The document discusses the definition and meaning of worship. Worship is assumed in the Bible to be a spontaneous reaction to God's sovereignty, holiness, and nature. The Hebrew and Greek words for worship convey ideas of bowing down, kneeling, or prostrating oneself out of reverence, fear, or respect for God. True worship is the prostration of the heart and spirit before God alone, who is worthy of worship. The English word "worship" comes from old Anglo-Saxon words meaning "worth-ship," or ascribing worth to someone. Worship is a response to God's worth, which we understand better as God reveals more of himself to us.

1. NEW PINEY GROVE
MONTHLY
THEME
COMMENTARY
2015

2. AUGUST
WORSHIP

3. INTRODUCTION
The Bible doesn’t give a formal
definition of worship. Worship is
assumed to be an automatic,
spontaneous reaction to God’s
sovereignty, holiness, being, character
and nature. The first time the word
“worship” is found in the Bible is in
Genesis 22:5
Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here
with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there
and worship and come again to you.”

4. The Hebrew word translated as
worship is shā-ḥâ and was used in
association with sacrifice. Shā-ḥâ has
several applications:
To Bow
To Lay Prostrate
To Fall Down In Fear
To Kneel In Respect
But the main idea is a spontaneous,
involuntary reaction, in reverence to
God. The most common reaction was
prostration.

5. Prostration represents the
powerlessness of the worshiper,
who lies prone before the One
possessing power and authority.
This physical posture can be given
to anyone or anything considered
superior. But worship of the only
One and true God, is more than
prostration of the physical body;
worship is the prostration of the
heart and spirit.

6. NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCE
The last time the word “worship” is
found in the Bible is in Revelation 22:8–9
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these
things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down
to worship at the feet of the angel who showed
them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do
that! I am a fellow servant with you and your
brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the
words of this book. Worship God” (ESV).

7. The word worship in this passage,
was used of John’s response to seeing
a magnificent angelic being who gave
him God’s revelation of the end-time.
The Greek word is pro-skyn-eō. It
means to prostrate oneself in
reverence to a higher order of being.
It has the idea of, adoration or to
highly esteem. The angel told John to
worship God, for He alone deserves to
be worshipped.

8. The word “worship” is an English
word which attempts to capture the
essence of Sha-ha and proskyneo. It is
derived from two old Anglo-Saxon
words:
1. Weorth (worth)
2. Scipe (ship)
Combined we have the word “worth-
ship,” which is the quality of having
worth or of being worthy. Worship,
then means to declare or ascribe
worth to someone or something.

9. Finally, worship is a response to God’s
worth. But we cannot know God’s
worth, much less respond to it, unless
God reveals Himself to us. So God
initiates worship by revealing Himself
to us. Then we respond in worship.
The more we grasp His greatness, His
power, His love and His character, the
more we understand His worthiness.
Then, we can better declare His worth,
which means the better we can
worship.