I've heard it. You've heard it. We've recited it (in my case, for many years). We've probably even SUNG it. But can we truly say we comprehend what it means to offer a "sacrifice of praise" to God?
Here are some Biblical references (emphasis mine):
And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. (Psalm 27:6, KJV)
I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good. (Psalm 54:6, KJV)
The next two are the ones I remember singing:
And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD. (Jeremiah 17:26, KJV)
The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 33:11, KJV)
In the Old Testament the words we read as "sacrifice" have a few meanings, but in the New, the meaning is entirely clear. To SACRIFICE means to "put the animal to death". There is no phraseological magic applied here by the composers of the English translations. To sacrifice means to kill something to God, or to give something up in favor of something better.
So how can I "kill something with praise"? Here's the clearest Biblical definition I could find:
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (Hebrews 13:15, KJV)
Giving thanks to God with my lips (i.e. out loud). Continually (i.e. without stopping, even when I think it would be smarter to be doing something else with my time). And of course, please notice the Old Testament scriptures that describe the act of bringing the sacrifices of praise "into the house of the Lord" (i.e. coming to church, even when that small act takes a personal sacrifice).
The word "sacrifice" used in Hebrews for sacrifice of praise is identical to the word used in Romans 12:1, below, where we're to offer our bodies as "living sacrifices":
Romans 12:1 (NLT) - And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
Jesus died physically 2,000 years ago, so believers can live spiritually forever with God. And the scriptures encourage us to follow in Christ's footsteps (NOT to kill ourselves in the physical sense, but to offer/subordinate our physical natures to the spiritual/Christ-like nature, that of praise and worship to God so much and so often, it takes the place of our earthly activities and pasttimes.) I must point out that Jesus didn't kill himself. He offered his body up to be sacrificed as a substitute for all our sins. There's a BIG difference between the two.
Sacrifice my lips to God, by praising him when I could be saying something else. Sacrifice my time, talent, and yes, even my tithes to Him, when my intellect complains, telling me "it doesn't take all that".
Yes, it does. Offering my life to God through my praise. That's Biblical.
God Bless you all.
© 2008 Scotty Ward
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