Worship: Giving God the Glory He Deserves

What does it mean to worship God?

A study of the word worship throughout the King James Version of the Bible reveals that worship is much broader than what we often associate with it today. It involves reverence, surrender, obedience, offering, prayer, praise, and service. At its heart, worship is our response to who God is and the glory that belongs to Him.

Worship in the Bible

One of the first things that stands out in Scripture is that human beings are not the only ones who worship God. Angels worship Him, and the twenty-four elders in Revelation fall before Him in worship.

The first recorded use of the word worship in relation to a human being is found in Genesis 22:5. Abraham was on his way to the mountain where God had instructed him to offer Isaac, and he said to his servants:

Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

-- Genesis 22:5 (KJV)

Abraham described what he was about to do as worship.

That is significant. His worship was connected to obedience and surrender. He was going to the mountain because God had spoken, and he was prepared to obey even though the command was extremely difficult.

Later, Abraham's servant bowed down and worshipped the Lord after God answered his prayer and helped him find a wife for Isaac (Genesis 24:26–27).

From these early examples, the Bible continues to record people bowing down and worshipping God.

Bowing Down Before God

Worship is associated with several physical expressions throughout Scripture. People fell to the ground, knelt, lifted their hands, bowed their heads, and cast their crowns before God.

But one posture appears repeatedly: bowing down.

Bowing expresses humility. It is an acknowledgement that the One before whom we bow is greater than we are. It recognises His authority and our dependence upon Him.

The physical posture is not what makes worship genuine. A person can bow their body without surrendering their heart. But the repeated connection between worship and bowing gives us a picture of the attitude that should lie behind worship: reverence, humility, and submission to God.

Worship Is Expressed in Many Ways

Another thing that becomes clear from the biblical record is that worship is rarely separated from other acts.

People worshipped God while bringing sacrifices and offerings. They worshipped through singing and playing instruments. They worshipped while confessing their sins, giving thanks, serving God, and seeking Him in prayer.

This is particularly noticeable in the New Testament. There are several occasions where people came to Jesus, worshipped Him, and then brought their needs before Him. They asked for healing, deliverance, miracles, and mercy.

This shows that worship can be expressed through many different things.

We can worship God through singing. We can worship through giving. We can worship through prayer, serving, obedience, thanksgiving, and surrender.

What gives these actions their meaning is the heart with which they are offered to God.

God Alone Deserves Worship

The Bible is very clear about who should receive worship.

God alone is worthy of worship, and He does not share His glory with idols or created things. When Satan tempted Jesus and offered Him the kingdoms of the world, Jesus answered:

Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

-- Matthew 4:10 (KJV)

Jesus connected worship with service. To worship God is to recognise His rightful place as Lord and to give ourselves to Him.

Jesus also said:

The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

-- John 4:23 (KJV)

This is remarkable. The Father is seeking people who will worship Him.

Worship in Spirit and in Truth

What does it mean to worship God in spirit and in truth?

The clearest picture we have is Jesus Himself.

Throughout His earthly life, Jesus lived in complete devotion to His Father. He prayed. He obeyed. He served. He gave thanks. He trusted God through suffering. And ultimately, He gave His life in obedience to the Father's will.

His entire life was directed towards the Father.

That gives us a helpful picture of worship. Worship is not limited to what happens when we gather together to sing. It reaches into the way we live, the decisions we make, and the way we respond to God throughout our lives.

To worship God in spirit and truth is to give Him genuine devotion, according to the truth of who He is.

Worship and Holiness

One verse that brings many of these ideas together is 1 Chronicles 16:29:

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

-- 1 Chronicles 16:29 (KJV)

The same verse is repeated in Psalm 29:2.

There is a lot contained in those words. We are told to give God the glory due to His name, to bring an offering, to come before Him, and to worship Him in holiness.

This shows us that holiness belongs in the very heart of worship.

Worship does not begin when the music starts. It begins with a heart that has already decided to belong to God.

There will be times when we come into God's presence and recognise that we have sinned. Worship can lead us to repentance and confession. But a commitment to holiness cannot be something we pick up only when we enter a place of worship. It must be part of the life we are choosing to live before God.

Our Lives as an Offering

Paul expresses this same truth in Romans 12:1:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

-- Romans 12:1 (KJV)

Some translations use the word worship instead of service in this verse.

The idea is important. Our worship is not confined to what happens during a church gathering. Our everyday lives can be offered to God.

The way we speak, work, treat people, use our resources, respond to temptation, care for others, and make decisions can all become expressions of worship.

A life surrendered to God is itself an offering.

Why Do We Worship?

Ultimately, the reason we worship God is found in who He is.

The psalmist says:

Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.

-- Psalm 99:5 (KJV)

And again:

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.

-- Psalm 99:9 (KJV)

God is holy. That alone is reason enough to worship Him.

We worship because He is our Creator. We worship because He is our Father. We worship because He is good, faithful, righteous, merciful, and holy.

His worth does not depend on what He gives us. He is worthy because of who He is.

A Life of Worship

When we look at worship across Scripture, we see that it is much bigger than a particular song, posture, or moment in a service.

Worship begins with recognising who God is. It is expressed through reverence, surrender, obedience, prayer, praise, giving, serving, and thanksgiving. And it is seen most clearly in a life that is devoted to God and committed to holiness.

This brings us back to the words of 1 Chronicles 16:29:

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

That is the heart of worship.

We come before God because He is worthy. We bring what we have to offer. We give Him the glory that belongs to His name. And we do it with lives that are being set apart for Him.

Worship is therefore not just something we do when we gather together.

Worship is the life we offer to God because of who He is.