Praise and Worship
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Definition and Distinction

Praise and worship are integral components of Christian life and practice, often mentioned together but distinct in their expressions and purposes. Praise generally refers to the joyful recounting of all God has done for us, often expressed through singing, shouting, and other forms of celebration. Worship, on the other hand, is more about the reverence and adoration of God, focusing on His holiness, majesty, and sovereignty.

Biblical Foundations

The Bible is replete with references to both praise and worship, underscoring their importance in the life of believers. Praise is frequently associated with music and song, as seen in the Psalms, which serve as a hymnbook for the people of Israel. Psalm 150:6 declares, "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Hallelujah!"

Worship, while it can include praise, often involves a deeper sense of awe and submission. Jesus emphasizes the importance of worship in spirit and truth in John 4:23-24 : "But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

Expressions of Praise and Worship

Praise can be expressed through singing, clapping, dancing, and playing musical instruments. The Bible encourages believers to praise God with a variety of expressions. Psalm 98:4-6 exhorts, "Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth—let your cry ring out and sing praises! Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, in melodious song with the harp. With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn shout for joy before the LORD, the King."

Worship, while it can include these elements, often involves a more personal and intimate connection with God. It can be expressed through prayer, meditation, and acts of service. Romans 12:1 speaks to this holistic view of worship: "Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."

Theological Significance

Praise and worship are not merely rituals or traditions but are deeply theological acts that reflect the believer's relationship with God. They are responses to God's revelation and acts of His grace, mercy, and love. Through praise, believers acknowledge God's mighty deeds and His faithfulness. Through worship, they express their devotion and submission to His will.

The act of worship is central to the Christian faith, as it aligns the believer's heart with God's purposes. It is an acknowledgment of God's rightful place as Creator and Sustainer of all things. Hebrews 12:28-29 reminds believers of the reverence due to God: "Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire."

Role in the Church

In the corporate setting, praise and worship play a vital role in the life of the church. They serve to unify the congregation, focus attention on God, and prepare hearts to receive His Word. Colossians 3:16 encourages believers to engage in communal worship: "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

Conclusion

While praise and worship are distinct, they are complementary and together form a comprehensive expression of the believer's love and devotion to God. They are both personal and communal, involving the whole being—mind, body, and spirit—in the adoration of the Almighty.
Topical Bible Verses
Psalm 149:3
Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises to him with the tambourine and harp.
Topicalbible.org

Ephesians 5:19
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Topicalbible.org

Psalm 150:6
Let every thing that has breath praise the LORD. Praise you the LORD.
Topicalbible.org

Psalm 150:4
Praise him with the tambourine and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Topicalbible.org

Hebrews 13:15
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Topicalbible.org

John 4:23
But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him.
Topicalbible.org

Greek
1391. doxa -- opinion (always good in NT), hence praise, honor ...
... honor (1), majesties (2). dignity, glory, honor, praise, worship. From the base
of dokeo; glory (as very apparent), in a wide application ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1391.htm - 7k
Strong's Hebrew
3034. yadah -- to throw, cast
... especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by
wringing the hands) -- cast (out), (make) confess(-ion), praise, shoot, (give ...
/hebrew/3034.htm - 6k
Library

Hymns of Praise and Worship.
... CHAPTER I. HYMNS OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP. ... We praise Thee, O God! We acknowledge Thee
to be the Lord; All the Earth doth worship Thee, the Father Everlasting. ...
/.../brown/the story of the hymns and tunes/chapter i hymns of praise.htm

O Worship the King, all Glorious Above
... II. THE CHRISTIAN YEAR Sundays after Trinity: Praise and Adoration 255. O Worship
the King, all glorious above. 10.10.11.11 [978]Hanover: William Croft, 1708. ...
/.../sundays after trinity praise and 7.htm

Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving
... ones in heaven do not need artistic precentors to lead them, nor do they care for
paid choirs to chime in with their heavenly doxologies of praise and worship. ...
/.../bounds/the essentials of prayer/iv prayer praise and thanksgiving.htm

Modern Movements in Presbyterian Churches Respecting Public ...
... In all sections of the Church the conflict concerning praise in worship was for
a long period prosecuted with an energy that frequently arose to bitterness. ...
/.../johnston/presbyterian worship/chapter ix modern movements in.htm

