The concept of offering a “sacrifice of praise” comes from Hebrews 13:15, which says “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” To understand what this means, we first need to explore the biblical background regarding sacrifices and praise in the Old Testament, and then see how the author of Hebrews is drawing on those ideas.
Sacrifices in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, God instituted an elaborate system of animal sacrifices that were to be offered in the tabernacle and later in the temple in Jerusalem. There were burnt offerings (Leviticus 1), grain offerings (Leviticus 2), peace offerings (Leviticus 3), sin offerings (Leviticus 4), and guilt offerings (Leviticus 5). The purpose of these sacrifices was multi-faceted:
- They provided a way for sinful people to approach a holy God
- They atoned for the sins of individuals and the nation of Israel as a whole
- They restored fellowship between God and man when it had been broken by sin
- They foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross
But in addition to mandatory sacrifices for sin, the Old Testament regulations also included voluntary “sacrifices of praise” where people could express their gratitude and devotion to God. For example, in Leviticus 7:11-15, it describes a “sacrifice of a peace offering” that was given to express thanksgiving and joy. The person would offer an animal from the herd or flock, present it at the tabernacle, and then eat the meat in a ceremonial meal as they rejoiced before God.
Praise and thanksgiving in the Old Testament
Beyond the specific sacrificial system, the people of Israel were repeatedly commanded to praise and give thanks to God, both corporately and individually. The book of Psalms contains many examples of praising God in song, music, and poetry. Giving praise and thanks to God are frequent themes, for example:
“I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.” (Psalm 7:17)
“I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.” (Psalm 57:9)
“I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.” (Psalm 69:30)
The act of praise was expressed through singing, music, poetry, bowing down, lifting hands, kneeling, and dancing. Giving praise to God was not confined just to corporate worship, but was an ongoing lifestyle and orientation of the heart. The Psalms frequently connect praising God with verbally giving thanks for His goodness and mighty works (e.g. Psalm 92:1, Psalm 105:2-3).
Sacrifices of praise in the New Testament
When we come to the New Testament era, Jesus’ death on the cross fulfilled the Old Testament sacrificial system once and for all. As the book of Hebrews explains, Christ offered himself as the ultimate sacrifice for sins, replacing the need for any further animal sacrifices (Hebrews 10:1-18). But while the ceremonial requirements of the Mosaic law came to an end, the moral obligations to offer spiritual sacrifices did not. The author of Hebrews is calling believers to replace the Old Testament sacrifices with “sacrifices of praise” – expressing gratitude to God through words, songs, and lips that praise His name.
A few things to note about these “sacrifices of praise”:
- They are offered “through Christ” – only possible because of what Jesus accomplished on our behalf.
- They are “continual” – not a one time event, but a regular pattern of praise and thanksgiving.
- They involve explicit praise and thanksgiving – verbally praising and acknowledging God’s name.
- The phrase “fruit of lips” implies heartfelt words that come out of the overflow of the heart, not merely ritualistic going through the motions.
Elsewhere, the New Testament also refers to various “spiritual sacrifices” believers should offer to God:
“Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1)
“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 13:15-16)
“You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)
While no longer bound to the sacrificial system of the old covenant, Christians still have the privilege and obligation to offer up sacrifices – not of animals, but of worship, praise, thanksgiving, doing good, and sharing generously with others.
Practically applying “sacrifices of praise”
What would it look like for Christians today to apply this concept of offering “sacrifices of praise to God”? Here are some suggestions:
- Make praise and thanksgiving a regular discipline, not just something done on Sunday
- Cultivate a heart of gratitude for God’s goodness throughout each day
- Verbally praise God through prayer, song, poetry, etc. as a personal and family habit
- Speak words that acknowledge and honor God’s name in conversations with others
- Attend corporate worship ready to praise God enthusiastically with fellow believers
- Allow praise to God to permeate everyday moments like meals, down time, driving, etc.
- Sometimes praise God even when you don’t feel like it, as an act of sacrifice and obedience
- Share with others evidence of God’s goodness that provide fuel for praise
- Let praise Shape how you process difficulties – with praise rather than only petitions
In summary, for the Christian, every day is an opportunity to “offer up a sacrifice of praise to God” through our words, attitudes, songs, and gratitude. This requires intentionally cultivating praise and thanksgiving even when we don’t feel like it. As we do this, it not only honors God but transforms us to have a heart of joy and to live out of abundance. Our lips overflow with praise for the God who sacrificed everything to save us.