PRAISE AND WORSHIP

OCTOBER 31, 2007

(Lecture—alaminos city, Pangasinan)

The subject of praise and worship is one of the most important of all Bible themes. It is also one of the most neglected. To fail to practice pure spiritual praise and worship is to forego a vital aspect of our ultimate calling in Christ. In recent years, God has been restoring this ministry to His people. An integral feature of the great spiritual renewal which is sweeping the world is the restoration of praise and worship to the Church as prophesied by Joel 2: 21, 23, and 26.

21 “Fear not, O land;

Be glad and rejoice,

For hthe Lord has done great things!

23 l“Be glad, O children of Zion,

And rejoice in the Lord your God,

For he has given the early rain for your vindication;

He has poured down for you abundant rain,

The early and the latter rain, as before.

26 “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,

And praise the name of the Lord your God,

Who has dealt wondrously with you?

And my people shall never again be put to shame.

                          The prayer of my heart is that these truths will help inspire and motivate many leaders to become praisers and worshippers of God. This is what the Father is seeking:

23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers

will worship the Father in spirit and truth,

 for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

JOHN 4:23

I. THE NEW PRIESTHOOD

Under the Old Testament, God ordained a priesthood to represent His people (act as a go between) before Him. Their ministry involved a complicated system of ritual and ceremony. These ceremonies were symbolic of spiritual realties to come. The priestly ministry of Christ fulfilled every type implicit in the Old Testament priesthood. He has fulfilled all its symbolism. He is the fulfillment of all its types. The levetical priesthood has now been replaced by a new priesthood. Under the terms of the New Covenant, every believer is a priest unto God. We do not offer animal sacrifices, as did the Old Covenant priests. We are called -

“To be holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices 

Acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

1 PETER 2:5

One of the spiritual sacrifices we offer is praise.

“15 through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God,

that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledges his name.”

HEBREWS 13:15

A. New Covenant People should be:

1. Son of God

We are the family of God

“15 from whom every family1 in heaven and on earth is named,”

EPHESIANS 3:15

And descendants of our High Priest- Jesus Christ.

“11 For the who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.

1 That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 2

13 And again,

 “I will put my trust in him.”

And again,

 “Behold I and the children God has given me.”

HEBREWS 2:11, 13

              Only the truly regenerated sons of God have access to the royal priesthood. It is through the new birth that the human spirit is “made alive” unto God. Until this happens, we are totally incapable of offering the spiritual worship “which the Father seeks”. Spiritual worship is the Spirit of God worshipping through our redeemed, renewed spirit.

              2. Ordained Priest unto our God

         “16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you

that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide,

so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

JOHN 15:16

              As children of God, we are a

“Chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession...”

1 PETER 2: 9

             

              Christ has made us a

“…a kingdom and priests to our God,”

REV 5:10

3. Whole

We are complete in Christ.

“10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”

COLOSSIANS 2:10

Thus qualified to worship. Our Christian life is to be consistent with that which professes by our worship of God. We cannot praise God with the same mouth that curse man. These things not to be.

“9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the

 likeness of God.10 From the same mouth comes blessing and cursing.

My brothers, 1 these things ought not to be so. 11 

Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?”

JAMES 3:9-11

4. Cleansed

It is not a light thing to come before the Lord. To perform the function of a priest under the Old Testament was an immense privilege. Today, it’s more of a privilege now. The terms of our covenant are far superior to that of the Old. It is important that we are not lax in our preparation for worship.

The results of being cleansed by the Blood, the Word and the Spirit:

·         Pure Conscience

            Our approach to God is no longer associated with sprinkling ourselves with the blood of    animals. The sacrifice of Christ has fulfilled all which that typifies. Now it is the blood of horst with which are sprinkled. As we receive its power by faith, our hearts are

“22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,

with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience

 and our bodies washed with pure water.”

HEBREWS 10:22

            Only in this way we can draw near to God, in full assurance of faith.

·         Clean Hands

“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in his holy place?

He who has clean hands and ca pure heart,

who does not lift up his soul to what is false

and does not swear deceitfully.”

PSALM 24:3, 4

“8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. 

cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

JAMES 4:8

                                    

            Here, we have the New Covenant equivalent of the Old Covenant requirement- the          washing of hands prior to ministering to the Lord. We must be clean in order to minister          to others. We must dedicate our hands to working and avoid using our hands to steal    and do other evil works.

