WORSHIP

Nehemiah 8:1-6; Romans 12:1-2

“Religion is that which binds a man. Every man is bound somewhere, somehow, to a throne, to a government, to an authority, to something that is supreme, to something to which he offers sacrifice, and burns incense, and bends the knee.” - G. Campbell Morgan, THE WESTMINSTER PULPIT

Everyone has a religion and worships something or someone. To some of you, your religion is religion itself. You are like a modern day Pharisee, wanting to be seen as religious but lacking anything of substance in their worship. You come on Sundays to “worship” but have nothing to do with the church or God any other time. You may say you pray but you don’t spend time in His Word. This was me for years.

Some worship family or friends. You come to church unless it interfere with your time with family or friends. You still don’t send time with God alone and in His Word. You are happy just living life with your family.

To what are you “bending the knee”?

Chapter 2: Biblical Times in Worship

“What lies at the heart of worship is God’s continual movement toward the peoples of the world and the continual response of the people of God in faith and obedience.” - Robert E. Webber, Worship Old & New

The definition of worship:

• Our English word worship simply means “worth-ship.”
  • We worship God because He is worthy.
    • “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power.” - Rev. 4:11
    • “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.” - Rev. 5:12
  • 4 Hebrew words are translated “worship.”
    • The one used most often is Shachah, which means “to bow down, to do homage.”
    • Proskuneo literally means “to kiss toward.”
    • Latreuo means “to serve, to minister.”
    • Leitourgos means “a priestly ministry.”

“When we consider all the words used for worship in both the Old & New Testaments, and when we put their meanings together, we find that worship involves both attitudes (awe, reverence, respect) and actions (bowing, praising, serving). Worship is not an unexpressed feeling, nor is it an empty formality. True worship is balanced and involves the mind, the emotions, and the will.” - Warren Weirsbe, True Worship, pg. 20

• Evelyn Underhill has defined worship as “the total adoring response of man to the Eternal God, self-revealed in time.”
  • Worship is our response to who God is.

How do we respond in worship to God?

Three main characters in this passage: Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Hebrew people. Who were Nehemiah and Ezra?

• Ezra came to Jerusalem 12 or 13 years prior to Nehemiah to rebuild the Temple. He came back with Nehemiah
• Nehemiah came back to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
• The people in Jerusalem totaled about 45,000 men, women, children, and servants.

Nehemiah 8:1-6; 9:3

• On the seventh month
• Ezra read from the book from “early morning until midday.” Over 6 hours. (v. 3)
• The people all stood when He opened the book. (v. 5)
  • This could be out of respect for the Scriptures or it could be that they began in prayer prior to reading the book.
• “Ezra blessed the Lord the great God” (v. 6)
• “The people answered, ‘Amen, Amen!’ While lifting up their hands.” (v. 6)
• Then they bowed and worshipped with their faces to the ground. (v. 6)
• In chapter 9 their worship included confession. (9:3)
  • Ref. James 5:19 - “Confess your sins one to another.”

Seven Hebrew Words for Praise

Taken from How to Spell Worship with Your Family by John Bolin

The Hands of Praise:

1. YADAH (yaw-daw’) 3034: To revere or worship with extended hands. To hold out the hands. To throw a stone or arrow. (111 times in Scripture.)

“May the peoples praise (yâdâh) You, God; may all the peoples praise (yâdâh) You.” Psalm 67:3

“All your work praise (yâdâh) you, Lord; your faithful people extol you.” Psalm 145:10

“In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise (yâdâh) your name forever.” Psalm 44:8

Other Scriptures: 1 Kings 8:22, Psalm 28:2, Psalm 63:4, Psalm 88:9, Psalm 134:2, Psalm 141:2, Psalm 143:6

The Celebration of Praise:

2. HALAL (haw-lal’) 1984: To boast. To Rave. To shine. To celebrate. To be clamorously foolish.

“Let them praise (hâlal) His name with dancing and make music to Him
with timbres and harp.” Psalm 149:3

“I will praise (hâlal) God’s name in song.” Psalm 22:22

“I will declare Your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise (hâlal) You.” Psalm 109:30

“Let everything that has breath praise (hâlal) the Lord. Psalm 150:6

Other Scriptures: Psalm 150, Luke 15:23-24, Ecclesiastes 3:4, Philippians 4:4, Psalm 30:11, Acts 3:8

The Music of Praise:

3. ZAMAR (zaw-mar’) 2167: To make music. To celebrate in song and music. To touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument. (41 times in Scripture.)

“I will sing a new song to You O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises (Zâmar) to You. Psalm 144:9

Other Scriptures: Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16, Psalm 33:1-4, 1 Samuel 16:23, Psalm 150:4, Psalm 144:9, Psalm 101:1

The Expectation of Praise:

4. TOWDAH (to-daw’) 8426: An extension of the hand. Thanksgiving. A Confession. A sacrifice of praise. Thanksgiving for things not yet received. A Choir of worshippers.

“In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God; I will render praises (tôwdâh) to You.” Psalm 56:11-12

Other Scriptures: Psalm 141: 2, Psalm 88:9, Hebrews 11:6, 1 Corinthians 2:5, Habakkuk 3:2, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Psalm 121:1-2, Psalm 20:7

The Posture of Praise:

5. BARAK (baw-rak’) 1288: To kneel. To bless God as an act of adoration. To praise. To salute. To thank. (Found 289 times in the Psalms.)

