Award Winning GENESIS SCHOOL OF MUSIC

➡️If you asked a dozen people in the church today, “what is worship”, you would probably get a dozen different answers –  like singing a song, attending a service, taking communion, or maybe having a quiet time at home.  But what does the Bible say?  When it says, “Praise the Lord” or “Worship the Lord”, what does that actually mean? Singing, attending, serving?  When the Israelites were saved from their enemies through the Red Sea, the Bible says that they worshiped.  When King David brought home the Ark of the Covenant, the people worshiped. When the disciples first saw Jesus alive, they worshiped.  But, again, what did it look like?  I know after the Red Sea, it included singing and instruments; after the Ark came home, it included extreme behavior – this is where David danced with all his might; and I assume when the disciples worshiped Jesus, they probably bowed down, in awe – I’m sure they were emotional. 

When studying any topic in the Bible, it’s helpful to go to the original language, attempting to understand what the author was trying to say, because the English language often fails in the translation.  I did this for the word WORSHIP, and I found 5 Hebrew words that all describe our English words WORSHIP or PRAISE.  Here they are:

• Shachah
  (שָׁחָה): This is the most common word for worship in the Old Testament, meaning to bow down or prostrate oneself, demonstrating profound respect and honor.  Psalm 95:6 says, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our maker.”
  
• Yadah
  (יָדָה): To give thanks and praise, often involving the raising of hands.  Psalm 145:10 says, “All your works praise you, Lord; you’re faithful people extol you”.
  
• Zamar
  (זָמַר): To make music in praise of God, especially with stringed instruments.  Psalm 33:2 says, “Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre”.
  
• Avodah
  (עֲבוֹדָה): Means “work” or “service,” and can refer to the service and worship in the Temple or other forms of labor dedicated to God.  Exodus 8:1 says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharoah and say to him, This is what the Lord says:  Let my people go, so that they may worship me.’”
  
• Halal
  (הָלַל): A word for enthusiastic and even exuberant praise, to be foolish or mad, forming the root of the word Hallelujah.  Psalm 150:6 says, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”

Next time you read somewhere in the Bible that says to worship or praise God, remember it’s more than just singing, or just “worshipping in your heart” – actually, I couldn’t find any Biblical examples of someone worshipping God in their hearts – you can love God in your heart, or you can feel the presence of God in your heart, but that’s not worship.  All five Hebrew words mentioned are verbs, meaning they require action.  It’s something you do, not something you feel. 

I want to encourage you this week to worship God – bring God a sacrifice of praise.  Start in your bedroom, maybe in your car – sing out loud, lift your hands, bow down – do something to express your worship to God – even if it doesn’t come naturally (at first, it usually doesn’t).  Do it anyway – we all know God designed it, and he deserves it.  Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, in view of God’s mercy, we should offer all of our bodies as living sacrifices to God. For this is our spiritual act of worship.”

That’s in the Bible, and the Bible is always right!