Worship and Expression
Why are some people so expressive in worship? Why are they raising their hands? Why are they down on their knees or laying face down on the ground? Is it all just for show? Is it even OK to do any of that? Why are people shouting and crying out? What about when everyone is sitting in silence? What’s the point? For some of us from a particular church background, you might gravitate towards being very expressive, whereas for others, it would not be so common. What does the Bible have to say about what it means to be physically and verbally expressive in worship? Actually, a whole lot. In fact, as part of the Bible was written in Hebrew, there are seven different Hebrew words used to direct, describe and express worship.
Years ago, a friend of mine and I were leading a seminar for worship leaders. After I had done my share of the teaching, my friend stood up and passionately shared about the seven Hebrew words for praise found in the Bible. I didn’t even know that was seven words for praise in the Bible. i was incredibly moved and it had a deep impact on my life in particular as I express myself in corporate worship. Of course, there is nothing new under the sun. Others have taught on these very same Hebrew words. In fact, as I was preparing to write this article , I had discovered that a popular American worship leader had written a small book around these seven words of praise with his pastor. Check it out…”Holy Roar” by Chris Tomlin and Darren Whitehead. So cool. It has been encouraging and inspiring to hear others laying hold of the ways in which generations before us expressed their hearts to God.
I believe these seven Hebrew words for “praise” can help us understand better how to express ourselves in worship, perhaps answer some of the questions that I asked at the beginning, and to encourage us the next time we are in corporate worship to express with our hearts, bodies and mouths the greatness and goodness of God.
HALLAL
is a primary Hebrew root word for praise. Our word "hallelujah" comes from the Hebrew word, Hallal.
Hallal is used to mean : "to be clear, to praise, to shine, to boast, show, to rave, celebrate, to be clamorously foolish."
Psalm 113:1 Praise (hallal) the Lord, praise (hallal) you his servants, praise (hallal) the name
of the Lord.
Psalm 150:1 Praise (hallal) the Lord! Praise (hallal) God in His sanctuary; Praise (hallal) Him in His mighty
heavens.
Psalm 149:3 Let them praise (hallal) His name with dancing: and make music to him with timbrel and harp.
OTHER REFERENCES: Judges 16:24; 2 Samuel 14:25; 2 Chronicles 7:6; Ezra 3:10-11; Nehemiah 5:13; Psalms
18:3, 56:4, 63:5, 150:2-4; Isaiah 62:9; Jeremiah 20:13; Joel 2:26
Practical: Hallal could look like reading aloud a passage of scripture during corporate worship that praises God. Going wild and dancing as a way of using our bodies to express worship. Proclaiming the names of God during worship (Father, King, Holy One, Ancient of Days…)
YADAH
is a verb which means, "the extended hand, to throw out the hand, therefore to worship with extended hand, to lift the hands."
2 Chronicles 20:21 Give thanks (yadah) to the Lord, for His love endures forever.
Psalm 63:4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name, I will lift up my hands.
Psalm 107:15 let them give thanks (yadah)to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
OTHER REFERENCES: Genesis 29:35, 49:8; 2 Chronicles 7:3,6; Psalms 67:3, 108:3; Isaiah 12:1,4;
Jeremiah 33:11
Practical : YADAH could be expressed as raising our hands in worship. Or simply opening our hands as a posture of offering to God our lives or as an act of receiving from God.
TOWDAH
Is a word that is similar in meaning to YADAH., but is used more specifically. Towdah means, "an extension of the hand in adoration, avowal, or acceptance."
Psalm 50:14 Sacrifice thank offerings to God (towdah) and pay your vows to the Most High.
Psalm 50:23 those who sacrifice thank offerings (towdah) honor Me: and to the blameless, I will show my salvation
OTHER REFERENCES: Psalms 42:4, 56:12; Jeremiah 17:26; Jeremiah 33:11
Practical: TOWDAH Is again a way in which we express with our hands what is stirring our hearts. As the word TOWDAH, An expression of deep adoration and acceptance, I often picture a child reaching for his parents to be embraced. This is a beautiful picture of how we can with erased hands and open arms display to God are affection and desire for him.
SHABACH
means, "to shout, to address in a loud tone, to command, to triumph."
Psalm 47:1 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout (shabach) to God with cries of joy.
Psalm 145:4 one generation commends (praises - shabach) your works to another. They tell of your mighty acts.
Isaiah 12:6 Shout (shabach) aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.
OTHER REFERENCES: Psalms 63:3, 117:1, 145:4; Ecclesiastes 4:2
Practical: SHABACH is the shout and cry of a heart stirred for God. It is as the psalms says the expression of the voice of triumph. Proclaiming God‘s attributes and his great works to the congregation.
BARAK
means "to kneel down, to bless God as an act of adoration, to salute."
Psalm 95:6 Come let us bow down in worship; let us kneel (barak) before the Lord our Maker
1 Chronicles 29:20 Then David said to the whole assembly, "Praise (barak) the Lord your God." so they all praised the Lord, the God of their fathers, they bow down, prostrating themselves before the Lord and the king..
Psalm 34:1 I will extol (barak) the Lord at all times; His praisewill always be on my lips.
OTHER REFERENCES: Judges 5:2; Psalms 72:15, 96:2, 103:1-2
Practical : BARAK Is a whole body expression of humility and surrender. Just as an earth king would enter a room, and his subjects would bow and kneel, so are we invited by scripture to me and as an expression of our allegiance and surrender to God.
ZAMAR
means "to pluck the strings of an instrument, to sing, to praise; a musical word which is largely
involved with joyful expressions of music with musical instruments.
Psalm 21:13 Be exalted in your strength, Lord, we will sing and praise (zamar) your might.
1 Chronicles 16:9 Sing to Him, sing praises (zamar) to Him;tell of all his wonderful acts
Psalm 57:8-9 Awake my soul! ; Awake harp and lyre!, I will awaken the dawn! I will praise you, Lord, among the nations, I will sing of you among the peoples..
OTHER REFERENCES: Judges 5:3; 2 Samuel 22:50; Psalms 61:8, 147:1, 7
Practical: ZAMAR is an expression applied in particular to musicians. Incorporate worship, this could be a time where words are not sung or prayed, but rather prayed through the playing of instruments either planned or spontaneous.
TEHILLAH
is derived from the word halal and means "the singing of halals, to sing; perceived
to involve music, especially singing; hymns of the Spirit or praise.”
Psalm 22:3 Yet you are in thrones as the holy one, you are the one Israel praises (tehillah)
Isaiah 61:3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise (tehillah) instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
OTHER REFERENCES: Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 10:21; Nehemiah 9:5; Psalms 9:14, 22:25;
Jeremiah 48:2
Practical: TEHILLAH is believed to describe praise that was spontaneous. This could be a spontaneous/improvised song that someone has never sung before, or it could be an unplanned song that someone begins singing which other people are familiar with and join in to sing. Though people may already know this song, it is done spontaneously, the text and melody of which is the right song for the right moment in worship.
It’s breathtaking to consider the range and expression of a simple word like “praise”in the Bible. God is inviting us into a dynamic, deep and expressive relationship with him. It encourages me to think that as generations past expressed their hearts for God with their hands, mouths, and bodies; that we today are invited, not based on our church background but on the encouragement of Scripture to do the same. Be encouraged and gather with others to worship and express your heart to God.
