Index:
Questions
Do I bless (praise) the Lord?
Why bless (praise) the Lord?
Where does my satisfaction come from?
What results in my life when I bless (praise) Him?
I. Worship
II. Worship in the desert (wilderness)
III. Worship is a continuous act
IV. Worship no man or other beings; but God
V. Praise and Worship in the Holy Spirit
VI. Worship and sacrifice
VII. Three Elements for Worship
VIII. Reasons for decline in Worship
IX. How should we worship?
X. Praise
XI. Why Praise?
XII. Seven Greek and Hebrew Words for Praise and Worship
XIII. Eight Hebrew Words for Praise and Worship
“Bless the Lord, Oh my Soul and all that is within me Bless His Holy Name.
Bless the Lord, Oh My Soul; and forget not His benefits.
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases.
Who redeemed thy life from destruction, who croweneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies.
Who satisfies thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like eagles.”
(Psalm 103: 01-05)
The other word used for “Bless” in the NIV is “Praise”. Psalmist gives praise to the Lord for His Abundant blessings.
Question no. 01
Do I bless (praise) the Lord with:
My Soul – emotions
My body – language, dance, sing clap with hands. David danced shamelessly.
My spirit – gratitude of praise n worship?
The Lord blesses me so I bless the Lord…..
Question no. 02
Why bless (praise) the Lord?
Question no. 03
Where does my satisfaction come from?
Intimacy – meditation – peace – satisfaction.
Now this is my relation with God in His abundant Kingdom. A very close relationship.
The absence of satisfaction leads to emptiness and deprivation. Debts, broken marriages, relationships, self-pity, drugs, abuse.
Decide where do u want to live in?
Abundance – commune with Him
or
World – absence of His Kingdom?
Question no. 04
What results in my life when I bless (praise) Him?
Yes I will bless the Lord for He has blessed me. I will praise Him and give thanks to Him for all His loving Kindness.
Amen.
I. Worship
" But the Sprit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him" " And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, then David took an harp, and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil sprit departed from him" (1 Samuel 16 14 & 23)
II. Worship in the desert (wilderness):
Worship in wilderness is intense, with clear priorities and with set timings.
“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.” Psalm 63:01-04
Anointing stands alone. We do not need any back up or helper during wilderness.
David praised God when he was in the Wilderness (desert) of Judea. He had escaped from home because of his son Absalom. Wilderness comes in everyone’s life and this is the time for Praise and Worship. Judea means worship. ‘El’ means the ‘Strange One‘. Jehovah God you are my El-Shada. We worship the strange one; God who is Utterly Other.
Being a leader we must bind the spirit of Absalom, to bind rebellion in the Ministry. Secondly we must bind the spirit of Jezebel to cancel the killing of prophetic ministry.
III. Worship is a continuous act:
“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke braed in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 02:46-47)
“Lift up your heads, O you gates, lift them up you ancient doors that the King of Glory may come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.” (Psalm 24:09-10)
“Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at His tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord” (Psalm 27:06).
“I will praise the Lord who counsels me, even at night my heart instructs me” (Psalm 16:07)
“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 03: 16-17)
IV. Worship no man or other beings; but God:
“I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God”. (Revelations 22:08-09).
V. Praise and Worship in the Holy Spirit:
Father God sees for those who worship him with spirit and truth. (translated as reality). We should praise and worship Him from our hearts, understanding, personal knowledge, our will and bringing ourselves to God as we are.
Alethia in Greek means reality. Worship is no longer confined to one place. The religious, ethnic, cultural backgrounds do not matter any more. We need to worship with spirit and truth. Just like angels in heavens worship Him because Heaven is more real than this reality called Earth.
Luke 07: 36-50 - The worship of a woman who was regarded as a promiscuous.
Revelations 19: 01-10 - Worship in Heaven. The joy and peace of Heaven is released with worship because angels are in continuous worship. This is the heavenly perspective. We enter the heavenly perspective when we worship in Spirit.
