What is worship?

Worship isn't a question of whether, but of who. God created man to worship and every human will worship something, even if their god hangs over their belt (Philippians 3:19). What is worship? Is it the singing? is it the preaching? Is it life? Worship is giving homage and due reverence to God, starting in the heart, then it is  manifested in outward expression. Where did I get that? Glad you asked. In both Hebrew and Greek the word translated basically means to bow down, or kneel down or do homage, at least, so says Brown-Driver-Briggs and Thayer for those who care for such information.

But when you read the Scripture, it’s clear that worship is more than the outward movements.

• Exodus 34:8  And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.
• Nehemiah 8:6  And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
• Matthew 2:11  And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
• Matthew28:9  And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
• Revelation 19:4  And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia
• Revelation  And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
• Revelation  And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

Note that they fell down and they worshiped. Bowing down was part of the worship process here, but it was not the actual worship. Something happened first that caused them to fall down. They first prostrated themselves inwardly and this affected their outward expression of praise. It was the recognition that they were in the presence of a Holy God and they worshiped Him in the beauty of Holiness. It is adoration, homage, reverence, submission to God.

Preaching or singing or praying is not, of itself, true worship. I’ve heard a lot of Christ-less preaching that was not worship, it was moralism because it did not bring me to God in Christ. You can sing your little heart out, but be thinking about how awesome you sound. Who is it you are lifting up again? You can be a Baptist and amen when the preacher smacks the pulpit and not even be thinking about what he said. My dad was preaching once and illustrated the absurdity of a false doctrine by saying something like "let's say I said the moon is made of cheese" and someone shouted AMEN! I have more confidence that the man was not listening and felt it was his turn to say "amen" rather than supporting the likelihood of lunar Limburger. Point being, going through the motion of preaching or listening isn't worship either.

Vines says..."it is not confined to praise; broadly it may be regarded as the direct acknowledgment to God, of His nature, attributes, ways and claims, whether by the outgoing of the heart in praise and thanksgiving or by deed done in such acknowledgment."

Much of what is described as "worship" is sentimentality.

 Jonathan Edwards in “Religious Affections” said “As there is no true religion where there is nothing else but affection [feelings/experiences], so there is no true religion where there is no religious affections.”

Understanding worship is very important, as it is required of man to worship. I believe that God has given man a desire to worship, we were created to worship - but in our fallen state men are drawn to worship idols (Romans 1). The first four commandments regulate the proper worship of God. Men will either worship the true God or they will worship idols. God is worshiped in Spirit and in truth, but God is also not mocked. If you sow to the flesh in worship, you will reap its rewards.

Have you read part 1? Click these words and you can.