new depth to the way we honor the Lord. Throughout the Bible, the
commands to "praise the Lord" are too numerous to mention. Angels and
the heavenly hosts are commanded to praise the Lord (Psalm 89:5;
103:20; 148:2). All inhabitants of the earth are instructed to praise
the Lord (Psalm 138:4; Romans 15:11). We can praise Him with singing
(Isaiah 12:5; Psalm 9:11), with shouting (Psalm 33:1; 98:4), with the
dance (Psalm 150:4), and with musical instruments (1 Chronicles 13:8;
Psalm 108:2; 150:3-5).
Praise is the joyful recounting of all God has done for us. It is
closely intertwined with thanksgiving as we offer back to God
appreciation for His mighty works on our behalf. Praise is universal
and can be applied to other relationships as well. We can praise our
family, friends, boss, or paperboy. Praise does not require anything
of us. It is merely the truthful acknowledgment of the righteous acts
of another. Since God has done many wonderful deeds, He is worthy of
praise (Psalm 18:3).
Worship, however, comes from a different place within our spirits.
Worship should be reserved for God alone (Luke 4:8). Worship is the
art of losing self in the adoration of another. Praise can be a part
of worship, but worship goes beyond praise. Praise is easy; worship is
not. Worship gets to the heart of who we are. To truly worship God, we
must let go of our self-worship. We must be willing to humble
ourselves before God, surrender every part of our lives to His
control, and adore Him for who He is, not just what He has done.
Worship is a lifestyle, not just an occasional activity. Jesus said
the Father is seeking those who will worship Him "in spirit and in
truth" (John 4:23).
In Scripture, praise is usually presented as boisterous, joyful, and
uninhibited. God invites praise of all kinds from His creation. Jesus
said that if people don't praise God, even the "stones will cry out"
(Luke 19:40). When the Bible mentions worship, however, the tone
changes. We read verses like, "Worship the Lord in the beauty of
holiness" (Psalm 96:9). And, "Come let us worship and bow down" (Psalm
95:6). Often, worship is coupled with the act of bowing or kneeling,
which shows humility and contrition (2 Chronicles 29:28; Hebrews
11:21; Revelation 19:10). It is through true worship that we invite
the Holy Spirit to speak to us, convict us, and comfort us. Through
worship, we realign our priorities with God's and acknowledge Him once
more as the rightful Lord of our lives.
Just as praise is intertwined with thanksgiving, worship is
intertwined with surrender. It is impossible to worship God and
anything else at the same time (Luke 4:8). The physical acts often
associated with worship—bowing, kneeling, lifting hands—help to create
the necessary attitude of humility required for real worship. Wise
worship leaders know how to structure a worship service to allow
participants to both praise and worship the Lord. Often, services
begin with joyous praise songs and transition to a quieter, more
introspective opportunity for worship.
Worship is an attitude of the heart. A person can go through the
outward motions and not be worshiping (Psalm 51:16-17; Matthew 6:5-6).
God sees the heart, and He desires and deserves sincere, heartfelt
praise and worship.
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