People in the Old Testament considered Worship to be a Sacrifice. According to Bible Scholars when we move in obedience, the voice of God is loud and clear for us. In disobedience it is light and soft. In New Testament the condition for worship is with spirit and truth.
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit and His worshipers must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 04:23-24)
“For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus and who put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 03:03)
VI. Worship and sacrifice:
“But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you” (Philippians 02:17)
“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess His name” (Hebrews 13:15)
“God whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you…” (Romans 01:09)
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:01)
“…so that the gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:16)
According to Mark 11:17, the emphasis is not on sacrifice but on prayer.
And as He taught them, He said, “Is it not written, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of robbers”
&
“These I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my alter; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:07)
Sacrifice is man’s need for deliverance and salvation. But God wants us to pray to Him. Sacrifice is not a form of worship. Prayers with the core of heart are the highest form of Worship. A man of prayer is a man of God; a man of prayer is a man of worship.
The Jewish Concept of worship was in temple and in the form of sacrifices. But, God wants us to focus on Prayer. The Jewish concept for temple was that it connected them with God. But Jesus said that He is greater than the Temple. (Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days”. John 02:19) In the Old Testament Worship was done only in the Temple. According to the New Testament we are the temples of Christ. Now God has de-localised Worship and it can be done anywhere. It is no more attached to a single place. It should become our life-style.
(Samaritan woman) “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus declared, “Believe me woman; a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on the mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship that we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.” (John 04:20-22)
Sin dwells inside man but body is not evil. It is a living sacrifice. Man has been infected with sin due to his sin nature. We present our efforts, lives, money and energy so that God can dwell inside us.
VII. Three Elements for Worship:
VIII. Reasons for decline in Worship:
i. Lack of Love:
One who does not have a loveable heart cannot worship God. Love is the primary requirement for worship as per the standards of God. In order to worship wholeheartedly we must learn to forgive our enemies and people around us.
ii. Lack of Honour:
“A son honours his father and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honour due to me? If I am a master, where is the respect due to me?” says the Lord Almighty. It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, “How have we shown contempt for your name?” “You placed defiled food on my alter. But you ask, how have we defiled you?”. “By saying that the Lord’s Table is contemptible.” (Malachi 01:06-07).
The first dimension of Worship is to love God as God. The second dimension of Worship is to love God as Father. Worship demands fatherhood and the basic requirement of fatherhood is honour and respect. Absence of love and honour for our Lord breaks the relationship. This is the teaching of the Old and the New Testament. We must learn to respect and honour God for He has honoured us by giving His only begotten son for our sake.
Honour starts from family and then higher authorities. Never dishonour seniors by talking against them. We must honour God and worship Him like a King. If we will not value God, it will be a curse on us because the purpose of mankind is to Worship Him.
IX. How should we worship?
"Praise Him with the sound of trumpet, praise Him with the psaltery and harp. Praise Him with the tumbrel and dance, praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." (Psalm 150: 03-06)
Martin Luther and John Wesley (founder of the Methodist Church) wrote songs to the tunes in the pubs of their times.
X. Praise:
Praise means accepting God and recognising who He is.
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul.
O LORD my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendour and majesty.
2 He wraps himself in light as with a garment;
he stretches out the heavens like a tent
3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
4 He makes winds his messengers,
flames of fire his servants.
5 He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved.
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
8 they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.
9 You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth.
10 He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
it flows between the mountains.
11 They give water to all the beasts of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the air nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for man to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:
15 wine that gladdens the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine,
and bread that sustains his heart.
16 The trees of the LORD are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the pine trees.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats;
the crags are a refuge for the coneys.
19 The moon marks off the seasons,
and the sun knows when to go down.
20 You bring darkness, it becomes night,
and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
21 The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.
22 The sun rises, and they steal away;
they return and lie down in their dens.
