Lyrics
Verse 1
He is the light unto the nations
He is our refuge in the storm
He is our peace in tribulation
He is our hope, the Holy One
Chorus 1
Hodu L'Adonai Ki tov
Ki L'olam Chasdo
Hodu L'Adonai Ki tov
Verse 2
Here we bow in adoration
Giving thanks for all He's done
Here we stand in revelation
We are redeemed, redeemed by the Son
Bridge
All who are hungry, all who are thirsty
Come from the east and the west
All who are broken, all who need mercy
Drink from the Fountain of rest
Tag
Oh, He is good
Oh, His Love endures
Oh, He is good
Forever
Chorus 2
Give thanks to the Lord
For He is good, and His love endures
Give thanks to the Lord
For He is good
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
"Give Thanks (Hodu)" opens by listing titles for God, light to the nations, refuge, peace, hope, each addressing a different form of need before any request is made. That accumulation of titles frames the entire song around God's sufficiency across multiple kinds of trouble at once.
Its chorus sings a well-known psalm phrase directly in Hebrew, give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever, grounding the song's English verses in an ancient liturgical declaration. A later bridge widens the invitation specifically to the hungry, thirsty, and broken, picturing them gathered from east and west to drink from a described fountain of rest.
Rooted in contemporary Messianic worship tradition, the song functions as a bilingual call to thanksgiving joining Hebrew liturgy with English testimony, its closing tag and chorus returning to the same simple declaration, He is good and His love endures, as the song's unified, repeated conclusion in both languages.
Related Scripture
- Psalm 136:1 Declares giving thanks to the Lord because he is good and his love endures forever, directly echoed in the song's Hebrew chorus and English translation.
- Isaiah 49:6 Describes being a light to the nations, directly echoed in the song's opening verse.