Praise and Sacrifice: a Potpourri of Scriptures and Meditation

Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His love is eternal.
He alone does great wonders.
His love is eternal. (Psalm 136:3-4)

I will thank the Lord with all my heart;
I will declare all Your wonderful works.
I will rejoice and boast about You;
I will sing about Your name, Most High. (Psalm 9:1-2)

Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name. (Hebrews 13:15)

To sacrifice means to surrender, relinquish, or yield. When we make a sacrifice, we are offering up a gift. It encourages me to know that my praise is often a sacrifice--a gift to God and a release for me...Praise, particularly in difficult circumstances, arises from a desire to obey God and to trust in His ways. Perhaps the Lord wants us to offer praise because in this "sacrifice" we are released from the bondage of anxiety and freed to see His hand working all things together for good. (Cynthia Heald, Abiding in Christ, p. 44)

Lord, open my lips, and my mouth with declare Your praise. (Psalm 51:15)

Almighty and merciful God, it is only by Your gift that Your faithful people offer You true and laudable service: Grant that I may run without stumbling to obtain Your heavenly promise; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Divine Hours, p. 149)

Lord, it is only through Your enabling and strengthening me that I can offer You my praise and my service.