Psalm 96 | Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; 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 glory are in his sanctuary. 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 into his courts. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.” The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.
Without worship, we go about miserable. — A. W. Tozer
Worship is something that at first might seem a bit confusing, but in reality, it isn’t. It is within our human nature to worship something or someone. The Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky (also a Christian) once said, “Man, so long as he remains free, has no more constant and agonizing anxiety than to find as quickly as possible someone to worship.” [1] It’s a fundamental part of what it means to be human—just like eating, drinking, breathing, and sleeping.
The act of worship is a demonstration of respect, honor, or homage toward a certain object or person. Regarding our faith as Christians, our worship is to be directed toward our Lord and Savior. Worship is a time when we pay deep, sincere, awesome respect, love, and fear to the One who created us.
Our worship not only honors and magnifies God but it is also for our own edification and strength. Worship helps us develop God-like and Christlike characteristics. When we worship God, we develop traits such as forgiveness, tenderness, justice, righteousness, purity, kindness, and love. All of these attributes prepare us for eternal life in heaven with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Ultimately, the art of worship is something we cannot truly understand until we take part in it. And although the act of worship might seem conservative and dry, there are many ways to worship our God in heaven. Worship itself is not just an act but a lifestyle in which we can live.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to be living sacrifices (a form of worship) to the One above. Worship should cause us to reflect on the majesty and graciousness of God and Christ, contrasted by our own unworthiness.
Challenge:
Worship is more than singing or praying or listening to a sermon. It’s making God your focus in everything you do, from your job to your home and everything in between (Col 3:23–24). How can you worship God throughout your everyday life and not just while you’re at church?