We bring the sacrifice of praise

Kirk Dearman's “We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise” is a short congregational song that has been sung in churches for decades. It has only a few lines, which makes it easy to learn and sing as an act of worship. The words are, “We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. And we offer up to You the sacrifices of thanksgiving.” A final line adds “the sacrifices of joy.”

The song relies on the idea that worship costs something. In ancient Israel, sacrifices were animals brought to the altar. The song carries the image over to words and attitudes, so that praise offered when it is hard is a gift to God. It names three offerings, praise, thanksgiving and joy, and puts them in the setting of the temple courts. Because the text is brief, it is often repeated and used as a response in a service or gathering. The version here includes a Swahili line, “Sadaka za sifa,” which means offerings of praise.

The later wording is Hebrews 13:15, which calls praise a sacrifice. Offering thanksgiving is Psalm 116:17, and entering his gates with thanksgiving is Psalm 100:4.