to give thank offerings -- Lev. 7:12-15; 2 Chron. 29:31; Ps. 107:22
   5. The duty of certain Levites to give thanks -- 1 Chron. 16:4-7, 23:28-30
3. Reasons for thanksgiving
   1. For God's goodness and love -- 1 Chron. 16:34; 2 Chron. 20:21; Ps. 118:29
   2. For God's wonderful deeds -- Ps. 75:1; 107:8, 15, 21, 31
   3. For God's protection -- Ps. 56:12-13
   4. For salvation -- 1 Chron. 16:35; Ps. 118:21; Rom. 7:24-25
   5. For daily provisions -- Mt. 14:19; 2 Cor. 9:12; 1 Tim. 4:3-5
   6. For faith, hope and love -- Rom. 1:8; Col. 1:3-5; 1 Thes. 1:2-4; 2 Thes. 1:3-4
   7. For God's grace -- 1 Cor. 1:4
   8. For healing -- Lk. 17:16
   9. For victory over sin and death -- 1 Cor. 15:57
   10. For all people -- 1 Tim. 2:1
   11. For everything -- Eph. 5:20; 1 Thes. 5:18
4. Methods of thanksgiving
   1. By singing -- Ps. 28:7; Neh. 12:27, 31, 40; Col. 3:16-17
   2. By playing musical instruments -- 1 Chron. 25:1
   3. By praying -- Rom. 1:8-10; 1 Cor. 1:4-9
   4. By giving offerings -- Lev. 7:12-15; Ps. 56:12; 2 Cor. 9:12-15
   5. By worshiping God -- Ps. 100:2-4; Heb. 12:28
   6. By speaking about Jesus -- Lk. 2:38
   7. By living holy lives -- Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 6:20