23 Then man goes out to his work,
to his labour until evening.
24 How many are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—
living things both large and small.
26 There the ships go to and fro,
and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.
27 These all look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.
28 When you give it to them,
they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
they are satisfied with good things.
29 When you hide your face,
they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust.
30 When you send your Spirit,
they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works-
32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.
35 But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Praise the LORD.
Psalm 104:01-35
XI. Why Praise?
a. Segad and Shachah:
Hebrew words for Worship are Segad and Shachah. These mean to bow down in adoring love.
b. Histava
The main Hebrew word for worship in the Old Testament is Histava. It means to bend down and touch the feet of the one to be worshiped. It is used in the Bible 171 times. Old Testament is written in Hebrew Language. The concept of Choir has been originated from pagans as per some Bible Scholars.
c. Proskuneo:
The Greek word for (worship) Histava is Proskuneo (to bow down and kiss the hand/homage or reverence to the Lord. Mathew 08:22) used in both Old and New Testament. These words have similar meanings. It is used in the New Testament 26 times. In revelation it is used 24 times out of 26 in the New Testament. In 1 Corinthians 14:25, Paul has used the same word.
d. Lateruo:
Another word used for worship is Lateruo (To serve), used almost 90 times in the Bible. It means worshipping God by acts of serving
e. Sebomai means to revere – to admire, appreciate, marvel at, hold in the highest regard, be in awe of.
f. Shavash: Praise God so that the enemy surrenders back to its hiding place.
“You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the great waters. I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vine, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my saviour. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” (Habakkuk 03:15-19).
XIII. Eight Hebrew Words for Praise and Worship:
1. Barach:
To Kneel and by implication bless God by an act of adoration.
“I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel; my reins also instruct me in the night seasons". (Psalm 16:07)
“My foot standeth in an even place, in the congregations will bless the Lord." (Psalm 26: 12)
“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continuously be in my mouth." (Psalm 34:01)
2. Halal:
To rave or celebrate before the Lord. The plural of this word is Tehllah which means to Worship and Praise with exaltation. Praise Him for He is the Highest/ to praise Him for His abundance. The name Lucifer means the Morning star and Brightness. This is the Original word for praise and worship.
"Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights. Praise ye Him all the angels, praise ye Him all the hosts. Praise ye Him sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars of light. Praise Him ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord; for He commanded and they were created." (Psalm 148: 01-05)
3. Zamar:
To strike with the fingers, celebrate with Song/ music.
"Be thou exalted Lord, in thine own strength; so will we sing and praise thy power." (Psalm 21:13)
“I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being." (Psalm 104:33)
4. Shabach:
To address or glorify God in a loud tone or shout
“Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus I will bless thee while I live and I will lift up my hands in thy name." (Psalm 63: 03-04)
5. Gadal:
It means magnifying the Lord; praising the Lord with beautiful words.
“I will praise the name of the Lord with a song and will magnify Him with thanks giving"
(Psalm 69: 30)
“O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together". (Psalm 34:03)
6. Rum:
To lift up High the name of the Lord The dictionary meaning of the word is vine.
“I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.” (Psalm 30:01-02)
“I cried out to Him with my mouth; His praise was on my tongue.” (Psalm 66:17)
“Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of the saints.” (Psalm 149:01)
7. Ranan:
To shout for joy
“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favour as with a shield.” (Psalm 05:11)
8. Yadah:
To express with joy about God .To confess who is God.
“Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him, and tell of all His wonderful acts.” (Psalm 105:01)
“Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Psalm 106:01)
Questions
Do I bless (praise) the Lord?
Why bless (praise) the Lord?
Where does my satisfaction come from?
What results in my life when I bless (praise) Him?
