The Heart of Worship (more than song)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 22Because 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”
- 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.
- But his wife comes out and begins to nag him, calling him a commoner, any vulgar fellow.
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.
- Raising our hands can become a sacrifice of praise. That’s powerful!