NIV translates this as praise while KJV, ESV, and NASB translate this as bless.

“Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him: all nations shall serve him… And He shall live, and to Him shall be given all gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for Him continually; and daily shall He be praised (bârak).” Psalm 72:11, 15

Praise (bârak) the Lord, my soul; All my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise (bârak) the Lord, my soul, And forget not all his benefits…
Praise (bârak) the Lord, my soul, You mighty ones who do his bidding, Who obey his word. Praise (bârak) the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.
Praise (bârak) the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion.
Praise (bârak) the Lord, my soul. Psalm 103:1-2,20-22

Other Scriptures: Psalm 96:6, Ezekiel 3:23, Ephesians 3:14, Daniel 6:10, Ezra 9:5, Romans 14:11, Acts 20:36, Revelation 7:11

The Song of Praise:

6. TEHILLA (teh-hil-law) 8416: Laudation. A hymn. A song of praise. A new song. A spontaneous song. (57 times in Scripture)

“But you are holy, Enthroned on the praises (tehillâh) of Israel.” Psalm 22:3

“He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise (tehillâh) to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:3

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise (tehillâh); give thanks to him and praise (bârak) His name.” Psalm 100:4

Other Scriptures: Psalm 33:3, Psalm 144:9, Revelation 13:3, Revelation 5:9

The Shout of Praise:

7. SHABACH (shaw-bakh’) 7623: To address in a loud tone. To shout. To commend, glory, and triumph. (Used a mere 11 times)

“One generation shall praise(shâbach) Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4

“Praise the Lord all you nations, Praise (shâbach) him, all you people of the earth.” Psalm 117: 1

Other Scriptures: Psalm 98:4, Psalm 71:23, Psalm 35:27, Psalm 66:1-2, Joshua 6:20, Ezra 3:11, Isaiah 12:6

Romans 12:1-2

• Present your bodies as holy and acceptable to God. (v. 1)
  • Our personal worship is about sacrifice and holiness.
• Not like the world, but transform yourself to be more like Christ. (v. 2)

What is worship?

• Worship is our response to who God is and to what He has done for us.
  • We do that two ways: corporately and privately.
    • Corporately we come together to worship Him for who He and to praise Him for what He has done for us.
    • Privately we bow down in surrender of our lives to Him as a “living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God” through personal quiet time, prayer, and the study of and application of His Word.
• Worship is not an experience, it is surrender!

What does worship look like?

• Is it people sitting in a pew just singing songs with no emotion or excitement?
• When you think about what Jesus has done for you do you just sit stoic, mouthing words without even thinking about what you are singing?

Examples of Biblical worship songs:

Love Lifted Me

© Public Domain

“I was sinking deep in sin far from the peaceful shore; Very deeply stained within sinking to rise no more. But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry; From the waters lifted me, now safe am I. Love lifted me, love lifted me, when nothing else could help love lifted me.”

Before the Throne of God Above

The lyrics were composed in 1863 as a poem by a young Scottish woman named Charitie Lees Smith (later Bancroft). The poem’s original title was “Within the Veil With Jesus”. Charles Haddon Spurgeon included this text (retitling it "The Advocate") in his “Our Own Hymn-book“, published in 1866, set to the same melody as “Sweet Hour of Prayer” by William Bradbury.

“Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea, A great High Priest whose name is Love Who ever lives and pleads for me. My name is graven on His hands. My name is written on His heart. I know that while in heav'n He stands no tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look and see Him there Who made an end to all my sin.

Because the sinless Saviour died my sinful soul is counted free for God the Just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb, my perfect spotless righteousness, the great unchangeable I Am, the King of glory and of grace.

One with Himself I cannot die, my soul is purchased with His blood, my life is hid with Christ on high with Christ my Saviour and my God.”

New Name Written Down in Glory

© 2018 New Hope Road Music; Tent Peg Music; The Emerging Sound Publishing

“I was lost in shame, could not get past my blame until He called my name. I’m so glad He changed me!

Darkness held me down but Jesus pulled me out, I’m no longer bound. I’m so glad He saved me!

See I’m now a new creation in Christ, the old has gone, there’s new life. I live by faith not by sight.

Sin had left me blind but Jesus opened my eyes, now I see the light. I’m so glad He changed me!

Now I’m walking free, I’ve got the victory. See it’s all over me. I’m so glad He changed me!”

All My Boast is in Jesus

© 2023 Getty Music Hymns and Songs; Getty Music Publishing; Love Your Enemies Publishing; Messenger Hymns; Be Essential Songs; bryanfowlersongs

“What wonder of wonders what love is this, that Christ would die for me? His goodness His merit His righteousness, this sinner’s only plea. O foolish pride be crucified the work is finished.

All my boast is in Jesus, All my hope is His love. And I will glory forever in what the cross has done.

Now fully forgiven my life is filled with graces undeserved. For mercy that flowed down that sacred hill, let praises now return. Rise up my soul and bless the Lord. Who else is worthy?”