·         Pure Heart

“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in his holy place?

He who has clean hands and ca pure heart,

Who does not lift up his soul to what is false

and does not swear deceitfully.”

PSALM 24:3, 4

            A pure heart indicates right motives. Why are we praising God? Is our motives right or      do we have secret, ulterior motives?

“8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. 

cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

JAMES 4:8

            Double-mindedness is associated with an impure heart. A double-mined person whose     mind (heart affections) is on 2 things at the same time cannot be a true worshipper. We           should never attempt to offer worship unless our minds are “dwelling” on other things is    a dreadful insult to the Person and Character of God.

·         Humble heart and Spirit

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

PSALM 51:17

                                 The broken spirit refers to a spirit which has been “broken” by the dealings of God. You    cannot ride a horse until it is “broken”. When broken, the horse submits to the will of the            rider. The horse can be guided and ridden; the rider will not be thrown off a horse that is             broken. A broken spirit refers to a spirit which has learned discipline and yields to the     lordship of Christ. A contrite spirit is a repentant and humble heart.

·         Reverence and Godly fear

“7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,

and awesome above all who are around him?”

PSALM 89:7

                5. Clothed Upon

·         With salvation

“16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation,

and her saints will shout for joy.”

PSALM 132:16

·         With humility

“5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. clothe yourselves,

all of you, with humility toward one another,

for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

1 PETER 5:5

Carnal pride has no place in the presence of God.

·         With righteousness

“9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, 

from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages,

standing before the throne and before the Lamb, 

clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,”

REVELATION 7:9

·         With power

“49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you.

But stay in the city until you ware clothed with power from on high.”

LUKE 24:49

            As the priest of old were anointed with oil prior to commencing the ministries, so must       we be clothed with Spirit’s power in order to properly function in our role as priests.

                6. Ministries as New Covenant Priests Offering unto God

·         Ourselves

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, 1 by the mercies of God, 

to present your bodies bas a living sacrifice,

holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

 ROMANS 12:1

Presenting our whole being to God means to be wholly and eternally His. Then we may

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name!”

PSALM 103:1

                We are 3 parts beings- spirit soul and body-

“23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely,

and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless

at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 1 THESSALONIANS 5:23

-          SPIRIT

“and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” LUKE 1:47

-          BODY

“21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,

and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.” PSALM 145:21

-          SOUL

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name!” PSALM 103:1

·         The sacrifices of Praise

“15 through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, 

the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to

 share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

HEBREWS 13: 15-16

The term sacrifice of praise suggests that it is not always easy and convenient to do this, we are to praise the Lord at all times, and not only when it is easy to do so. Our sacrifice or praise is the “fruit of our lips” – praise which is verbalized, spoken forth audibly.

·         Demonstrations of praise

“9 But you are a chosen race, aa royal priesthood, ca holy nation, d

a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him

who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

1 PETER 2:9

·         Our Singing of Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs

            One way we maintain the Spirit- filled life is to sing 3 kinds of songs minister to the Lord:   Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs- spontaneous songs given by the Spirit which   speak to our need and minister to God’s need to be loved, worshipped and adored.

“19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,”

EPHESIANS 5:19

“6 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.”

COLOSSIANS 3:16

·         Our Wealth

Under the Old Testament, God required that when the priests came before Him, they should never come “empty-handed”. They should always bring an offering.

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

bring an offering and come before him!

worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness”

1 CHRONICLES 16:29

“15 you shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you,

 you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days

at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. 

none shall appear before me empty-handed. “

EXODUS 23:15

“20 The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem

it you shall break its neck.

All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem.

And none shall appear before me empty-handed.”

EXODUS 34:20

“16 “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God

at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks,

and at the Feast of Booths. they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. 

17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord 

your God that he has given you.”

DEUTERONOMY 16:16-17

              We should never come before Him empty-handed. We ought to come with praise, worship, adoration, thanksgiving, expressing our praise in songs, rejoicing and with our substance.

II. VITAL ELEMENTS OF PRAISE

A. Ingredients of Praise

They are the physical enactment and demonstrations of spiritual perceptions. Praise and worship is initially an inner response of the heart to a revelation of God and His greatness. In order for it to become true praise, it must be manifested.

