What is worship?

During the last teenage weekend of HIS Generation I had the opportunity to share something about the meaning of worship. Thinking about worship many people immediately think of music, but is that everything to it?

The fact that most people think mostly about music when they hear the word ‘worship’, is because of certain terms we use in the church, such as ‘worship leader’, we are now going to ‘worship’ on specific moments, or ‘worship team’. Because of this, it makes sense that we connect worship to music and singing. However, I think that worship is much more than just music.

Romans 12:1 says:
NIV: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
MEV: “I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service of worship.”

So, worshiping God is putting your whole life in commission. It is a sacrifice. This implies we give something without expecting anything in return and that it will cost us something. We are created to live in relationship with God and living in honour of Him.

“Worship is with everything you are living in honour of Him: in surrender, in His truth, with your whole heart and doing what He asks of you.”

Praise

One of the ways to worship or honour God is to praise Him. It is something we can express directly to God or something we express to others about Him.

The Bible shows us many examples of how to praise God. One example is Psalm 149. The psalmist encourages us to praise God through ‘singing a new song’, ‘cheer!’, ‘dance!’ and ‘the beating of the drums’. Another example is Psalm 50: ‘sing for Him’, ‘clap your hands and dance’.

This is not silence praise but it is really exuberantly. Their glorification and wonder of God may serve us as an example how we can express ourselves.

Let’s give Him all the glory in everything we do and praise Him for who He is and with everything we have. Because He is worth it!