The Sacrifice of Praise

Judges 8; Psalms 42; 1 Corinthians 15

“My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’…Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Psalm 42:3, 5

When we face the taunting of others and of the enemy of our souls, and then question God’s love, his presence, or even his existence, we have a choice.

Will we give in to discouragement and indulge the oppression of our soul, or will we choose to worship God, remembering his saving and delivering work in our lives?

When we offer the sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confesses God’s name, even in the midst of taunting and challenging circumstances, God is glorified. ‘Deep calls to deep’ when we enter the depth of Christ’s sufferings and become like him in his death, and somehow attain the resurrection of the dead (Philippians 3:10). 

In what ways are we being invited to renew our hope in God and offer a costly sacrifice of praise?

“Lord Jesus, you are my hope and my joy is to worship you this day, for your glory.”