·         Audible sound

To kneel in adoration, such a posture of worship could be demonstrated silently. However, we may also kneel and sing or shout unto God.

·         Physical action

Praise demands active physical demonstration. It cannot always be silent and inactive. Praise is something we DO.

·         Emotional release

Praising God is not an emotional exercise, it is a spiritual activity. However it does not necessitate emotional release. God gave us our emotions, and they are meant to glorify Him. David says

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name!”

 PSALM 103:1

                            That includes our emotions. Human emotions must have expressions. Praising God is      the healthiest way to release your emotions. It is the God-ordained way!

·         Reverence

            Every true expression of praise should be reverent. Reverence is to honor, to esteem      someone properly. Praising God is NOT merely a means of enjoying ourselves. PRAISE        IS NOT PRIMARILY FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF MAN, ALTHOUGH WE DO ENJOY     EXPRESSING IT. IT IS AND ALWAYS SHOULD BE AN EXPRESSION OF           REVERENCE TO GOD.

B. Why should we praise the Lord?

^“7 For God is the King of all the earth;
        Sing praises with understanding.”

PSALM 47:7 (NKJV)

·         Because of who He is

“ ¹ Praise the LORD! 
Sing to the LORD a new song, 
   his praise in the assembly of the godly!”

PSALM 149:1

            Praise Him because He is the Lord. He is the ultimate authority. The highest power.          The King of Kings and Lord above all Lords.

·         Praise glorifies the Father

^“23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; 
   to one who orders his way rightly 
   I will show the salvation of God!”

^PSALM 50:23

            This should be the great desire of all God’s people: TO GLORIFY HIM.

·         Because God commands us to

            “Praise the Lord!” is not a suggestion or request. It is a commandment.

·         For all His benefits

^“2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, 
   and forget not all his benefits,”

PSALM 103:2

·         For His goodness

^“21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
         And for His wonderful works to the children of men!”

^PSALM 107:21 (NKJV)

·         For His mighty acts

^“2 Praise Him for His mighty acts;
         Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! “

PSALM 150:2 (NKJV)

·         It is good

“ ¹ It is good to give thanks to the LORD, 
   to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 
² to declare your steadfast love in the morning, 
   and your faithfulness by night,”

PSALM 92:1-2

^“1 Praise the LORD! 
For it is good to sing praises to our God; 
   for it is pleasant,^[a] and a song of praise is fitting.”  PSALM 147:1

·         He is worthy

^“4 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, 
   and I am saved from my enemies.”

2 SAMUEL 22:4

³ I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, 
   and I have been saved from my enemies.”

PSALM 18:3

·         Praise magnifies God

^“30 I will praise the name of God with a song,
         And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.”

PSALM 69:30 (NKJV)

·         Praise is proper

¹ Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! 
   Praise befits the upright.”

PSALM 33:1 

Rejoicing in God and praising the Lord is suitable and proper for the child of God. I would prefer to give the approval of God than that of men!

·         God inhabits praise

 ³ But You are holy,
         Enthroned in the praises of Israel.”

PSALM 22:3

If our heart is filled with pain, it is also filled with God, for He inhabits our praises. We can surround ourselves with God’s presence by cultivating the attitude of praise. We shall then be more conscious of His presence than we are of problems, difficulties and adverse circumstances.

·         Praise generates power

 ⁴ Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
         They will still be praising You.  Selah  
         
 ⁵ Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
         Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
 ⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
         They make it a spring; 
         The rain also covers it with pools.
 ⁷ They go from strength to strength;
         Each one appears before God in Zion.”

PSALM 84:4-7

The man who praises God has the Lord for His strength. He also knows the joy of the Lord through praise and the joy of the Lord is His strength.

“for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

NEHEMIAH 8:10 

·         To receive right desires

⁴ Delight yourself also in the LORD,
         And He shall give you the desires of your heart.”

PSALM 37:4

We praise Him and delight in Him and then He gives us the desires of our heats. God put holy desires in the praising heart so we can have the right desires.

·         Praise precedes victory

²¹ And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed t

hose who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise

the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: 

      “Praise the LORD, 
      For His mercy endures forever.”^[a]

²² Now when they began to sing and to praise,

the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir,

who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.”

2 CHRONICLES 20: 21-22

⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty

in God for pulling down strongholds,”

  v2 CORINTHIANS 10:4

As we face our enemy, we need to realize a fresh power of praises and go into salvation of God. The people who truly learn to praise the Lord are the people who will know His presence and power.