I. Worship
II. Worship in the desert (wilderness)
III. Worship is a continuous act
IV. Worship no man or other beings; but God
V. Praise and Worship in the Holy Spirit
VI. Worship and sacrifice
VII. Three Elements for Worship
VIII. Reasons for decline in Worship
IX. How should we worship?
X. Praise
XI. Why Praise?
XII. Seven Greek and Hebrew Words for Praise and Worship
XIII. Eight Hebrew Words for Praise and Worship
“Bless the Lord, Oh my Soul and all that is within me Bless His Holy Name.
Bless the Lord, Oh My Soul; and forget not His benefits.
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases.
Who redeemed thy life from destruction, who croweneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies.
Who satisfies thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like eagles.”
(Psalm 103: 01-05)
The other word used for “Bless” in the NIV is “Praise”. Psalmist gives praise to the Lord for His Abundant blessings.
Question no. 01
Do I bless (praise) the Lord with:
My Soul – emotions
My body – language, dance, sing clap with hands. David danced shamelessly.
My spirit – gratitude of praise n worship?
The Lord blesses me so I bless the Lord…..
Question no. 02
Why bless (praise) the Lord?
- Jehovah Jeiarah – Provider of all my physical and spiritual needs.
- Give thanks to Him for His awesome works in my life – benefits
- His compassion and love for me – AGAPE Love - unconditional love
- Forgiving nature, no matter I stumble hundreds of times, he does not look at my sin but accepts me. He cleans me washes me, purifies me, reshapes me and uses me and loves me for I am His Son and Daughter.
- He gave His life for me. Redeemed me. Was substituted for me. Paid a heavy ransom for me so that I may be saved from destruction. He gave His life on the cross and won the battle for my Salvation. How great is His love, His Loving Kindness. Awesome, King of Kings, Lord of Lords.
- Why? To satisfy my needs – give me an abundant life. Answered Prayers. The realm where i commune and reside with Jesus. He wants me to live in joy, peace and love. How great is the love of my Father for me?
- Satisfaction: desires/needs/ fulfilment and fullness and wants. “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full”. Completeness, holiness, salvation, wholeness, Sozo.
Question no. 03
Where does my satisfaction come from?
Intimacy – meditation – peace – satisfaction.
Now this is my relation with God in His abundant Kingdom. A very close relationship.
The absence of satisfaction leads to emptiness and deprivation. Debts, broken marriages, relationships, self-pity, drugs, abuse.
Decide where do u want to live in?
Abundance – commune with Him
or
World – absence of His Kingdom?
Question no. 04
What results in my life when I bless (praise) Him?
- He renews my strength like an eagle.
- The strongest Bird in the animal Kingdom Strong enough to face the winds, thunder – challenges in life, situations, circumstances (explicit and implicit)
- Keen observer, focused, clear because eagles can see their prey from high above the ground. Jesus wants us to be clear and concise as to what we are and what are we going to do? He wants us to be observant on our prey (goals, objectives).
- Eagle is a commanding bird. God has given us authority over powers of darkness? Do i exercise my authority as in Mathew 28:19, “All authority has been given to me. Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
- With His strength, authority and power in my life and living in His Abundant Kingdom, I become complete and whole.
Yes I will bless the Lord for He has blessed me. I will praise Him and give thanks to Him for all His loving Kindness.
Amen.
I. Worship
- Worship means appreciating God for He is worthy and developing a closer relationship with Him.
- Man has been created to worship God. It is man's intimacy with God since He is the only being who is created in His image and likeness.
- Worship s our spiritual need that wants satisfaction.
- Worship means to thank God for all that He has done for us. It is the realisation of His love, sense of gratitude, freedom and man's affirmation (acceptance) with God.
- Worship reaches throne room of Father God and moves the hand of the Lord.
- It is the access point for renewed thinking.
- Worship is a cyclical thing, for we give ourselves for His worship and He blesses us with His Heavenly Blessings.
- We give the substance of our lives as, possessions, time, energy and our very being as persons.
- As in the Old Testament Saul was troubled by an evil Sprit because the Sprit of the Lord had left him, then David worshiped the Lord and played the harp, it left immediately.
