Welcome to Praise Song of the Week! Each week, we choose a song that invites us to lift our voices, turn our hearts toward God, and celebrate the joy of worship. Along with this week’s featured praise song, we’ll share a notable performance that brings the song to life in a special way. Take a listen, worship along, and enjoy this week’s selection!
“Give Thanks” – Carman
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Our Praise Song of the Week is “Give Thanks,” a beloved worship song that has encouraged Christians around the world to pause, reflect, and remember the goodness of God. This week, we’re beginning with Carman’s version, an especially heartfelt expression of this timeless song. There is something about Carman’s approach that invites us to move beyond simply singing the words and into a place of prayerful worship. His presentation encourages us to consider what we’re saying, why we’re thankful, and how the gift of Jesus Christ changes the way we see everything else in our lives.
One of the beautiful things about Christian music is that a familiar song can speak to us differently depending on the season we’re experiencing. Sometimes we sing with joy because we’re celebrating an answered prayer. Other times, we sing because we need to be reminded that God is still faithful, even when our circumstances are difficult. And sometimes, we simply need to become quiet before the Lord, set aside our worries for a moment, and remember the greatest gift we’ve ever received. “Give Thanks” gives us an opportunity to do all three.
As we listen to Carman’s rendition, let’s approach this song as more than a musical performance. Let it become an invitation to prayer. Think about the blessings God has placed in your life, the challenges He has helped you endure, and the promises that continue to give you hope. Consider the people who have encouraged you along the way, the prayers that have been answered in unexpected ways, and even the difficult seasons through which your faith has grown. Gratitude doesn’t require us to pretend that everything is perfect. Rather, it reminds us that God’s goodness remains worthy of our praise, regardless of what today may bring.
That’s why we’re so pleased to feature “Give Thanks” as this week’s Praise Song of the Week. It’s a simple song with a profound message, and Carman’s heartfelt presentation provides a wonderful starting point for reflecting on what it means to worship with a grateful heart.
“Give Thanks” was written in 1978 by Henry Smith, an American Christian songwriter whose personal circumstances give additional meaning to the song’s message. Smith had recently completed his college education and was struggling to find steady employment. He was also facing a degenerative eye condition that would eventually leave him legally blind. During this challenging period, he drew inspiration from Scripture, particularly the message of 2 Corinthians 8:9, and wrote a song that would ultimately become one of the most recognizable praise songs in contemporary Christian worship.
The song’s journey into churches around the world is a remarkable story in itself. Smith and his future wife, Cindy, initially sang it at their church. A military couple who attended the church subsequently took the song with them to Germany, where they were stationed. Through that connection, the song began to travel beyond its original setting. By the time Smith heard a recording of it in 1986, “Give Thanks” had already been recorded dozens of times, and its composer had even been listed as unknown in one recording’s credits. What began as a personal expression of faith had become a song that Christians in many places were embracing as their own.
The heart of “Give Thanks” is found in its simple declaration of gratitude to God for giving us Jesus Christ, His Son. It then moves into a striking expression of spiritual perspective: the weak can declare their strength, and the poor can declare their riches, because of what the Lord has done for us. These aren’t statements about having unlimited physical strength or accumulating material possessions. They point us toward a deeper understanding of the riches we have in Christ.
The song reminds us that our identity and hope are not determined solely by what we possess, how successful we appear to others, or how much control we seem to have over our circumstances. God’s grace changes the way we understand our lives. We may feel weak, yet find strength in Him. We may feel that we lack so much, yet recognize the immeasurable value of His love and salvation. The song turns our attention away from the world’s measurements of success and toward the spiritual blessings that cannot be measured by earthly standards.
Its message also connects beautifully with the biblical call to give thanks in all circumstances. First Thessalonians 5:18 encourages believers to give thanks in every situation, while 2 Corinthians 12:9–10 speaks of finding strength in weakness through God’s grace. These passages help illuminate the deeper meaning of the song: gratitude is not merely a response to receiving everything we want. It is a response to recognizing who God is and what He has already done for us.
And at the center of it all is Jesus. The song doesn’t direct our gratitude toward a vague sense of good fortune or simply encourage us to appreciate the pleasant things in life. It specifically points us to the gift of Christ. Whatever else may change, we can return to the cross, remember the love demonstrated there, and find reason to worship. That is what makes “Give Thanks” such a powerful song for both personal devotion and congregational worship.
Its simplicity is part of its strength. The message is easy to understand, but it offers something to contemplate throughout a lifetime of faith. We can sing it as new believers discovering the wonder of God’s grace, as longtime Christians reflecting on His faithfulness, or as people walking through difficult circumstances who need a reminder of the hope we have in Him.
And that brings us back to Carman’s version. When a song carries this much spiritual meaning, the way an artist presents it can help us hear familiar words with renewed attention. His heartfelt rendition encourages us to slow down, listen carefully, and allow the message to become personal. Rather than rushing through the familiar phrases, we can use them as an opportunity to reflect, pray, and give thanks to the One who has given us so much.