C. Who Should Praise the Lord?

1.    all men everywhere

²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, 
   and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

PSALM 145:21

¹¹ Kings of the earth and all peoples, 
   princes and all rulers of the earth! 
¹² Young men and maidens together, 
   old men and children!

 ¹³ Let them praise the name of the LORD, 
   for his name alone is exalted; 
   his majesty is above earth and heaven.

PSALM 148:11-13

2.    all flesh

²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, 
   and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

 PSALM 145:21

3.    everything that has breath

⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! 
Praise the LORD!

PSALM 150:6

4.    the people of God

¹³ But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, 
   will give thanks to you forever; 
   from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

PSALM 79:13

5.    the righteous

¹³ Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; 
   the upright shall dwell in your presence.

PSALM 140:13

6.    the saints

 ¹⁰ All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, 
   and all your saints shall bless you!

PSALM 145:10

7.    the redeemed

¹ Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, 
   for his steadfast love endures forever! 
² Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, 
   whom he has redeemed from trouble

PSALM 107:1-2

8.    those who fear the Lord

²³ You who fear the LORD, praise him! 
   All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, 
   and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!

PSALM 22:23

9.    those who know and believe the truth

³ who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created 

to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

 1 TIMOTHY 4:3

10.  the servant of God

¹ Praise the LORD! 
Praise, O servants of the LORD, 
   praise the name of the LORD!

PSALM 113:1

¹ Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, 
   who stand by night in the house of the LORD!

PSALM 134:1

¹ Praise the LORD! 
Praise the name of the LORD, 
   give praise, O servants of the LORD,

PSALM 135:1

11.  all His angels

 Praise him, all his angels; 
   praise him, all his hosts!

PSALM 148:2

12.  all nature

³ Praise him, sun and moon, 
   praise him, all you shining stars! 
⁴ Praise him, you highest heavens, 
   and you waters above the heavens!

 ⁵ Let them praise the name of the LORD! 
   For he commanded and they were created. 
⁶ And he established them forever and ever; 
   he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.^[a]

 ⁷ Praise the LORD from the earth, 
   you great sea creatures and all deeps, 
⁸ fire and hail, snow and mist, 
   stormy wind fulfilling his word!

 ⁹ Mountains and all hills, 
   fruit trees and all cedars! 
¹⁰ Beasts and all livestock, 
   creeping things and flying birds!

PSALM 148:3-10

13.  those who seek God

²⁶ The afflicted^[a] shall eat and be satisfied; 
   those who seek him shall praise the LORD! 
   May your hearts live forever!

PSALM 22:26s

D. When are we to praise the Lord?

1.    from morning till night

Psalm 113:3

³ From the rising of the sun to its setting,
   the name of the LORD is to be praised!

2.    all day long

Psalm 71:8

⁸ My mouth is filled with your praise,
   and with your glory all the day.

3.    as long as we live

Psalm 146:2

² I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
   I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

4.    at all times

Psalm 34:1

¹ I will bless the LORD at all times; 
   his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

5.    in times of depression

Psalm 42:11

 ¹¹ Why are you cast down, O my soul, 
   and why are you in turmoil within me? 
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, 
   my salvation and my God.

6.    in everything

Ephesians 5:20

²⁰ giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

E. Where are we to praise the Lord?

1.    in the great congregation

Psalm 22:22

 ²² I will tell of your name to my brothers; 
   in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

2.    among the people

Psalm 57:9

⁹ I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
   I will sing praises to you among the nations.

3.    in His courts

Psalm 100:4

 ⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving, 
   and his courts with praise! 
   Give thanks to him; bless his name!

4.    in the assembly of the elders

Psalm 107:32

³² Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
   and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

5.    among the nations

Psalm 108:3

³ I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples;
   I will sing praises to you among the nations.

6.    among the multitude

Psalm 109:30

 ³⁰ With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD; 
   I will praise him in the midst of the throng.

7.    in the congregation

Psalm 149:1

Sing to the LORD a New Song

 ¹ Praise the LORD! 
Sing to the LORD a new song, 
   his praise in the assembly of the godly!

