Biblical expression of Worship that God desires

The true essence of worship

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. (Deuteronomium 6:5) So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” (Luke 10:27)

Biblical love for God is defined by Him as obedience.  (John 15:10-14)  The kind of love that God is after, is a lifestyle of obedience.  (1 Sam 15:22) You cannot give Him words, and praise and not obey Him.  (Amos 5:23) The basic premise of all worship to Yahweh, is a lifestyle and operating system of obedience.  The premise of David’s life was how many times he first enquired from God before he did anything.  He had to learn this lesson the hard way.  When he tried to bring in the Arc (good intentions) but did not search the law on God’s requirements, an innocent man had to die that day!  (2 Sam 6) It is this tabernacle that God would want to see restored in the last days.  (Acts 15:16-17)

Our position in Worship:

Because of our righteousness being given though what Jesus did not our sacrifices, we do not worship to get to God, but because we are in God.  We do not seek Him no more!  We have found Him.  There are only new levels of understanding and experiencing Him that is still to be discovered. 

All music is praise.

Bono, the Lead singer of U2, once made this statement on a talk show program.  “All music is worship” Whenever we sing and dance, we worship something.  We worship, love, relationships, nostalgia, a moment, a person, an object etc.  We breathe, and move and thus vibrate, releasing a sound, an intricate unique presence and atmosphere.  Is this sound in tune with the Pattern of the Image of the Son of God?  He is the universal note and standard that all mankind has to be tuned into.  When we become born again, God tunes us into this Note.  But when we disobey Him this sound is distorted. 

We are made in His image, and are a mirror image of who He is.  He is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  We are made Spirit, Soul and Body.  We should worship and obey Him, love Him with our spirit, soul and spirit.  Music is also generally made up of three levels.  Rhythm (Body), Lyrics (Soul), Melody (Spirit).  Paul understood this and tells us to be filled with the Spirit.  Then to speak to one another psalms (body), hymns (soul) and spiritual songs (spirit).  (Eph 5:18-20) Psalms - scriptural melodies, accompanied with various musical instruments. Hymns – A rehearse an well throughout song with the intend to teach, glorify and magnify God.  Spiritual Song – a spontaneous song out of your heart to God. 

Spontaneous praise - See Mark 11:1-14 (The triumphal entry)  And John 12:2-8 (anointing at Bethany) 

Prophetic Praise - Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was: (1 Chron 25:1)

My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will disclose my dark saying on the harp. (Psalms 49:2-4)

After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying.  Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. (1 Samuel 10:5-6)

Then Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord also began, with the trumpets and with the instruments of David king of Israel. (2 Chron 29:27)

Scribing a song “Now therefore, write down this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel. (Deut 31:19)

Something supernatural is moved through worship But now bring me a musician.” Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. (2 Kings 3:15)

Sing a new Song – Ps 96:2; Ps 33:3; Ps 149:1

Physical Expressions  of Worship

Clapping of hands – Ps 47:2; Isa 55:12

Shout, Rejoice – Ezra 3:11; Ps 95:1-2

Sing – Ps 100:4; Ps 101:1; Ps 105:2

Laying on down  – Gen 17:3

Bow – Ps 95:6; Esra 9:5; Eph 3:14

Stand – Gen 18:22

Raising of hands – Ps 63:5; 1 Tim 2:8; 1 Kin 8:54

Dance – Exo 15:20; 2 Sam 6:14; Ps 149:3; Ps 150:4

Antiphony  – (Weerklink, ego) Ps 107; 136; Neh 12:31, 40-42

Emotional Expressions of Worship

Samach                        to brighten up, be gleesome, cheer up, to be glad (Deut 16:13)

Süws                           to be bright, cheerful, to be glad (Ps 40:16)

Sâmeach                      blithe or gleeful, glad, joyful (Ps 96:11)

Ranan                          to creak or emit a sound, i.e. to shout joyfully (Ps 98:4)

Simchâh                      blithesome, exceeding gladness, pleasure (Jer 31:13)

Güwl                           to spin around under the influence of violent emotion (Ps 89:15-16)

Âlat                             to jump for joy (Ps 9:2)

Alal                             to leap for joy, wave joyously (Job 20:18)

Giyl                             joy exceeding, gladness greatly (Ps 32:11)

âlaz                              to jump for joy ( Ps 68 :4)

Sâchaq                         to laugh in pleasure, to play, make merry (Prov 31:25)

Mâsôws                       delight (Is 8:6)

Alliyz                          to jump for joy (Is 13:3)

Chairo                         be cheerful, happy (Matt 5:12 - in persecution; Phil 3:1)

Sugchairo                    to rejoice with (Luke 15:6, I Cor 12:26)

Agalliao                       to jump for joy (Jn 5 :25, I Pet 1: 6-8)

Euprano                       to put in a good frame of mind (Rom 15:10, Gal 4:27)

Kauchamaômaito        vaunt, to boast (Rom 5:2, Phil 3:3)

Kauchesis                    boasting whereof I may glory (II Cor 1: 12, I Thess 2:19)

Individual vs corporate worship

Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord.  (Genesis 24:26)

So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. (Exodus 33:9-34:8)

Then David said to all the assembly, “Now bless the Lord your God.” So all the assembly blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the Lord and the king. (1 Chronicles 29:20)

The key is to discern when is which?  There is a time for everything.  When in the assembly of the saints, is it really time for individual worship? 

