THE FORMS OF WORSHIP
By : Ng Wah Lok
Introduction
WORSHIP ORIGINATES FROM THE SPIRIT, ENGAGES
THE SOUL AND MOVES THE BODY. Ng Wah Lok, 1999
I thought about the above phrase and used a car to illustrate worship. The Spirit in like the petrol in a car. Without the petrol, you cannot start the car. After starting the car, you need to engage the gears. This is like engaging our soul, which consists of our mind, will and emotions to worship God. You need to worship God with your soul. Never park your brains outside when you worship God. Finally, worship is always expressed in our body, whether in a dance , song, laughter, lifting of hands, bowing down etc. Our body moves. This is likened to the wheels of a car. If a car does not have wheels, it cannot move. Some of our worship are like cars without wheels. We are totally frozen instead of being God’s chosen.
All worship must begin in our spirit. Our hearts must long for God. Our soul which is made up of the mind , will and emotions should then be engaged. Finally, worship should be expressed in some form of physical movement or vocal sounds.
1. SPIRIT
Jn 4:23,24 “But the hour is coming and now is when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth”.
The spirit part of an unsaved man is dead.
However, the spirit part of those who have received Jesus in their lives is alive.
There can be no true worship unless our spirit part of us is alive. This happens when we receive Jesus as our personal Savior.
Worship originates from our spirit.
2. SOUL
Ps 104:1 “ Bless the Lord O my soul! O Lord, my God, You are very great. You are clothe with honor and majesty”
The soul is made up of the
a) Mind
b) Will
c) Emotions
MIND : Intelligent part of man.
WILL : Volition part of man
EMOTIONS : Feeling part of man
I have heard some people say that you must park your brains outside when you come to a church to worship God. What a ridiculous statement. We must use our minds to conceive the beauty, majesty and grace of God. When we understand with our minds what Jesus has done for us, we will worship Him even more. Man is an intelligent being and must use his mind in worship.
Much of worship is expressed in emotions eg. weeping, dancing, rejoicing are all emotional expressions. It is not wrong to be emotional when we worship God. Men are very emotional at a football game or a boxing match. Why are they not emotional in a worship service ?
As far as the will is concerned, you just decide that you will worship God. Make a decision in your heart that you will worship God whether you feel like it or not.
Worship Engages the Soul
3. BODY
The spirit and soul is expressed through our body. Our body movements and posture expresses our worship to God. These are called forms of worship. Below are several forms of worship.
STANDING : 1 Kings 8:22, 1 Chron 23:30, Ps 134:1
It is out of respect that we stand to praise the Lord.
Ps 134:1 “ Bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who by night stand in the house of the Lord”
KNEELING :Ps 95:6, Acts 20:36, 21:5, Phil 2:10
Ps 95:6 “Oh come, Let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our maker”
We kneel as an act of submission and reverence.
BOWING DOWN : Isa 45:23, Ps 95:6, 2 Chron 20:18, Rom 14:11
The 3 Hebrew words for worship mean “bow down”
shachah - 171 X
qadad - 15 X
kara - 30 X
The Greek word “ Proskuneo” means to be prostrate, to kiss toward.
LIFTING HANDS : Ps 28:2, Ps 63:4, Ps 134:2
We lift our hands in praise showing we are lifting our hearts. Lifting of hands can also be a sign of surrendering to God’s will.
Ps 63:4 “ Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name”
CLAPPING HANDS : Ps 47:1, Isa 55:12, Eze 25:6,
Lam 2:15
The clapping of hands can be used to show joy and victory.
Ps 47:1 “ Oh clap your hands all you people ! Shout to God with the voice of triumph”
DANCING : Ex 15:20, Ps 30:11, 149:3, 150:4, 2 Sam 6:1, 4-16.
Ps 30:11 “ You have turned for me my mourning into dancing”
Ps 149: 3 “ Let them praise Him with the dance ”
The word “rejoice” in Hebrew means to spin, leap, jump for joy.
Dancing is usually associated with worship and joy. However, it can also be a form of a victory celebration ie. the enemy is under our feet.
LAUGHING : Ps 126:2
A way of showing and releasing joy.
Ps 126:2 “ Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongues with singing”
The Toronto expressions of laughter are not new. They were common expressions in many previous revivals eg. Azuza Street Revivals
SHOUTING : 1 Sam 4:5, Ezra 3:11, Ps 5:11, 32:11, 35:11, 47:1
Shouting can be a release of joy, exaltation of praise or a weapon of war.
Ps 32:11 “Shout for joy, all you upright in heart”
LOUD NOISE : 2 Chron 20:19, Ez 3:12-13, Ps 98:4, 33:3, 81:1
Praise can be loud at times.
2 Chron 20: 19 “…. The children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high”
SOLEMN PROCESSION : Ez 46:9, Joel 1:14 , Ps 68:24
Ps 68:24 “ They have seen your procession, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary”
BANNERS : Ex 17:15, Ps 20:5, 60:4
Ps 20:5 “ We will rejoice in your salvation. And in the name of our God, we will set up banners”
God is revealed as Jehovah Nissi - The Lord is my banner
When a banner is lifted up, God Himself is lifted up in the midst of His people. When God arises, His enemies are scattered. (Ps 68:1)
SINGING : There are over 120 references of singing in the Bible. This is the most common form of expression of worship.
NEW SONG : Ps 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, Rev 5:9, 14:3
Ps 33:3 “ Sing to Him a new song…”
Ps 40:3 “ He has put a new song in my mouth….”
New songs are spontaneous songs sung to God in the spirit
Song of Praise : sung to God
Song of the Lord : sung to others
Worship moves our body.
Conclusion
The next time you worship God, remember that it must involve the spirit, soul and body.
WORSHIP ORIGINATES FROM THE SPIRIT , ENGAGES
THE SOUL AND MOVES THE BODY.