8.    in the sanctuary

Psalm 150:1

Let Everything Praise the LORD

 ¹ Praise the LORD! 
Praise God in his sanctuary; 
   praise him in his mighty heavens!^[a]

III. SCRIPTURAL WAYS TO WORSHIP AND PRAISE GOD

A. Praise and Worship: There is “difference”

1. Thanksgiving

Praise- primarily the expression of admiration and approval. In its fullest sense, it also includes the expression of gratitude and thanksgiving for favors received. Thus praise and worship are frequently linked together. However, the purest forms of praise do not include thanks and gratitude. They are essential expressions of admiration and adoration to the object of one’s praise, irrespective of whether or not favors have been received. Some feel this higher form of praise should be called ‘Worship”.

2. Adoration

Worship of God, is primarily the extolling of His person, character, attributes and perfection. It is the adoration of God for who and what He is, rather than for anything He has done from which we have benefited

Psalm 29:2

² Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; 
   worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.^[a]

Worship is first and inner awareness of worth. It is subsequently an outward expression of that inner appreciation. While it remains within the heart and mind, it is adoration. When it finds expression and becomes vocal or visible, it is then worship.

B. Vocal Expressions of Praise and Worship

1. Praising God with the voice

Psalm 26:7

⁷ proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
   and telling all your wondrous deeds.

Psalm 42:4

⁴ These things I remember,
   as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
   and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
   a multitude keeping festival.

Psalm 71:23-24

²³ My lips will shout for joy,
   when I sing praises to you;
   my soul also, which you have redeemed.
²⁴ And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been put to shame and disappointed
   who sought to do me hurt.

David was constantly speaking forth the praises of God. He would say like-

Psalm 28:7

⁷ The LORD is my strength and my shield;
   in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
   and with my song I give thanks to him.

We should also cultivate the habit of talking about the Lord and His wonderful works. Begin each day by speaking forth praise to god. Tell Him how great and wonderful He is how you love Him and appreciate Him. Thank Him for a new day, and begin to praise Him for His presence with You throughout the day.

Employ your voice, your lips, and your mouth. Make them instruments of praise.

Psalm 34:1

 ¹ I will bless the LORD at all times;
   his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 40:16

   Rejoice and be glad in you; 
may those who love your salvation 
   say continually, “Great is the LORD!”

Psalm 66:8

 ⁸ Bless our God, O peoples; 
   let the sound of his praise be heard,

2. Shouting unto God

There are times, when it is fitting and scriptural to raise our voices and really shout unto God.

Psalm 47:1

 ¹ Clap your hands, all peoples! 
   Shout to God with loud songs of joy!

There is a time and place for the joyful noise and shout of praise, and we should not be afraid to do it when that time comes.

Psalm 5:11

English Standard Version (ESV)

 ¹¹ But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; 

   let them ever sing for joy, 

and spread your protection over them, 

   that those who love your name may exult in you

.

Psalm 32:11

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹¹ Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous,
   and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Psalm 35:27

 ²⁷ Let those who delight in my righteousness 
   shout for joy and be glad 
   and say evermore, 
“Great is the LORD, 
   who delights in the welfare of his servant!”

Psalm 132:9, 16

⁹ Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
   and let your saints shout for joy.

¹⁶ Her priests I will clothe with salvation, 
   and her saints will shout for joy.

Isaiah 12:6

⁶ Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, 
   for great in your ^[a] midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

Zephaniah 3:14

Israel's Joy and Restoration

 ¹⁴ Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; 
   shout, O Israel! 
Rejoice and exult with all your heart, 
   O daughter of Jerusalem!

Leviticus 9:23-24

²³ And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. ²⁴ And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

1 Samuel 4:5

 ⁵ As soon as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded.

3. Singing

Psalm 100:2

 ² Serve the LORD with gladness!
   Come into his presence with singing!

Singing is one the simplest and mist natural reactions to the wonder of God. It is a spontaneous expression of joyful emotion. It has always been a valid expression of praise amongst God’s people.

Exodus 15:21

²¹ And Miriam sang to them:

   “Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

Judges 5:3

 ³ “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; 
   to the LORD I will sing; 
   I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel.

2 Samuel 22:50

 ⁵⁰ “For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations, 
   and sing praises to your name.

1 Chronicles 16:9

⁹ Sing to him, sing praises to him;
   tell of all his wondrous works!

2 Chronicles 29:30

English Standard Version (ESV)

³⁰ And Hezekiah the king and the officials commanded the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshiped.

