Thanksgiving As a Communal Act

Given the Hebrew Bible’s merging of liturgical and social circles into a single infinite circle, it is not surprising that most of the instances of the language of gratitude in the Old Testament are in liturgical contexts. Thanksgiving is offered primarily and above all to Yahweh, and is offered for Yahweh’s benefits toward Israel as a people .

Thanksgiving is a communal act of covenant remembrance. It is as forward-looking as it is backward-looking. The Psalms recount God’s benefits to Israel, and express hope that in the future he will continue his faithful care of his people. Since…