In worship, we become more aware of who God is, and, in response, bow reverently before Him. The following songs can be used in the moments of worship within the divine service experience any Sunday—no matter the Bible verse or sermon theme—as they bring to focus who God is, and/or express our response to the truths of God.

Note that some of the songs come from our books, and some are suggested sheet music/octavos. Also note that this by no means a comprehensive list, but rather a quick reference resource when selecting songs of worship for worship.

All songs from the Adoration/Worship and Worship the Lord sections of the Hymnal and Celebration Hymnal are appropriate for worship, but the hymns below especially magnify God’s nature—or our response to His nature (i.e. “I Surrender All”)—and many work well directly following a call to worship (for a listing of calls to worship, see here):

From the Summer 2021 Vision Newsletter

Worship is one’s expression to another of their worth, value, or benefit to them. As Christians, we use this word in reference to God, our Father and Creator, our Savior and Redeemer, our Helper and Comforter. Naturally, we understand that God doesn’t need our worship, however, worship is necessary for us and for the development of our relationship with God.

This time that we live in has often been referred to as “the age of spectacle,” which seems very fitting given that our world offers us a feast of new multimedia on a consistent basis. Popular entertainment is now everywhere, and it never stops. Like no century before us, we are submerged into media. This digital, eye and image-focused reality poses significant challenges for parents, church leaders, pastors, youth leaders—anyone facing the inundation of media competing for the attention of the people that we love and are trying to serve. So how do we lead deeper into the faith those who are easily distracted and influenced by the spectacle?

In this article, we will see how worship is tied to our being a witness of God.

Since the Old Testament days, it has been the honor of God’s people to be a witness for Him. From the time when God made His covenant with Abraham, and then throughout the history of the people of Israel, their worship was meant to be a witness to all the nations that their God was the true and only God, and that He had done wonderful things on their behalf (Exodus 34:10; 1 Samuel 12:24; Psalm 66:5).

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.

In his article, “Is All Worship Equally Acceptable to God”, author Tim Barnett reminds us that if nothing else, the stories of Cain & Able (Genesis 4:1-5) and Nadab & Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-3) teach us that there is a right way and a wrong way to approach God in worship.

Sometimes, to get a better feel and understanding for what something is, it can be helpful to look at what it isn’t. Given the importance of worship to us as Christians, and the necessity that we understand what it is, let’s take a moment to look at what it isn’t:

Worship is recognizing and expressing who God is—the outward actions and internal devotion that believers offer to the one true God in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

One of the most common definitions of worship is “to show reverence or adoration for.” When we worship God, we humble ourselves before Him in reverence and adoration and then actively respond to His character, words, and actions.

All that we know of God comes to beautiful expression in worship—through music, prayer, service, praise, and thanksgiving. This desire to express to God how we feel about Him based on all that we know of Him should be something that lives and burns within all Christians. It’s something that we cannot, and should not, ignore!

Take David, for example. David knew how to worship God. Very rarely did He praise God the same way twice. His praise was always fresh, creative, and inspired by the fullness of God’s nature. Take a moment to read 1 Chronicles 29:10-13. David takes three verses explaining who God is, and only then does He say “Now, therefore, our God, we thank you.” David shows here a beautiful picture of worship, out of which praise and thanksgiving flow.

There’s often a misconception that worship=music. While music is certainly an expression of worship or a means by which we come to worship Him, worship goes far beyond music. The outward actions and internal devotion that believers offer to the one true God in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit is our worship. Therefore, we can worship Him in any and every moment of our lives. By no means is our worship unto God confined to the church building. He is worthy to be worshipped everywhere and always. We have the opportunity to worship (“show reverence or adoration for”) Him in our thoughts, words, and actions every day.

Worship is a behavior. To worship God in all that we do, we must come into His presence and into the knowledge of Him. The more we come to perceive His presence and the more we take time to learn about His character, the more we can be delighted by Him and all that He is. This gives truth and purpose to our worship. As the Chief Apostle Schneider once stated, “God doesn’t need us to worship Him. We’re the ones who need worship.”

In our worship, we are reminded of His promises for us. We are reminded of the goodness He brings to our lives. We are reminded of our sinful nature and God’s grace. When we recall these things, we understand where the writer of Acts was coming from when He said: “As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” The more we know about God, the more we can’t help but worship Him.