What It Means To Praise And Worship God

 

Praise and worship is a significant part of our walk with God, yet many people think it is just about singing in church before the sermon starts. While singing plays an important role in praise and worship, the true meaning of praise and worship is much more than that.

Let’s see what the Bible and renowned Christian authors say about praise and worship. Tap on their insights so you can tune your heart to worship God better. 

What is praise and worship?

Praise is part of our worship to God. While the words “praise and worship” complement each other and are often linked together, they actually have different meanings.

Praise is the expression of our gratitude to God for all that He is and has done for us. It involves giving thanks to God, celebrating and declaring His goodness to others.

Worship is the attitude of honouring and loving God wholeheartedly. It involves humbling ourselves before God and obeying Him in our daily lives.

An example of both words is in Psalm 95, where the psalmist invites us to praise God (vv. 1–2), explains why (vv. 3–5), and then invites us to worship God, and why (vv. 6–7).

In Reflections on the Psalms, C. S. Lewis writes: “We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment... Fully to enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.”

“We have been chosen and called in order to declare God’s praise. We have been created for God’s glory, so worship is central to our existence.” —Tim Hughes, Why Worship? Insights into the Wonder of Worship

“Worship is central to our relationship with God. The worship we begin here on earth should have its roots in heaven—and how we worship today will prepare us to worship God Almighty throughout eternity.” —A. W. Tozer, Authentic Worship: The Path to Greater Unity With God

How should we praise and worship God?

When we praise and worship God, our heart and actions should declare and proclaim who God is and His power.

“The praise of God grows out of a thankful heart. When we consider everything that God has done for us, and everything He continues to do for us each day, we should never run out of things to thank Him for.” —Michael Youssef, Empowered By Praise

“Worship is encountering God, knowing and experiencing who He is, giving thanks and praise for what He has done, loving the people He loves, and daily doing what He says.” —Gary D. Kinnaman, The Beginner’s Guide To Praise & Worship

“Worship is our response, both personal and corporate, to God—for who He is and what He has done! …expressed in and by the things we say and the way we live.” —Louie Giglio, Wired For A Life Of Worship

“What makes our worship pure is not the surroundings; it is the intent of the heart.” —Chris Dupre, The Lost Art Of Pure Worship

“Christians are called to a life of worship 24/7, and this includes necessarily worshipping God at the workplace.” —Neo Ban Seng, Worship @ Work

Why do we sing in praise and worship?

The Bible contains over 400 references to singing and at least 50 direct commands to sing. Clearly, singing is important to God!

“There are many ways to worship God, but one of the most obvious and meaningful is through singing. Paul affirms singing as a means of worship, telling us that we are called to worship in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19).” —Travis Cottrell, Surprised By Worship

“Praise and worship music can be a powerful tool to draw us into a personal experience with God. And this effect can be felt in the privacy of a hospital room or in the gathering of the church.” —Chris Tomlin, Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change the Way You Worship

“Worship is a sharp tool in the hands of a believer who knows who they are in God. Sing His Word back to Him and see what begins to happen in your life. Sing like David did. Sing like Paul and Silas in the prison. Sing until the breakthrough comes and then sing again!” —John Eckhardt, Restoring Praise & Worship To The Church

“As we sing to God and about God together with the people of God, we reflect the truth that we were designed for community, both with God and with each other.” —Keith & Kristyn Getty, Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church

“[Singing] is a means for all believers, educated or uneducated, great or lowly, to express praise to their Creator and Saviour. In the book of Acts, we find Paul and Silas ‘praying and singing hymns to God’ (Acts 16:25) while chained in the Philippian jail.” —Robert Brown, One Year Book Of Hymns: 365 Devotions Based on Popular Hymns

“We sing to encourage other Christians with God’s Word. We sing to give thanks to God. We sing to declare God’s praises.” —William Taylor, Revolutionary Worship: All of Life for God’s Glory

 

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” —Psalm 100:1–2

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