" But the Sprit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him" " And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, then David took an harp, and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil sprit departed from him" (1 Samuel 16 14 & 23)
II. Worship in the desert (wilderness):
Worship in wilderness is intense, with clear priorities and with set timings.
“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.” Psalm 63:01-04
Anointing stands alone. We do not need any back up or helper during wilderness.
David praised God when he was in the Wilderness (desert) of Judea. He had escaped from home because of his son Absalom. Wilderness comes in everyone’s life and this is the time for Praise and Worship. Judea means worship. ‘El’ means the ‘Strange One‘. Jehovah God you are my El-Shada. We worship the strange one; God who is Utterly Other.
Being a leader we must bind the spirit of Absalom, to bind rebellion in the Ministry. Secondly we must bind the spirit of Jezebel to cancel the killing of prophetic ministry.
III. Worship is a continuous act:
“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke braed in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 02:46-47)
“Lift up your heads, O you gates, lift them up you ancient doors that the King of Glory may come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.” (Psalm 24:09-10)
“Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at His tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord” (Psalm 27:06).
“I will praise the Lord who counsels me, even at night my heart instructs me” (Psalm 16:07)
“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 03: 16-17)
IV. Worship no man or other beings; but God:
“I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God”. (Revelations 22:08-09).
V. Praise and Worship in the Holy Spirit:
Father God sees for those who worship him with spirit and truth. (translated as reality). We should praise and worship Him from our hearts, understanding, personal knowledge, our will and bringing ourselves to God as we are.
Alethia in Greek means reality. Worship is no longer confined to one place. The religious, ethnic, cultural backgrounds do not matter any more. We need to worship with spirit and truth. Just like angels in heavens worship Him because Heaven is more real than this reality called Earth.
Luke 07: 36-50 - The worship of a woman who was regarded as a promiscuous.
Revelations 19: 01-10 - Worship in Heaven. The joy and peace of Heaven is released with worship because angels are in continuous worship. This is the heavenly perspective. We enter the heavenly perspective when we worship in Spirit.
People in the Old Testament considered Worship to be a Sacrifice. According to Bible Scholars when we move in obedience, the voice of God is loud and clear for us. In disobedience it is light and soft. In New Testament the condition for worship is with spirit and truth.
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit and His worshipers must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 04:23-24)
“For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus and who put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 03:03)
VI. Worship and sacrifice:
“But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you” (Philippians 02:17)
“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess His name” (Hebrews 13:15)
“God whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you…” (Romans 01:09)
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:01)
“…so that the gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:16)
According to Mark 11:17, the emphasis is not on sacrifice but on prayer.
And as He taught them, He said, “Is it not written, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of robbers”
&
“These I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my alter; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:07)
Sacrifice is man’s need for deliverance and salvation. But God wants us to pray to Him. Sacrifice is not a form of worship. Prayers with the core of heart are the highest form of Worship. A man of prayer is a man of God; a man of prayer is a man of worship.
The Jewish Concept of worship was in temple and in the form of sacrifices. But, God wants us to focus on Prayer. The Jewish concept for temple was that it connected them with God. But Jesus said that He is greater than the Temple. (Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days”. John 02:19) In the Old Testament Worship was done only in the Temple. According to the New Testament we are the temples of Christ. Now God has de-localised Worship and it can be done anywhere. It is no more attached to a single place. It should become our life-style.
(Samaritan woman) “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus declared, “Believe me woman; a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on the mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship that we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.” (John 04:20-22)
Sin dwells inside man but body is not evil. It is a living sacrifice. Man has been infected with sin due to his sin nature. We present our efforts, lives, money and energy so that God can dwell inside us.
VII. Three Elements for Worship:
- Worship should be God focused
- Worship should be intense and powerful because we connect our worship with that of Heaven. It should have joy because living people should worship in a lively manner. Exalting and Extreme Worship is required to please God. Malachi 01:06-14. It has to be as per the standard of God.
