Praise and Worship

Biblical Expressions of Praise and Worship

We see clapping, shouting, kneeling, dancing, playing instruments, standing in awe, raising hands, and lying down. Clearly all these actions are acceptable and appropriate in the worship of God. God is pleased and hears our prayers no matter how we pray. The important thing is that we come to Him in humbleness with a sincere heart and not in a showy fashion.

Declaring of Thanks

Psalms 100:4 KJV

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Hebrews 13:15 KJV

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.

Psalms 95:2 KJV

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

Clapping Hands and Shouting

Psalms 47:1 KJV

O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.

2 Samuel 6:15

So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting,…

Isaiah 58:1

Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet…

Musical Instruments and Dancing

Psalms 150:4 KJV

Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

Jeremiah 31:4 NKJV

Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.

I Chronicles 13:8 NKJV

Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets.

2 Samuel 6:14 KJV

And David danced before the LORD with all his might;

2 Samuel 6:16

And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD;…

Exodus 15:20 KJV

And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

Singing Praise, Songs, and Hymns

Hebrews 2:12 NKJV

“I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”

Acts 16:25 NKJV

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Psalms 95:1 KJV

O come, let us sing unto the Lord : let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Psalms 100:2 KJV

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Psalms 9:11 KJV

Sing praises to the Lord , which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.

Ephesians 5:19 KJV

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Colossians 3:16 NKJV

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Making a Joyful Noise

Psalms 98:4 KJV

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord , all the earth:

Psalms 81:1 KJV

Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

Psalms 95:1 KJV

O come, let us sing unto the Lord : let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Lifting Our Hands

1 Timothy 2:8 KJV

I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Psalms 134:2 KJV

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord .

Nehemiah 8:6 KJV

And Ezra blessed the Lord , the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Being Still

Psalms 4:3-4 KJV

But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.  Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.

Psalms 46:10 KJV

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Being Loud

Psalms 33:3 KJV

Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.

Psalms 98:4 KJV

make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

Ezra 10:12 KJV

Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.

2 Chronicles 15:14 KJV

And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.

Kneeling Down

Psalms 95:6 KJV

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

Luke 22:41 KJV

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Acts 20:36 KJV

And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.

Lying Down

Job 1:20 KJV

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

1 Kings 18:39 KJV

And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord , he is the God; the Lord , he is the God.

Psalms 106:48 KJV

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord .

Nehemiah 5:13 KJV

And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord.

Kim Howard

www.kimlovesjesus@icloud.com