The Heart of Worship (Physical posture as worship)
• In Matt 14 after Jesus clams the storm, it says “they worshipped Him.”
• The word ‘worshipped’ here means: to fall down, to kneel, to bow down, fall at the feet of another, to prostrate oneself. It can even mean to kiss the hand of.
o The essence of the word refers to a physical posture or action born out of reverence or affection.
Matt 28:9 It’s the same word as last verse, to bow down, to fall down etc.
Matt 28:17 It’s the same word, to bow down.
Luke 24:52 It’s the same word to bow down.
John 9:38 It’s the same word, to bow down
• Often in scripture when it says worship, it means some kind of physical action or response to God.
o Not singing. Singing is a super important part of worship, but so is physical posture.
2 Samuel 6:14 David is dancing before the Lord with all his might, in his underwear.
• This was a pure expression of David’s joy over the ark the of God returning to Jerusalem.
o He is the same God, and His worthiness to worship is the same, regardless of culture.
2 Samuel 6:16 Michal is one of David’s wives, born of noble birth.
• She begins to despise her husband, because of how he worshiped with physical expression.
2 Samuel 6:20 David returns home to bless his household.
• When you come out of passionate times of worship, you have a deposit to give, a blessing to give.
o But his wife comes out and begins to nag him, calling him a commoner, any vulgar fellow.
Do you see how social status suddenly became an issue?
• Verse 22 Because of his joy before the Lord, he will become even more undignified than this.
• He doesn’t deny that it was undignified. But he also didn’t back down or apologize for it.
• In the verse before he says “It was before the Lord”
o David became undignified before an audience of one. He didn’t do it for the crowds, or his wife.
• Then David says “and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.”
He doesn’t deny that he was humiliated, and he will be to an even greater degree.
This is the heart of worship.
Verse 23 The scene started by saying that David came to bless his family.
• But it ends by saying that Michal, his wife, had no blessing, because she despised her husbands’ worship.
Nehemiah 8:6 After hearing the word of the Lord, they fall into worship.
• First, they lifted their hands.
• Then they bowed down with their face to the ground.
Psalm 141:2 Every day, in the morning and evening, a lamb would be sacrificed at the Temple.
• David asks that the lifting up of his hands be acceptable before the Lord just like the evening sacrifice.
o Raising our hands can become a sacrifice of praise. That’s powerful!
The Heart of Worship (With Communion Message)