- There should be freedom in Worship. It breaks the bondage of the devil.
VIII. Reasons for decline in Worship:
i. Lack of Love:
One who does not have a loveable heart cannot worship God. Love is the primary requirement for worship as per the standards of God. In order to worship wholeheartedly we must learn to forgive our enemies and people around us.
ii. Lack of Honour:
“A son honours his father and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honour due to me? If I am a master, where is the respect due to me?” says the Lord Almighty. It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, “How have we shown contempt for your name?” “You placed defiled food on my alter. But you ask, how have we defiled you?”. “By saying that the Lord’s Table is contemptible.” (Malachi 01:06-07).
The first dimension of Worship is to love God as God. The second dimension of Worship is to love God as Father. Worship demands fatherhood and the basic requirement of fatherhood is honour and respect. Absence of love and honour for our Lord breaks the relationship. This is the teaching of the Old and the New Testament. We must learn to respect and honour God for He has honoured us by giving His only begotten son for our sake.
Honour starts from family and then higher authorities. Never dishonour seniors by talking against them. We must honour God and worship Him like a King. If we will not value God, it will be a curse on us because the purpose of mankind is to Worship Him.
IX. How should we worship?
- Singing Hymns
- Songs, psalms, sung prophecies, reading Scriptures,
- Praying, clapping, dancing – with body
- Musical instruments- drums, tambourines, trumpets and harps.
- Bow down and kneel down
"Praise Him with the sound of trumpet, praise Him with the psaltery and harp. Praise Him with the tumbrel and dance, praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." (Psalm 150: 03-06)
Martin Luther and John Wesley (founder of the Methodist Church) wrote songs to the tunes in the pubs of their times.
X. Praise:
Praise means accepting God and recognising who He is.
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul.
O LORD my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendour and majesty.
2 He wraps himself in light as with a garment;
he stretches out the heavens like a tent
3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
4 He makes winds his messengers,
flames of fire his servants.
5 He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved.
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
8 they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.
9 You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth.
10 He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
it flows between the mountains.
11 They give water to all the beasts of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the air nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for man to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:
15 wine that gladdens the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine,
and bread that sustains his heart.
16 The trees of the LORD are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the pine trees.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats;
the crags are a refuge for the coneys.
19 The moon marks off the seasons,
and the sun knows when to go down.
20 You bring darkness, it becomes night,
and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
21 The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.
22 The sun rises, and they steal away;
they return and lie down in their dens.
23 Then man goes out to his work,
to his labour until evening.
24 How many are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—
living things both large and small.
26 There the ships go to and fro,
and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.
27 These all look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.
28 When you give it to them,
they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
they are satisfied with good things.
29 When you hide your face,
they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust.
30 When you send your Spirit,
they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works-
32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.
35 But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Praise the LORD.
Psalm 104:01-35
- Acknowledging God for all He has done. "Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant." Psalm 25:08-10
- Exalting God. "Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. Psalm 34:03
- Honouring God. "At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honoured and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. Daniel 04:34
- Magnifying God. "And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord." Luke 01:46
- Marvelling God. "...on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marvelled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you." 2 Thessalonians 01:10
- Glorifying God. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." Revelations 15:04
- Praise always involves sacrifice In New Testament Jesus has sacrificed for us on the cross.
- The sacrifice of Abel was accepted because of his faith, effort and preparation.
