What is Worship
In many churches there is a time of worship, as they call it, when we sing songs of praise. We also hear the directive, ‘Let’s continue worshiping’ following a pause in the singing. And the one leading the singing often has the title of ‘Worship Leader.’ So, one could naturally conclude that worship is the act of singing praises. While singing is a form of worship, if you stop there you will miss what true worship is as well as not see the many opportunities we have to worship our Lord in every aspect of our lives.
Worship is defined by Merriam-Webster as:
To honor or show reverence for as a divine being or supernatural power
To regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion
That’s a pretty good definition. However, worship in the Bible is a bit broader than that. For example look at Romans 12:1,
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
The word used here for worship is latreia [lat-ri’-ah] which means service. Living sacrifice is simply an act of devotion. Worship used in this context is, therefore, a spiritual service of devoting our lives to being in honor of and devotion to our Lord.
In Psalm 29:2 we see another form of worship that is a physical representation of our reverence, respect, and honor.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.
Worship here is shachah [shaw-khaw’] which means to bow down. It’s a sign of submission, a show of respect for and reverence of the one to whom you are bowing. Peter fell to his knees after Jesus caused him to catch a multitude of fish. Peter did not fall to his knees because of the miracle, he fell to his knees because the miracle made him realize that Jesus was the Messiah.
Worship has many forms such as serving, bowing in praying, studying the Bible, singing, teaching, etc. The ultimate form of worship which encompasses all of these and so much more is found in Matthew 22:37-39,
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
I know, I keep coming back to those verses, and rightfully so because as Jesus said, “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Loving the Lord with everything in you and to do the same for others, is the greatest form of worship. And when you do that, worship through singing, prayer, Bible study, helping others, etc. will pour out of you a level of reverence, honor, and devotion that will be overwhelming and immeasurable.
Have a great day.
To learn more about the Great Commandment click here for a free download of my book, A Personal Journey that Changed Everything.