Principle of purpose and unity:

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!  It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.  It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore. (Psalm 133)

Worship in the New Testament

Jesus was a worshipper – In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. (Luke 10:21) Agalliao = to Exult, leap for Joy, to show one’s joy by leaping and skipping denoting excessive or ecstatic joy and delight. 

The church had to worship corporately - How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.  (1 Corinthians 14:26)

Even in difficult time they worshipped - But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.  (Acts 16:25)

Offered for it’s therapeutic value - Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. (James 5:13)

Singing in tongues - I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. (1 Corinthians 14:15)

we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, (Fil 3:3)

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 5:19-20)

Praise God’s character:

a. God’s power—’Ēl Shaddai, “Almighty God,” probably meaning originally the “god of the mountain(s)” (Gen 17:1). The term Shaddai occurs alone 31 times in Job as an appellation for God.

b. God’s eternity—’Ēl Olam, “the everlasting God” (Gen 21:33) and ‘Attɩ̂q Yômɩ̂n , “Ancient of Days,” the One who judges and rules over the empires of the world (Dan 7:9, 13, 22).

c. God’s special relationship to Israel. Accepting Israel as his new name (Gen 32:28), Jacob confessed ’Ēl–’elōhê–Israel , “El (is) the God of Israel,” when he bought a piece of land and erected an altar at Shechem (Gen 33:18–20, Likewise Joshua established the covenant at Mount Ebal (Josh 8:30), Deborah after her victory (Jdg 5:3), and the prophets and psalmists (Isa 17:6; Ps 59:5; Zeph 2:9) acknowledged Yahweh to be the “God of Israel”. “The Holy One of Israel” was a favorite title (qƒdôsh Yiśrā’ēl) with Isaiah, who used it 29 times. He also spoke of God as the “mighty One of Israel” (Isa 1:24) and the “mighty One of Jacob” (Isa 49:26; 60:16), following (Gen 49:24). See also the “Strength of Israel” (I Sam 15:29).

d. God’s provision for the believer’s needs. Abraham named the hill where he was about to offer Isaac Jehovah-jireh . He thus confessed that God had provided the needed sacrifice in the ram caught in the ticket which could substitute as a burnt offering instead of his son (Gen 22:13–14) Yahweh Rōph’ekā, “I am the Lord, your healer” (Ex 15:26)

e. God’s leadership—Jehovah-nissi, “The lord is my banner,” the name Moses gave to an altar he built to commemorate the defeat of the Amelekites (Ex 17:15). Yehweh Ró‘ɩ̂, the best loved name or description of all, is the familiar “The Lord is my shepherd” (Ps 23:1), with its many applications to leadership, provision, and protection.

f. God’s peace—Yahweh-shalom, “The Lord is (my) peace,” exclaimed Gideon after being visited by the angel of the Lord as he created an altar in Ophrah and knew the peace of God in his heart (Jdg 6:24).

g. The Messiah’s most precious name Yahweh-tsidkenu, “The Lord our righteousness” (Jer 23:6; 33:16); the name and attribute by which the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was especially to be known (I Cor 1:30; II Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9; II Pet 1:1; Jn 2:1).

h. The name of the New Jerusalem, Yahweh-shammah, “Jehovah is there,” a prophecy in (Ezk 48:35), which will be fulfilled in the New Jerusalem of Rev 21:22; 22:3.

i. God’s heavenly title, Yahweh Sabaoth, “the Lord of hosts.” This divine title, first found in I Sam 1:3, was used by David as he went to meet Goliath: “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (I Sam 17:45, RSV). As the Lord of hosts He is mighty in battle (Ps 24:8, 10). The prophets often used the term. It is found in Jeremiah 88 times in the KJV either as “the Lord of hosts” or as “the Lord God of hosts,” where it implies that the “hosts” are angelic forces of heaven constantly ready to do God’s command (Ps 89:5–8; 148:2; Mt 26:53). The expression “the Lord of Sabaoth” occurs untranslated in Rom 9:29) and (Jas 5:4).

Praise as warfare:

Praise (Halal) the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song (Siyr), And His praise (Tehillah) in the assembly of saints.  Let Israel rejoice (Samah) in their Maker; Let the children of Zion be joyful (Giyl) in their King.  Let them praise (Halal) His name with the dance (Mahol); Let them sing praises (Zamar) to Him with the timbrel and harp. for the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the saints be joyful (Alaz) in glory; Let them sing aloud (Runan) on their beds. Let the high praises (Romam) of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples; To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgment— This honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!
See (Jehoshaphat 2 Chron 20:21,28)

Praise and Intersession

Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
(Isaiah 56:7) Tephillah is a song that is sung as a prayer unto God, the bible is full of the same kind of prayer songs.  (Psalms 7, 9, 10, 11, 17, 55, 57, 70)  So even our mourning and lamentations and needs are sung to God. (Psalms 22, 94, 102, 109, 140) People are also encouraged through song. (Ps 66, 100, 103, 113, 114, 150) Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (Revelation 5:8) harp & bowl - It is music that is intregrated into prayer, the "harp" representing the music and the "bowl" being representative the prayer of the saints (Christians) that are constantly going up like incense before the throne of God. 

1^st in the natural then in the Spiritual:

We do not wait for something spiritual to happen before we act in worship.  We simply obey the scriptures and worship Him accordingly then things start to happen.