One of the most common definitions of worship is “to show reverence and adoration for.” As Christians, we worship only God. In our worship, we express reverence and adoration for God through music, prayer, and moments of reflection and meditation. This need to express to God how we feel about Him is something we should feel compelled to do as His children, and as followers of Jesus Christ.
Our Catechism states that one of the two main purposes of the church of Christ is to bring “praise and worship to God” (CNAC 2.4.3). In John 4:23, Jesus says to the Samaritan woman at the well, But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is looking for us to do more than just show up for service. He’s even asking us to do more than show up a few minutes early to participate in worship. He wants us to be so passionate about Him that our worship extends beyond the walls of our congregations, that the truth of God can be seen in all parts of our lives. We cannot let the only time we worship be on a Sunday morning—we must also be daily, individual worshippers. Each day is to include the worship and praise of our Heavenly Father.
David’s psalms are a powerful resource for us to see what it means to worship God, and to get a better feel for the importance of regular worship. His songs of praise often start with declaring who God is, which is the essence of our worship. Let’s look at some of the words from the beginning of Psalm 139.
David writes, O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off (Psalm 139:1-2). Here, David speaks of God’s omniscience; because He has created us, He knows and cares for each one of us intimately.
The verse continues: For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether… Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it (Psalm 139:4, 6). David recognizes here that God's wisdom far surpasses his own, and again marvels at God’s knowledge of Him. God knows and is aware of all people and things—past, present, and future.
Verses 7-8 say, Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. David knows that God is ever-present. Even in places where we think He may not go, He is always with us, just as He promised He would be.
David articulates what He knows about God in a clear way, and this in turn enriches his worship. We also want to be able to present an image of God in our worship that shows us—and the world—who He is. We can only do this, however, when we have an increased awareness of Him, gained through the divine service experience, Scripture reading, and daily seeking (and experiencing) His presence. Our worship should be more than just the use of poetic language to describe some nice feelings we have when thinking about God. Our words need to have meaning. They need to hold wonderful and divine truths that bring God into focus for us.
Understanding who God is also helps David understand himself, and where he needs to change and grow. After expounding on the many attributes of God that he has personally experienced, David ends the psalm with the plea: Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24). God does not need our worship—we are the ones who need worship. Worshipping God and coming into an understanding of His greatness brings us to a place of awe, humility and surrender, and only in this place will we realize our dependency upon Him and be moved toward a desire to change and grow. Each moment that we spend in worship causes us to recognize where we can be more aligned to His will, and where there is a need for us to grow more into the image and nature of Jesus Christ.
Worship is more than just an activity—it's a lifestyle. As the Catechism states, the proper worship of God is not a purely formal act, but rather consists of a human being’s complete devotion to God (CNAC 5.3.2.3). To worship God in all that we do, we must consistently come into His presence and into the knowledge of Him. Even though God is ever-present, as David proclaims in Psalm 139, we often fail to recognize His nearness. To come into His presence means to be conscious of Him. Truly, we are aware of Him in the divine services and as we celebrate communion with Him, but it's important that we are also aware of His presence outside of these moments. We can have experiences with Him as we work, rest, parent, read Scripture, meditate, or marvel at His creation. The more we come to perceive His presence and the more we take time to learn about His character, the more we become delighted by Him and by all that He is. This gives truth and purpose to our worship.
Worship isn’t just music, nor is it just for musicians. Worship is for athletes, tax accountants, families, doctors, teachers, and students. The entirety of God's creation has been called and commanded to worship. None of the things in life that may redirect our worship—our career, our material wealth, our influence on others—will last. May we set our minds more and more on things above, and be inspired daily to answer David’s call to praise: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6).