Biblical Foundations of Worship
This article explores various aspects of the Christian worship:
A. Theological Aspects of Worship
1. What is Worship?
Thus, worship means:
- Glory: Paying respect to the beauty and greatness of God
- Honor: Ascribing the worthiness of God
- Thanksgiving: Giving thanks to God for His goodness
2. Various Aspects of Worship
The Tabernacle was a place of meeting with God, a place where they could hear God and a place where God dwelled. The Tabernacle was divided into three sections: the Holy of Holies, the Holy Place, and the Outer Court. No one was permitted to go into the Holy of Holies except the high priest. God’s presence dwelled in His glory between the two cherubim of the Tabernacle, which was kept in the Holy of Holies. The high priest used to go into the Holy of Holies once a year and meet God’s glory that was indwelling between the cherubim in the Ark of the Covenant. This is a direct encounter with God’s presence and glory. This is the highest form of worship in the Tabernacle. The reality represents graphically as follows
Thus, we meet God in worship. Following are some examples of worship as an encounter with God:
- Abraham: Abraham encountered God in worship.
- Elijah: Elijah encountered God when he offered the sacrifice on Mt. Carmel.
- Jerusalem Temple Dedication: Worship was truly an encounter with God’s glory when priests dedicated the Jerusalem temple.
Encountering God in worship brings to us:
- Intimacy with God: Abraham
- Divine Providence: Abraham
- Divine victory in our battles: Elijah
- God’s Glory: Jerusalem Temple Dedication by Solomon
3. Worship in Spirit and Truth (John 4:24)
John 4:24: “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”Three important aspects of worship in spirit and truth are:
A spirit that is made alive in Christ through the Holy Spirit
Head and Heart
"Worship must be vital and real in the heart, and worship must rest on a true perception of God. There must be spirit and there must be truth. . . . Truth without emotion produces dead orthodoxy and a church full (or half-full) of artificial admirers . . . . On the other hand, emotion without truth produces empty frenzy and cultivates shallow people who refuse the discipline of rigorous thought. But true worship comes from people who are deeply emotional and who love deep and sound doctrine. Strong affections for God rooted in truth are the bone and marrow of biblical worship."
Thus, worship in spirit and truth refers to worship that comes from the totality of our heart, or the fullness of our inner being, or a willing spirit in true knowledge of whom we worship. This brings clarity to three important issues of worship:
- Heart is pro-emotional, and mind is pro-rational. In worship, we need emotional expression, not blind emotionalism without knowledge of whom we worship. If our knowledge of God does not evoke emotions of awe, wonder, thanksgiving, and humility in us in a worship setting, then what Paul says may be a real message to us: "the letter kills, but the spirit gives life."
- External vs. Internal: Worship has external expressions. But external worship expressions can be mere tradition, ritual, or lip service without a sincere internal response to God that comes from our heart.
- Rationality always has a critical spirit or negativism. That’s why we need a clean heart to worship God.
4. Worship is a Spiritual Act/Transaction
John 4:24 says God is Spirit and therefore we must worship him in spirit. God is Spirit means God has immaterial existence and being. Material existence has the limitation of time and space. Thus, our worship should match the very nature of God’s being and existence. The nature of worship should be spiritual. That’s why we must worship God in Spirit. Thus, worship is a spiritual act or a spirit-filled act. In the New Testament era, God unlocks for us a great resource to worship him: the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is essential to bring the worship that God deserves, as we are unable to do so with our own ability. The Holy Spirit unlocks great resources for us to worship him: spiritual languages and spiritual songs. Spiritual language or speaking in tongues is one of the greatest gifts given to us to worship him. We have three important references to support this:- “For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God.” (Acts 10:46)
- “Both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (Acts 2:11)
- “What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” (1 Cor. 14:15)
Moreover, the Holy Spirit unlocks another spiritual ability: spiritual songs.
- “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Eph. 5:18-21)
- “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Col. 3:16)
Spiritual songs can have two expressions: firstly, they can be a song in tongues or spiritual language; secondly, they can be a song inspired by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of people so that they worship God from their innermost being in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. In such expressions of worship, songs will truly be a meaningful ministry to our hearts and to God. Here, a mere song becomes a truly spirit-filled song.
The highest form of worship in the New Testament era is this kind of Holy Spirit-filled worship that is expressed through speaking in spiritual languages/speaking in tongues and singing in spiritual songs. In such worship, the Holy Spirit releases the great presence and power of God to us, leading us into three specific spiritual realities:
- The manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the church setting for the common good of the church.
- People will be clothed with the power of God to witness Him everywhere.
- People will take great victory in spiritual warfare.
B. How Do We Worship?
- Body postures
- Emotional expression
- Voice
- Music
Body Postures in Worship
The body is the temple of God. Praise God with the body.1 Cor. 6:20 says, "For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."
Rom. 12:1 says, "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."
The Bent Knee
“Come let us bow in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker” (Ps. 95:6).The Bowed Head
“….Then they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground” (Neh. 8:2).The Clapping Hands
“Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy” (Ps. 47:1).The Lifted Hands
“Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say….” (Lam. 3:41).
“Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place” (Ps. 28:2).The Grounded Face
“When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried,….” (1 Kings 18:39).
“And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshipped God…” (Rev. 11:16-17).The Uplifted Head
“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors….” (Ps. 24:7).
“I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?” (Ps. 121:1).The Dancing
“Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourine and dancing” (Ex. 15:20).
“David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might…” (2 Sam. 6:13-14).
Emotional Expression
- Respect
- Awe
- Wonder
- Gratitude
- Laugh, Cry, Shout, Feeling of Intimacy
Voice
The Laughing Mouth
“Our mouths were filled with laughter, and our tongues with songs of joy” (Ps. 126:2).The Singing Mouth
“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth, I will make your faithfulness known through all generations” (Ps. 89:1).
“Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts” (Ps. 105:2).
Music
“Praise him with the trumpet, lute, and harp, timbrel, stringed instruments, and flutes” (Ps. 149:3).
“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Eph. 5:19).