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Praise and Worship....There is a Difference!



During a random conversation on Church service styles, one person referred to the music at their Church as “Praise and Worship.” In response to that, another individual (from a different Church) responded by saying “isn’t saying ‘praise and worship’ redundant since they basically mean the same thing?” Some agreed, but the others said “no” because they understood that praise and worship are not identical.

I will agree….they are not the same, but they are directed to the same person (God). When it comes to “praise” and “worship” it must be understood from two totally different acts of expression to God the Father. Let’s take a look:

PRAISE: This word appears 248 times throughout 216 verses in the Bible. The word implies boasting and to show commendation. I also like the implication of “to shine” and “to celebrate.” In some uses (Psalms) it also indicates physical attributes such as raising the hands, bowing, and dancing. In the book of Revelation it speaks of honor and enthusiasm in praising God.

Praise is our way of expressing our gratefulness, thankfulness and indebtedness to God for His unfailing love, mercy and grace lavished on us. In some way, praise is giving credit where credit is due. It is expressing the joy we have for all the attributes of God. It is an expressive life filled with ceaseless and abundant forms of outward signs of appreciation. We can shout, jump, dance, sing, raise our hands, cry, or just sit silently in awe before God our Father with gratefulness and unending thanks. Let us praise the Lord!

Psalm 150: “Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing,  praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals,  praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”

WORSHIP:  The word appears 108 times in 102 verses in the Bible. The word implies “to bow down” or to “prostrate oneself” in an act of homage (reverence, honor, respect). The act of worship is for God alone. In the book of Revelation it is described as a way to “express profound reverence.” One article I read said that this form of expression could include kissing of the hand or to fall down onto one’s knees while touching the ground with the forehead.

Worship is, to me, is truly responding to God as He so rightfully deserves. I think our posture is important. There are times to stand in awe….there are times to kneel in reverence….there are times to lie flat on the ground because we are in the presence of a Holy God who is our Father and loves us so unconditionally. We can incorporate many ways of worship into our daily lives of not only prayer, but in acts of thanksgiving and in times of service, obedience, giving as well as our solitude during our devotions.

Let us broaden and deepen our time alone with God as well as our time in Church….and even as we go about our daily life….with a newfound way of approaching our Holy God and Father. Let us worship and praise Him always! Hebrews 5:28-29, “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.”

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