What Exactly Is Worship?

Image by Jackson David from Pixabay Edited by Otto Brinkmeier

"Worship can be defined as “the reverence or adoration that one shows toward something or someone; holding a person or object in high esteem; or giving a person or an object a place of importance or honor.” There are hundreds of scriptures in the Bible that speak about worship and provide guidance as to both who and how to worship." biblestudytools

For me, personally Worship is all important in having a good relationship with God.
It is the essence of a healthy relationship with God, it encompasses all we do, say and sing to and about God. It is that secret life every Christian should have.

For me it is a Lifestyle, and a daily thing.

"It is a Biblical mandate that we worship God and Him alone. It is an act that is designed not only to bring honor to Him who deserves honor, but also to bring a spirit of obedience and submission to the worshipers." biblestudytools

Very often we have idols that we worship unwittingly.
I wrote an article on Facebook, In our Spiritual Warfare Group on 21 February 2018 - Titled Plastic and Silicon Idols

Plastic and Silicon Idols = TV, Cell Phones, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, DSTV, YouTube etc...
Read More Here 👉Are You Worshiping Plastic and Silicon Idols?👈

"But why do we worship, what exactly is worship and how do we worship on a day-to-day basis? Because this topic is important to God and is the reason that we were created, the Scripture provides us a great deal of information on the subject. biblestudytools

The word worship comes from the Old English word “weorþscipe” or
“worth-ship” which means “to give worth to.” In a secular context, the word can mean “to hold something in high esteem.” In a Biblical context, the Hebrew word for worship is shachah, which means to depress, to fall down, or to lay prostrate before a deity. It is to hold something up with such reverence, honor, and esteem that your only desire is to bow down before it. God specifically mandates that the focus of this type of worship be toward Him and Him alone. "
biblestudytools

In the Old Testament this involved ritualistic sacrifices, however Jesus taught us its true meaning, which Paul explains so well in:

 Romans 12:1 “Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.”

"We are no longer under bondage to the law, with the burden of bringing animal blood to atone for sins and as our form of worship. Jesus has already paid a death price and made a blood sacrifice for our sins. Our form of worship, post-resurrection, is to bring ourselves, our own lives, as a living sacrifice to God. This is holy and pleasing to Him." biblestudytools

1 Peter 2:9 says that we are a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” It is the reason that we exist, to bring adoration to Him who created us.

"The Word of God calls us to live our entire lives as an act of worship (Romans 12:1).
The purpose of this chapter is to teach some of the key principles of biblical worship with music and song, stirring the reader to a deeper relationship with the Father. For many, the area of worship is dictated by their preference and comfort, but it is our desire as an eldership to let the truth of Scripture fashion and shape this expression of our relationship with the Father." - Laying Foundations

The Heart Of Worship

“I’ll bring you more than a song,

for a song in itself is not what you have desired.

You search much deeper within,

through the way things appear,

you’re looking into my heart.

“I’m coming back to the heart of worship,

’cos it’s all about you,

it’s all about you, Jesus.

I’m sorry, Lord, for the things I’ve made it,

for it’s all about you, Jesus!”

(Matt Redman and Martin Smith)

Worship is not just a song, nor can it be reduced to a musical progression: no,

it is far more than that. The very heartbeat of worship is a natural overflow of

our relationship with the Father. Man would love to label and categorize it,

but mere definitions cannot express the fullness of worship as God intended it.

In essence, it is an expression of our ardent adoration in response to His

tender love, a discovering of Him as He reveals His wonder to us. Worship is a

relationship. Let us not be ‘dazed’ by the labels, rather let us be ‘dazzled’ by

our Lord. And remember that we love Him and respond to Him in worship

“because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). We will now study some of the

expressions of worship found in the Old and New Testaments.

Old Testament Expressions Of Worship

There are several Hebrew words found in the Old Testament that are translated

as a single English word ‘praise.’ Let’s examine these to gain a fuller understanding of biblical worship. You will notice how they flow naturally into the New Testament.

 Barak (Psalm 96:2)

“To bless, to prostrate or to kneel as an act of adoration.”

“But I, by Your great mercy, will come into Your house; in reverence will I bow

down toward Your holy temple.” (Psalm 5:7) This shows a wonderful illustration

of how David, who set an outstanding example of worship in the Bible, would

enter the house of God to bow in adoration to his King. Examples can also be

found in the New Testament, for example, Revelation 4, 5 and Revelation 7.

 Yadah (Psalm 28:7)

“To revere or worship with extended hands.”

A further example in the New Testament is found in 1 Timothy 2:8 where Paul

encourages the people to “lift up holy hands” as they approach the Lord.

 Towdah (Psalm 50:23)

“To give a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving with extended hands.”

Shabach (Psalm 63:3)

“To praise in a loud tone.”

Shouting is not a sign of irreverence but is welcomed by the Father. Many

scriptures speak of it. As examples consider Psalm 47:1 and Psalm 66:1, but there are many more. “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission.”
(Hebrews 5:7).

Submission and reverence are attitudes of the heart, not necessarily the

silencing of the emotions or the restriction of expression.

 Zamar (Psalm 108:3)

“To worship on an instrument.”

God has made room for a myriad of instruments with all kinds of sounds and

rhythms. We see that our instruments become expressions of our hearts.

The instrument of our body is surely the most important of all instruments,

expressing the attitude of our heart. Romans 12:1 urges us to offer our lives as

a reasonable act of worship and this incorporates all that we do.
See also Psalm 150.

Halal (Psalm 35:18)

“To shine, to rave, to be clamorous and foolish. To abandon your reputation.”

“David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might,

while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with

shouts and the sound of trumpets.” (2 Samuel 6:14-15)

David was someone who knew to bow low in reverence, but he also understood

when to honor the Lord with passionate expressions of dance and praise.

This meant that his reputation as a king would be on the line as well as his

preferences. He knew it was all worth it though!

Tehillah (Psalm 22:3)

“To sing your ‘halals.’ The kind of worship God loves to inhabit.”

Summary

Music, dancing and extravagant outward expression were very much part of

Israel’s culture. These expressions were associated with all their social events,

victories and defeats, prophetic activity, coming in and going out. Therefore,

when they praised the Lord it was a natural activity.

There is both the stillness of bowing before the majestic King, as well as the

passion and exuberance of joy as we join with Him in rejoicing (Zep 3:17).

If we give ourselves to the full expression of worship and not give in to our

fears and the pressures of man, we will surely enjoy and experience the

breadth of life that the Father has intended for His children!

Credits

1. www.biblestudytools.com
   
   
2. Extracted from Laying Foundations
   Copyright © 2002 by Cornerstone Church
   Print Date: March 2003
   This manual may be duplicated whole, or in part in any
   form (written, visual, electronic or audio)
   without express written permission of the publisher,
   providing it is not used for commercial purposes.
   Published by Cornerstone Church
   +27 11 616 4073
   info@cornerstonechurch.co.za