Psalm 7:17

English Standard Version (ESV)

 ¹⁷ I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, 
   and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.

Psalm 9:2

² I will be glad and exult in you;
   I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:11

 ¹¹ Sing praises to the LORD, who sits enthroned in Zion! 
   Tell among the peoples his deeds!

Psalm 27:6

 ⁶ And now my head shall be lifted up 
   above my enemies all around me, 
and I will offer in his tent 
   sacrifices with shouts of joy; 
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

Psalm 30:4

 ⁴ Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, 
   and give thanks to his holy name.^[a]

Psalm 33:3

³ Sing to him a new song;
   play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

Psalm 47:6-7

⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises! 
   Sing praises to our King, sing praises! 
⁷ For God is the King of all the earth; 
   sing praises with a psalm!^[a]

Psalm 59:16-17

 ¹⁶ But I will sing of your strength; 
   I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. 
For you have been to me a fortress 
   and a refuge in the day of my distress. 
¹⁷ O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, 
   for you, O God, are my fortress, 
   the God who shows me steadfast love.

Psalm 61:8

 ⁸ So will I ever sing praises to your name, 
   as I perform my vows day after day.

Singing is a sing of gladness and contentment. He is the sign of joy, indicating a satisfaction with one’s lot in life. God delights to hear us singing His praises

C. Physical Expressions of Praise and Worship

1. Standing

To stand erect is always a sign of respect. Frequently, the Holy Spirit will inspire us to stand before the Lord as an act of worship and reverence.

Psalm 33:8

 ⁸ Let all the earth fear the LORD; 
   let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!

Psalm 134:1

 ¹ Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, 
   who stand by night in the house of the LORD!

Psalm 135:1, 2

Your Name, O LORD, Endures Forever

 ¹ Praise the LORD! 
Praise the name of the LORD; 
   give praise, O servants of the LORD,

² who stand in the house of the LORD, 
   in the courts of the house of our God!

2. Raising the hands

Raised hands are a universal sign of surrender. By raising our hands high before the Lord, we acknowledge that we are completely surrendered to Him. We tell Him again that we are unconditionally His. We have no desire to rebel against Him; we have no weapons to fight against Him.

Psalm 134:2

² Lift up your hands to the holy place
   and bless the LORD!

It is also a sign of deep longing after God.

Psalm 28:2

² Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, 
   when I cry to you for help, 
when I lift up my hands 
   toward your most holy sanctuary.^[a]

It is also a symbolic spiritual thirst after God.

Psalm 143:6

⁶ I stretch out my hands to you;
   my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
                         Selah

3. Clapping our hands.

When God is so wonderful, and has done so many glorious things which win our admiration and approval is it so strange that we would want to applaud Him we are commended to clap our hands unto God. 

Psalm 47:1

 ¹ Clap your hands, all peoples! 
   Shout to God with loud songs of joy!

It is a sign of gladness, rejoicing and approval.

4. Bowing low or kneeling

Often when people are over-come with the sense of God’s presence and glory, they will spontaneously fall on their knees or bow before God. It is a gesture of reverence and respect.

Psalm 95:6

 ⁶ Oh come, let us worship and bow down; 
   let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!

Philippians 2:10

¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

5. falling prostrate before God

To fall before and lie in front of someone is a sign of deepest reverence. We are humbling ourselves to increase the sense of elevation of the One before whom we prostrate ourselves.

6. Dancing

Involves the use of the whole body in order to express joy, praise and worship before the Lord. It includes leaping, skipping, lifting up the feet and jumping. This dancing is not usually some according to prescribed and programmed (choreographs) movement but rather simple, spontaneous responses of joy before the Lord. Dancing has always been an integral part in the worship of the children of Israel.

Psalm 149:3

³ Let them praise his name with dancing,
   making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!

Psalm 150:4

⁴ Praise him with tambourine and dance;
   praise him with strings and pipe!

Acts 3:8

⁸ And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them,

Walking and leaping and praising God.

7. Playing a musical instrument

Musical instruments were frequently used in Scripture to express praise and worship. They also play a vital part in worship today.

Psalm 150

Let Everything Praise the LORD

 ¹ Praise the LORD! 
Praise God in his sanctuary; 
   praise him in his mighty heavens!^[a] 
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds; 
   praise him according to his excellent greatness!

