Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Sacrifices of Joy

In Psalm 27, David writes, "I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle."

What is that?

A sacrifice of joy? If it's joy, why is it a sacrifice? If it's a sacrifice, then what do we mean by the word "joy"? Why is singing a sacrifice?

4 comments:

  1. When you find out, let me know, because I've wondered the same thing!

    lso, "sacrifices of thanksgiving" although I've thought that maybe that's because being thankful is HARD for us to do, and therefore is a sacrifice. :)

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  2. We tend to think of a sacrifice as something that is hard or burdensome, but maybe that is not a right understanding? I looked up the etymology of the word and we get it from the Latin by way of Old French--it means to "make holy." Maybe the "sacrifices" of joy and praise and thanksgiving are simply our responses to God's gifts that are pure and holy because the ultimate source is Him?

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  3. EC, I suspect that thanksfulness that is hard to do maybe isn't really thankfulness.

    Cheryl, in the OT, isn't a sacrifice something that must be given up or killed with the result being "making holy"? But as you said, maybe that's just an impression we have from the proponderance of the use of the term.

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  4. "sacrifices of joy." Giving up something that gives joy.

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