Thoughts on Worship and Praise

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 9
“Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high” (2 Chron. 20:18-1918And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. 19And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high. (2 Chronicles 20:18‑19)).
I have enjoyed thinking lately about the difference between worship and praise. Worship, it seems to me, is to bow before God for who He is, while praise seems to have more to do with what He has done. There is a tendency in the church today to neglect worship, while emphasizing praise. Both are important, but these verses give the order and position with regard to both.
It also seems to me that, in singing, worship hymns call for a somewhat slower tempo than do praise hymns. Hymn 150 in the Little Flock Hymnbook is an outstanding example of a worship hymn. May the blessed Holy Spirit raise in our hearts worship suited to the greatness of our God and His Christ, and may we also respond to the call in Psalms 148, 149 and 150 in everlasting praise to the One who created us and has redeemed us from our lost condition!
“Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Psa. 29:22Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. (Psalm 29:2)).
“Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord” (Psa. 150:66Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalm 150:6)).
R. K. Gorgas