While Carman’s version gives us a heartfelt introduction to this song, we also want to share a couple of additional expressions that demonstrate how “Give Thanks” continues to find a place in the hearts of new generations of worshipers. The beauty of a song rooted in biblical truth is that it can be presented in different musical styles, interpreted through different artistic perspectives, and still lead us back to the same unchanging message of gratitude to God.
Abbie Gamboa & UPPERROOM
Our first additional selection comes from Abbie Gamboa and UPPERROOM, whose recording appears on the 2023 release pure. If you’re familiar with contemporary worship, you’ll recognize an approach that places a strong emphasis on creating space for personal reflection and an extended encounter with the Lord.
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What makes this version a meaningful addition to our presentation is the way it brings a familiar worship song into a contemporary worship setting. Rather than simply revisiting a song from an earlier era, Abbie Gamboa and UPPERROOM offer another opportunity to engage with its message in a musical environment that will resonate with many modern worshipers.
There’s a special quality to hearing a song we’ve known for years presented by a new generation. The words may be familiar, but our own lives have changed. We’ve experienced new joys, faced unexpected difficulties, and learned lessons about faith that we couldn’t have fully understood when we first heard the song. Returning to these words can remind us that thanksgiving isn’t something we outgrow. As our understanding of God’s grace deepens, so can our appreciation for the gift at the heart of this song.
This is also a wonderful reminder that worship doesn’t have to be confined to one musical style or generation. Whether a song is accompanied by the familiar sounds of traditional praise music or presented through a contemporary worship arrangement, its purpose remains the same: to direct our hearts toward God. If Abbie Gamboa and UPPERROOM’s version is new to you, take a moment to listen and consider what this familiar message means in your life today.
Maranatha! Praise Band
Our second additional selection comes from Maranatha! Praise Band, whose recording of “Give Thanks” appears on the group’s Top 50 Praise & Worship Songs 2013 collection. The recording was originally released in 1999.
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For many Christians, this style of recording may be the sound they most readily associate with “Give Thanks.” Maranatha! has long been associated with praise and worship music, and its recordings have helped introduce generations of listeners to songs that became familiar in churches, small groups, and personal devotional times.
There’s something special about these classic praise recordings. They bring to mind an era when contemporary praise choruses were becoming a regular part of church worship, giving congregations simple, memorable songs they could sing together. “Give Thanks” fits naturally into that tradition. Its accessible melody and concise message make it easy for a congregation to join in, while its biblical foundation gives the song a depth that goes well beyond its simplicity.
Perhaps you remember singing this song in church many years ago. Maybe it was part of a Sunday morning service, a special time of prayer, a worship gathering, or a quiet moment when you needed encouragement. For some, hearing this version may bring back memories of people and places that helped shape their faith. For others, it may simply offer the comfort of a familiar song that has remained meaningful through the years.
And that’s one of the remarkable things about songs like “Give Thanks.” They become part of our spiritual journey. We may hear them at a particular point in our lives, then encounter them again years later with a different perspective. The melody brings back memories, but the message meets us where we are today.
Maranatha! Praise Band’s version gives us another opportunity to appreciate the enduring place of this song in Christian worship. Alongside Carman’s heartfelt rendition and the contemporary interpretation from Abbie Gamboa and UPPERROOM, it illustrates how one song can speak through different musical expressions while retaining its central message.
As we wrap up this week’s Praise Song of the Week, we hope these three versions of “Give Thanks” encourage you to spend a little time reflecting on the goodness of God. Each recording offers a different musical experience, but all three bring us back to the same essential truth: we have reason to be thankful because of what the Lord has done for us.
Perhaps today is a season of blessing, and gratitude comes easily. If so, take time to acknowledge those blessings and give God the praise He deserves. Or perhaps you’re facing circumstances that make thanksgiving more difficult. If that’s where you find yourself, remember that gratitude doesn’t mean ignoring your struggles or pretending that pain doesn’t exist. It means recognizing that even in our weakness, we can turn to the One whose grace is sufficient.
The gift of Jesus Christ remains our greatest reason to give thanks. His love gives us hope, His grace meets us in our weakness, and His promises remind us that our present circumstances don’t tell the whole story. We can approach Him honestly, bring our burdens to Him in prayer, and remember that our hope rests in something far greater than anything this world can offer.
So, whether you prefer Carman’s heartfelt interpretation, the contemporary worship expression of Abbie Gamboa and UPPERROOM, or the familiar sound of Maranatha! Praise Band, we invite you to let this song become more than something you listen to. Make it a prayer. Let it remind you of the blessings you may have overlooked, the grace you’ve received, and the Savior who is worthy of your praise.
Thank you for joining us for this week’s Praise Song of the Week. May “Give Thanks” encourage you to carry a spirit of gratitude into your worship, your prayers, and your everyday life.
Give thanks with a grateful heart. Today, tomorrow, and always, may our lives reflect our gratitude for all the Lord has done for us.
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