Why Worship?

Divine worship is the act of feeling or expressing reverence and adoration to God. In the New Testament, various words refer to worship. One Greek term used is proskuneo (“to worship”) which means to bow down to God or kings.

Why do we worship?

1. God is Lord of all.
   • Psalm 86:9-10, “All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.”
   • Colossians 1:17, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
2. God made the universe and everything in it. He holds all things together.
   • Daniel 2:20b, “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.”
   • Psalm 95:3-7, [Following a description of worship] “For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come,
   • let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”
   • Psalm 100:1-3, “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”
   • Revelation 14:7b, “Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
3. God is worthy to receive our worship.
   • 1 Chronicles 16:23-31, “Sing to theLord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day.Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place. Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns!’”
   • Psalm 29:1-2, “Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.”
   • Revelation 4:11, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
4. God desires to be first in our hearts and lives.
   • Exodus 20:2-6, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I , the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”
   • Deuteronomy 10:21, “He is the one you praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.”
   • Matthew 4:10b, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”
   • Hebrews 12:28-29, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptable with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’”
5. Worship is what we are created for.
   • John 4:23-24, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
   • Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.”

What are the benefits of worship?

1. Worship invites God’s presence and provision.
   • 2 Chronicles 5:11-14. As the priests and Levites worship, the presence of the Lord fills the temple with power.
   • Psalm 22:3, “Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.”
   • Psalm 75:1, “We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds.”
   • Psalm 100:4-5, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations”
2. Worship brings victory and freedom from oppression.
   • Joshua 6:1-27. Divine worship gives the Israelites victory over the city of Jericho.
   • 2 Kings 17:38-39, Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”
   • 2 Chronicles 20:15-20. God delivers Judah’s King Jehoshaphat from the Moabites and Ammonite through worship.
   • Psalm 18:3, “I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.”
   • Psalm 95:1-2, “Come let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”
   • Jeremiah 20:13, “Sing to the Lord! Give praise to the Lord! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked.”
   • Daniel 3:16-18. God delivers Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego through worship.
   • Isaiah 61:3, “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
   • Acts 16:25-25, “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.”
3. Worship brings strength, peace, and joy.
   • Psalm 16:11, “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
   • Psalm 29:10-11, [Following a description of worship] “The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever. The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”
4. Worship satisfies the soul with divine rest.
   • Psalm 63:1-5, “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.  My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.”

How do We Worship God?

Surrendering our life to him, being thankful, trusting him, enjoying life and living aware of his presence, obeying him, working diligently as unto him above natural circumstances, singing songs of praise and worship, playing instruments and dancing before him (Psalm 150), and sharing through authentic and empathic expression the love he abundantly pours into our hearts.