What Is the “Sacrifice of Thanksgiving” in the Bible?
Short answer
The “sacrifice of thanksgiving” (Hebrew: todah) was a specific Old Testament offering of gratitude, described in Leviticus 7:12–15 and named in Psalm 116:17, given in response to God’s deliverance from real trouble. The New Testament reframes the idea: instead of an animal offering, believers now offer “a sacrifice of praise” — the fruit of lips that confess God’s name (Hebrews 13:15) — turning thanksgiving itself into a deliberate act of worship rather than just a passing feeling.
This is a different question than “what is a good Thanksgiving Day prayer?” — it is about a specific Old Testament practice behind the English word “thanksgiving,” and it has a lot to say about what gratitude actually costs and means. Psalm 116:17 uses the phrase directly: “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving.” This page traces that phrase back to its Old Testament roots, follows it into the New Testament’s reframing of it, and looks at what it means to actually offer one today.
The todah offering in the Old Testament
The sacrifice of thanksgiving, or todah, was one category of the peace offering described in Leviticus 7:12–15. Unlike a sin offering, it was not about atonement for wrongdoing — it was a voluntary offering given in response to deliverance already received, from danger, illness, or trouble.
The animal offering was accompanied by unleavened bread and cakes, and the whole thing was eaten the same day in a communal meal shared with family, friends, and the priests. Gratitude, in other words, was meant to be tasted and shared, not just felt privately.
Psalm 116 and the sacrifice of thanksgiving
Psalm 116 is written by someone who has just been pulled back from the edge of death: “the sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow” (Psalm 116:3), followed immediately by rescue: “I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications” (116:1). In response, the psalmist makes a public vow: “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people” (Psalm 116:17–18). The pattern is deliverance followed by public, grateful worship — not gratitude kept quietly to oneself.
From animal sacrifice to “the fruit of lips”
The New Testament carries this idea forward while transforming its form. Hebrews 13:15 says, “by him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” Because Christ’s death is understood as the final, once-for-all atoning sacrifice (Hebrews 10:12), thanksgiving no longer requires an animal offering — it is now expressed through spoken, public worship and a life that gives thanks. The substance of the todah — grateful, costly, voiced praise in response to God’s rescue — carries straight through even as its outward form changes completely.
What this means for believers today
Offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving today means treating gratitude as something you deliberately give, not just a mood that happens to you: naming a specific way God has come through for you, saying it out loud to him and to others, and letting that thanksgiving shape how you live. It is worth noting this is a different topic than the modern American Thanksgiving holiday, even though the words overlap — this page is about the biblical practice behind the word, which you can pray any day of the year. If you are looking for a prayer specifically for the Thanksgiving holiday table, this site also has one for that occasion.
Key Bible verses
- “If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil.” — Leviticus 7:12
- “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.” — Psalm 116:17
- “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” — Hebrews 13:15
Frequently asked questions
What does Psalm 116:17 mean by “sacrifice of thanksgiving”?
It refers to the Old Testament todah offering — a voluntary sacrifice given in gratitude for God’s deliverance from real trouble, eaten in a shared meal, and paired with a public vow to praise God before others.
What was a todah offering in the Old Testament?
The todah was a category of peace offering described in Leviticus 7:12–15, given voluntarily in response to deliverance already received rather than for atonement, and eaten the same day in a communal meal.
Do Christians still offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving today?
Yes, but not as an animal offering. Hebrews 13:15 reframes it as “the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” — spoken, public praise and a grateful life, made possible because Christ’s death is the final atoning sacrifice.
Is the sacrifice of thanksgiving the same as the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday?
No, though the words share a root idea. The biblical sacrifice of thanksgiving is a year-round practice of grateful worship described in Leviticus and the Psalms; the American holiday is a specific modern tradition. This site also has a dedicated prayer for the Thanksgiving Day table.