Several Christian artists, such as Michael W. Smith and Sonicflood, have recorded Baloche's songs. Many of his songs are among the most performed songs in services according to CCLI, a company that handles copyright licensing of Christian songs and other resource materials for use in churches. Among them are "Open the Eyes of My Heart" (ranked number 2) and "Above All" (ranked number 22), cowritten with Lenny Leblanc. "Above All" was nominated for Song of the Year in both the 2002 and 2003 Dove Awards, and in 2002, Michael W. Smith's recording of that song won Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year. Baloche was also nominated for Songwriter of the Year in 2002.
Baloche uses his position as a recording artist to provide resources for churches. His catalog of six albums is focused on providing worship music for the listener to worship along with, and for churches to use in their own services. His albums are released by Hosanna! Music, a division of Integrity Music. Through Integrity, Baloche has also written a book, God Songs, and released instructional DVDs that cover a variety of issues central to contemporary worship, such as music styles, music theory, creating flow in worship, and guitar techniques (including his distinct open chord voicings).
In addition to his material output, Baloche annually participates in several seminars for worship leaders and musicians throughout North America (many of which are facilitated by Integrity), and has started to participate in seminars in Asia as well.
His 2006 release, A Greater Song, is a live recording featuring new songs, some cowritten with leading worship artists like Matt Redman ("A Greater Song") and Integrity executive vice president Don Moen ("Thank You Lord").
Sacrifice
Paul Baloche Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You look on the heart
That's where my worship has to start
Words fall short to tell You
Yearnings that I feelI want to worship You for real
For real
To truly seek Your face
To turn my heart towards You
A thousand times a day
For all eternity
With every breath I take
I want my life to be
A sacrifice of praise
A sacrifice of praise to You
Man looks on the outside
You look on the heart
That's where my worship has to start
Words fall short to tell You
Yearnings that I feelI want to worship You for real
For real
To truly live for You
To truly seek Your face
To turn my heart towards You
A thousand times a day
For all eternity
With every breath I take
I want my life to be
A sacrifice of praise
A sacrifice of praise to You
To truly live for You
To truly seek Your face
To turn my heart towards You
A thousand times a day
For all eternity
With every breath I take
I want my life to be
A sacrifice of praise
A sacrifice of praise
A sacrifice of praise
A sacrifice of praise
A sacrifice of praise to You
The lyrics of Paul Baloche's song Sacrifice are a powerful declaration of the singer's desire to truly worship God from the heart. The song starts by acknowledging that human beings tend to judge others by their outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. This sets the stage for the singer's personal confession that his worship cannot be just an outward gesture or a lip service; rather he wants to offer sincere and genuine worship from the depths of his heart. The repetition of the phrase "I want to worship You for real" highlights the singer's longing to have a relationship with God that is not superficial but authentic.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer's commitment to living a life of sacrifice in praise of God. He wants to live every moment of his life seeking God's face, turning his heart towards Him, and worshipping Him in every breath he takes. The repetition of the phrase "a sacrifice of praise" reinforces the idea that true worship is not just a casual activity one engages in occasionally, but a lifestyle that demands a radical commitment.
Overall, the song is a heartfelt and reflective prayer that encourages listeners to consider the depth and sincerity of their own worship. It is a reminder that true worship involves not just outward actions but also inner attitudes and motives, and that the goal of our worship should be a genuine relationship with God.
Line by Line Meaning
Man looks on the outside
People often judge others based on their appearance or external qualities
You look on the heart
God sees beyond external appearances and evaluates people based on their inner qualities and intentions
That's where my worship has to start
If I want to truly worship God, I need to focus on my heart and inner motives rather than just external actions
Words fall short to tell You
Language isn't enough to fully express the depth of my feelings for God
Yearnings that I feel
I have deep desires and longings that I can't fully articulate
I want to worship You for real
I want my worship to be authentic and come from the depths of my heart
To truly live for You
I want my entire life, not just certain actions or moments, to be dedicated to serving and honoring God
To truly seek Your face
I want to have a deep and continuous connection with God and seek His presence in all aspects of my life
To turn my heart towards You
I want to align my heart with God's will and desires, and to always seek Him first
A thousand times a day
I want my dedication to God to be constant and not just limited to specific moments or occasions
For all eternity
My commitment to God will last forever, even after my time on earth is done
With every breath I take
I want my devotion to God to be present in every moment of my life
I want my life to be
My ultimate goal is for my entire existence to be centered on God
A sacrifice of praise
I want to offer my praise and worship to God as a gift or offering, rather than just something I do out of obligation or routine
A sacrifice of praise to You
My worship and devotion is directed solely towards God, and is an offering or sacrifice to Him alone
A sacrifice of praise
I want my praise and worship to be intentional and sacrificial, and not just something I do for my own benefit
A sacrifice of praise
I want to continually offer my worship and devotion to God as a sacrifice, giving up my own desires and priorities in order to honor Him
Contributed by Liam E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.