Worship
... of "thanks for the great benefits that we have received at His hands," the setting
forth of "His most worthy praise,""all demand the public act of worship. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/regester/the worship of the church/worship.htm

Of the Setting of Man's Life
... they are three, against the three aforesaid, that is to say: Contrition of thought
and pulling out of desires that belong not to the praise or worship of God ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter iv of the setting.htm

A Morning Prayer for the Sabbath-Day.
... my heart the beginning of that eternal Sabbath, which in unspeakable joy and glory
I shall celebrate with saints and angels, to thy praise and worship, in thy ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/bayly/the practice of piety/a morning prayer for the.htm

Presbyterian Worship Outside of the Established Church of Scotland ...
... differences existed with regard to the use of paraphrases and human hymns in the
service of praise, on the general subject of simplicity of worship and absence ...
/.../johnston/presbyterian worship/chapter viii presbyterian worship outside.htm

Delivered from Prison
... A moment before he had been the proud recipient of the praise and worship of that
vast throng; now he realized that he was in the hands of a Ruler mightier ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 15 delivered from prison.htm

What are Evidences of Backsliding in Heart.
... He dare not wholly break off from the form of service, and he tries to be dutiful,
while he has no heart in prayer, in praise, in worship, or in any of those ...
/.../finney/the backslider in heart/iii what are evidences of.htm

Resources
What does it mean to give a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15)? | GotQuestions.org

What are the psalms of praise? | GotQuestions.org

What is a garment of praise (Isaiah 61:3)? | GotQuestions.org

Praise: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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Subtopics