- Praise God in adversity. Singing in gaol. "On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them." Acts 04:23-24
XI. Why Praise?
- God is enthroned on the praise of His people. "Let us break their chains," they say," and throw off their fetters." Psalm 02:03
- Nothing can praise God like Man. "What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?" Psalm 30:09
- Praise lifts up and rejoices in God's deeds both now and in the past. "Your right hand, O LORD, was majestic in power. Your right hand, O LORD, shattered the enemy." Exodus 15:06, Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvellous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. Psalm 98:01
- It proclaims God's greatness in the World. "Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man's behalf! He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot— come, let us rejoice in him. He rules forever by his power, his eyes watch the nations— let not the rebellious rise up against him. Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard;" Psalm 66:05-08
- Releases God's blessing to us. "May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him. Psalm 67: 05-07
- Releases God's Power. "O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." & "As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated." 2 Chronicles 20:12 & 22
- God created Man to praise Him. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. 11In him we were also chosen having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 01:03-14
- We have been instructed to praise Him. "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 05:18-20
- Praise is a sacrifice that pleases God. "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." Hebrews 13:15-16
- With the whole of our being. "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:01-02
- God is Worthy. And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!" Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever!" 14The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped." Revelations 05: 09-14
- Praise and Worship releases Healing and Salvation for people.
a. Segad and Shachah:
Hebrew words for Worship are Segad and Shachah. These mean to bow down in adoring love.
b. Histava
The main Hebrew word for worship in the Old Testament is Histava. It means to bend down and touch the feet of the one to be worshiped. It is used in the Bible 171 times. Old Testament is written in Hebrew Language. The concept of Choir has been originated from pagans as per some Bible Scholars.
c. Proskuneo:
The Greek word for (worship) Histava is Proskuneo (to bow down and kiss the hand/homage or reverence to the Lord. Mathew 08:22) used in both Old and New Testament. These words have similar meanings. It is used in the New Testament 26 times. In revelation it is used 24 times out of 26 in the New Testament. In 1 Corinthians 14:25, Paul has used the same word.
d. Lateruo:
Another word used for worship is Lateruo (To serve), used almost 90 times in the Bible. It means worshipping God by acts of serving
e. Sebomai means to revere – to admire, appreciate, marvel at, hold in the highest regard, be in awe of.
f. Shavash: Praise God so that the enemy surrenders back to its hiding place.
“You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the great waters. I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vine, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my saviour. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” (Habakkuk 03:15-19).
XIII. Eight Hebrew Words for Praise and Worship:
1. Barach:
To Kneel and by implication bless God by an act of adoration.
“I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel; my reins also instruct me in the night seasons". (Psalm 16:07)
“My foot standeth in an even place, in the congregations will bless the Lord." (Psalm 26: 12)
“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continuously be in my mouth." (Psalm 34:01)
2. Halal:
To rave or celebrate before the Lord. The plural of this word is Tehllah which means to Worship and Praise with exaltation. Praise Him for He is the Highest/ to praise Him for His abundance. The name Lucifer means the Morning star and Brightness. This is the Original word for praise and worship.
"Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights. Praise ye Him all the angels, praise ye Him all the hosts. Praise ye Him sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars of light. Praise Him ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord; for He commanded and they were created." (Psalm 148: 01-05)
3. Zamar:
To strike with the fingers, celebrate with Song/ music.
"Be thou exalted Lord, in thine own strength; so will we sing and praise thy power." (Psalm 21:13)
“I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being." (Psalm 104:33)
4. Shabach:
To address or glorify God in a loud tone or shout
“Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus I will bless thee while I live and I will lift up my hands in thy name." (Psalm 63: 03-04)
5. Gadal:
It means magnifying the Lord; praising the Lord with beautiful words.
“I will praise the name of the Lord with a song and will magnify Him with thanks giving"
(Psalm 69: 30)
“O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together". (Psalm 34:03)
6. Rum:
To lift up High the name of the Lord The dictionary meaning of the word is vine.
“I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.” (Psalm 30:01-02)
“I cried out to Him with my mouth; His praise was on my tongue.” (Psalm 66:17)
“Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of the saints.” (Psalm 149:01)
7. Ranan:
To shout for joy
“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favour as with a shield.” (Psalm 05:11)
8. Yadah:
To express with joy about God .To confess who is God.
“Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him, and tell of all His wonderful acts.” (Psalm 105:01)
“Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Psalm 106:01)
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