 ³ Praise him with trumpet sound; 
   praise him with lute and harp! 
⁴ Praise him with tambourine and dance; 
   praise him with strings and pipe! 
⁵ Praise him with sounding cymbals; 
   praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 
⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! 
Praise the LORD!

·     Playing “in the spirit”. These musicians, who would offer praises on their instruments, must seek to excel in doing so. They must apply themselves to “play skillfully” on their instruments.

Psalm 33:3

³ Sing to him a new song;
   play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

This does not necessarily imply the skill of precision. It is not the offering of skillful human ability. It is the spiritual skill, rather than natural talent. The skill is not only in the playing of the instrument, but in interpreting the mood of the Spirit. We call this “playing in the Spirit”

-      David skillful playing in the harp drove the evil sprits form Saul

1 Samuel 16:23

²³ And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

-      Musicians can produce an atmosphere conducive to the exercise of spiritual growth

-      4000 musicians praised the Lord on their instruments at the dedication of Solomon’s temple.

1 Chronicles 23:5

⁵ 4,000 gatekeepers, and 4,000 shall offer praises to the LORD with the instruments that I have made for praise.”

This would indicate there re instruments and musicians in heaven.

Revelation 14:2

² And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps,

³ and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

8. Silence

In complete contrast to the sounds of singing, musical instruments, dancing, etc… is the expression of praise through silence

Ecclesiastes 3:7

⁷ a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

Do not be afraid of silence. Sometimes the Holy Spirit will bring a holy hush upon a congregation. In these times, the silences become profound and eloquent. There is often a great sense of awe and reverence during such periods. One can stand (or sit) silently before God, contemplating, adoring and worshipping Him

Psalm 46:10

¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God.
   I will be exalted among the nations;
   I will be exalted in the earth!”

9. Weeping

Weeping can also be a legitimate response of praise to God. T is not the weeping of sorrow or heartache, but of gratitude and thanksgiving. Sometimes, as we meditate on the greatness and goodness of God, the only appropriate responses to His goodness is to weep, terms of gratitude. Do not be afraid to dot his. It is not a sign of weakness. Le t the tears flow. Our human reaction is often tor refrain from tears. Weeping can sometimes express the deepest longings of our being in a manner which nothing else can it often brings a deep release and liberation.

10. Laughter

There is such a thing as “holy laughter" when a desire to laugh unto the Lord comes upon me. This is not a response to something humorous which someone has said. It is an expression of such heightened joy in the Lord that the only way to express it is through laughter.

Luke 6:21

 ²¹ “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.

   “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

Psalm 126:2

² Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
   and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
   “The LORD has done great things for them.”

 

Job 8:20, 21

 ²⁰ “Behold, God will not reject a blameless man, 
   nor take the hand of evildoers.

²¹ He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, 
   and your lips with shouting.

11. Marching

God frequently commanded His people to march. Probably the best known instance of this was the march around Jericho.

Joshua 6: 2-5

 

² And the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. ³ You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. ⁴ Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. ⁵ And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat,^[a] and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.”

Israel marched in response to God’ command and Jehovah brought down the walls of Jericho. Many walls still fall when God’s people march in response to His direction- walls of pride, unbelief, spiritual bondage, etc.

12. Rejoicing

No one would come before the King with a sad countenance and manner. Yet many Christians come before the King of kings with sad and mournful dispositions. To do so is an insult to God. It is an indication that we are far from satisfies with our lot under His rule. The proper manner in which to appear before the King is with rejoicing. This indicated that we are delighted with our position. We are thankful for the honor bestowed on us, to be servants of the Kings and people of God were frequently told... “And ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God.”

Rejoicing is a way of expressing thanksgiving and praise. When we give a gift to someone, their rejoicing indicated their pleasure and appreciation. So, too, when we rejoice before the Lord, we express our pleasure in Him with our appreciation of Him. It is a great pity that many churches have instills the idea of reverence is solemnity, quietness ands soberness.

Christians should be the most joyful people in the community and their rejoicing should be obvious to all! There are many ways in which our rejoicing can be expressed. Singing joyful songs instead of mournful dingers is one way. Raising our hands, clapping and dancing are some with the other means. Rejoicing in the Lord will cause us to be much more relaxed in God’s presence. The world is sad enough place without our adding to its sadness. Let us aim to brighten it up, for we are the light of the world.