Praise

Praise and Worship

Praise Dancing

Praise for God's Attributes

Praise for God's Goodness to Individuals

Praise for God's Goodness to Righteous Men

Praise in Heaven

Praise is a Part of Public Worship

Praise is Due to God on Account of all Spiritual Blessings

Praise is Due to God on Account of all Temporal Blessings

Praise is Due to God on Account of Answering Prayer

Praise is Due to God on Account of Constant Preservation

Praise is Due to God on Account of Deliverance

Praise is Due to God on Account of Fulfilling of his Promises

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Consolation

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Counsel

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Excellency

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Faithfulness and Truth

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Glory

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Goodness

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Greatness

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Holiness

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Judgment

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Loving-Kindness and Truth

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Majesty

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Mercy

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Power

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Salvation

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Wisdom

Praise is Due to God on Account of His Wonderful Works

Praise is Due to God on Account of Pardon of Sin

Praise is Due to God on Account of Protection

Praise is Due to God on Account of Spiritual Health

Praise is Due to God on Account of The Continuance of Blessings

Praise is Due to God on Account of The Hope of Glory

Praise is Good and Comely

Praise is Obligatory Upon: All Creation

Praise is Obligatory Upon: All Men

Praise is Obligatory Upon: Angels

Praise is Obligatory Upon: Children

Praise is Obligatory Upon: Gentiles

Praise is Obligatory Upon: High and Low

Praise is Obligatory Upon: Saints

Praise is Obligatory Upon: Small and Great

Praise is Obligatory Upon: Young and Old

Praise of David: At the Close of his Reign

Praise of David: Celebrating his Deliverance from the Hand of Saul

Praise of David: On Bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Zion

Praise of Deborah, After Defeating the Canaanites

Praise of Hannah

Praise of Miriam

Praise: Acceptable Through Christ

Praise: Accompanied With Musical Instruments

Praise: Anna

Praise: Called The: Calves of the Lips

Praise: Called The: Fruit of the Lips

Praise: Called The: Garment of Praise

Praise: Called The: Sacrifice of Praise

Praise: Called The: Sacrifices of Joy

Praise: Called The: Voice of a Psalm

Praise: Called The: Voice of Melody

Praise: Called The: Voice of Praise

Praise: Called The: Voice of Triumph

Praise: Christ is Worthy of

Praise: David

Praise: Disciples

Praise: Ezra

Praise: First Converts

Praise: God is Glorified By

Praise: God is Worthy of

Praise: Hezekiah

Praise: Israelites

Praise: Jethro

Praise: Lame Man

Praise: Melchizedek

Praise: Moses

Praise: Multitudes

Praise: Offered to Christ

Praise: Paul and Silas

Praise: Priests and Levites

Praise: Psalms of, for God's Goodness to Israel

Praise: Saints should be Endued With the Spirit of

Praise: Saints should Declare

Praise: Saints should Express Their Joy By

Praise: Saints should Glory In

Praise: Saints should Invite Others To

Praise: Saints should Posture Suited To

Praise: Saints should Pray for Ability to offer

Praise: Saints should Render, Under Affliction

Praise: Saints should Show Forth

Praise: Saints should Triumph In

Praise: Shepherds

Praise: should be offered for Ever and Ever

Praise: should be offered in Psalms and Hymns

Praise: should be offered with Gladness

Praise: should be offered with Joy

Praise: should be offered with Thankfulness

Praise: should be offered with the Lips

Praise: should be offered with the Mouth

Praise: should be offered with the Soul

Praise: should be offered with the Understanding

Praise: should be offered with the Whole Heart

Praise: should be offered with Uprightness of Heart

Praise: should be offered: Continually

Praise: should be offered: Day and Night

Praise: should be offered: Day by Day

Praise: should be offered: During Life

Praise: should be offered: More and More

Praise: should be offered: Throughout the World

Praise: Simeon

Praise: Song of Moses, After the Passage Through the Red Sea

Praise: The Apostles

Praise: The Chorus when Solomon Brought the Ark of the Covenant Into the Temple

Praise: The Heavenly Host Engage In

Praise: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To

Praise: Zacharias

Related Terms

Praise-offering (5 Occurrences)

Praise-offerings (2 Occurrences)

Yah (40 Occurrences)

Extol (23 Occurrences)

Praising (35 Occurrences)

Praises (66 Occurrences)

Renown (24 Occurrences)

Corded (37 Occurrences)

Commend (22 Occurrences)

Melody (55 Occurrences)

Psaltery (17 Occurrences)

Doxology

Comely (32 Occurrences)

Endureth (63 Occurrences)

Despair (23 Occurrences)

Thanksgiving (49 Occurrences)

Thank (68 Occurrences)

Recount (39 Occurrences)

Endures (75 Occurrences)

Praised (101 Occurrences)

Sing (147 Occurrences)

Verse (5 Occurrences)

Kadmiel (8 Occurrences)

Throng (21 Occurrences)

Tambourine (8 Occurrences)

Timbrel (7 Occurrences)

Tambour (7 Occurrences)

Ruling (123 Occurrences)

Expanse (18 Occurrences)

Door-keepers (34 Occurrences)

Desire (565 Occurrences)

Disquieted (13 Occurrences)

Dancing (21 Occurrences)

Magnify (25 Occurrences)

Moanest (3 Occurrences)

Puff (1 Occurrence)

Coastlands (29 Occurrences)

Cakes (65 Occurrences)

Commendation (2 Occurrences)

Revere (26 Occurrences)

Sea-lands (24 Occurrences)

Bent (107 Occurrences)

Approval (75 Occurrences)

Disturbed (30 Occurrences)

Skies (36 Occurrences)

Fitting (29 Occurrences)

Excellent (52 Occurrences)

Men's (76 Occurrences)

Savior (60 Occurrences)

Cymbals (15 Occurrences)

Sounding (99 Occurrences)

Dance (18 Occurrences)

Exalt (56 Occurrences)

Mention (41 Occurrences)

Thanks (151 Occurrences)

Adoration

Blowing (31 Occurrences)

Awesome (47 Occurrences)

Celebrate (66 Occurrences)

Marvelous (30 Occurrences)

Music-maker (55 Occurrences)

Vows (38 Occurrences)

Psalm (213 Occurrences)

Trophimus (3 Occurrences)

Starting (34 Occurrences)

Secret (341 Occurrences)

Evildoers (46 Occurrences)

Confess (65 Occurrences)

Singers (41 Occurrences)

Silence (80 Occurrences)

Singing (65 Occurrences)

Acrostic (2 Occurrences)

Matter (263 Occurrences)

Shouting (83 Occurrences)

Keeping (282 Occurrences)

Tobit

Revelation (52 Occurrences)

Musician (112 Occurrences)

Praise and Vows to God
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