“The What of Worship” (Ready to Worship S11E5)

February 21, 2020

Ready to Worship Season 11, Episode 5 for Friday, February 21, 2020

In this season of Ready to Worship, we are investigating worship by asking the questions of an investigator – who, what, when, where, why, and how. In this podcast, we will be examining the what of worship. What is worship? Few questions are as basic as this one. I suppose that understanding the what of worship begins with understanding the word worship. The most common word in the Bible for worship is proskuneo. This word means “to kiss towards.” It is the acknowledgement of another’s superiority. It refers to the act of bowing or showing respect. The old English word for worship was worthship. The word worth was right in the word. God is worthy of worship. John declared, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:11). God is greater than us. He made us. We didn’t make Him; nor, for that matter, did we make ourselves. The psalmist declared, “Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations” (Psa. 100:3-5). Please notice all the personal pronouns referring to God. Worship is all about God! Five chapters earlier in the Psalms, David declared, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker” (Psa. 95:6). Please note that we should kneel because of who he is – the Lord our Maker. Reverence is due Him because of who he is and because of what He has done. Again, David declared, “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts” (Psa. 96:8).
Worship is about acknowledging the superiority and worthiness of God. As we get ready to worship this week, let’s think about what worship is. I believe that if we do, we will come away having given God the reverence that He is truly due.