During the time of praise and worship, the leader may encourage the congregation to "lift their hands" which is part of the leaders assignment. In some churches, you find that many people just stand there looking around with no hands raised, and people seem to be uninterested in participating in corporate worship.
A few reasons why people have this behavior: 1) they don't understand what to do because they haven't been taught, or come from a place where this was not a normal part of a service, 2) their relationship with God may be not where it should be, or 3) they are quiet worshippers (which is perfectly fine) because everyone does not worship God in the same manner.
God commands and gives us clear instructions on how to worship Him. There are many scriptures which give an answer to why we do what we do. Here are some scriptures that may provide an understanding on the "whys of worship"
Why do you use all kinds of instruments in worship?
The scripture says, "Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!" Psalm 150:3-6
Why do some of you raise your hands?
The scripture says, "Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise Thee. So I will bless Thee as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Thy name." Psalm 63:3,4
"Therefore I want men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension." 1 Timothy 2:8
Why do some of you audibly and occasionally loudly praise the Lord?
The scripture says, "Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy." Psalm 33:3
"O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms." Psalm 95:1,2
Why do some of you clap your hands?
The scripture says, "O clap your hands, all peoples; shout to God with the voice of joy." Psalm 47:1
Why are there sometimes periods of silence?
The scripture says, "But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him." Habakkuk 2:20
"My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation." Psalm 62:1
Why do people sometimes kneel or lie prostrate in worship?
The scripture says, "Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." Psalm 95:6
Why do we sing new songs as well as older hymns?
The scripture says, "Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth." Psalm 96:1
"Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16
Why does someone occasionally speak as though he or she were speaking directly from the Lord?
This is what is referred to in scripture as prophecy. It is to receive and communicate an immediate message from God. It will never contradict the Scripture. It is meant to correct, comfort or encourage God's people.
The scripture says, "For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of the prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints....But let all things be done properly and in an orderly manner." 1 Corinthians 14:31-33,40
"Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;..." 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
I'm hopeful that the scriptures provide a clear understanding as to why we do what we do in worship. Remember, worship is a lifestyle and once this becomes part of your daily lifestyle, everything else falls into place and you'll begin to put all the above into action.
God commands and gives us clear instructions on how to worship Him. There are many scriptures which give an answer to why we do what we do. Here are some scriptures that may provide an understanding on the "whys of worship"
Why do you use all kinds of instruments in worship?
The scripture says, "Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!" Psalm 150:3-6
Why do some of you raise your hands?
The scripture says, "Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise Thee. So I will bless Thee as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Thy name." Psalm 63:3,4
"Therefore I want men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension." 1 Timothy 2:8
Why do some of you audibly and occasionally loudly praise the Lord?
The scripture says, "Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy." Psalm 33:3
"O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms." Psalm 95:1,2
Why do some of you clap your hands?
The scripture says, "O clap your hands, all peoples; shout to God with the voice of joy." Psalm 47:1
Why are there sometimes periods of silence?
The scripture says, "But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him." Habakkuk 2:20
"My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation." Psalm 62:1
Why do people sometimes kneel or lie prostrate in worship?
The scripture says, "Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." Psalm 95:6
Why do we sing new songs as well as older hymns?
The scripture says, "Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth." Psalm 96:1
"Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16
Why does someone occasionally speak as though he or she were speaking directly from the Lord?
This is what is referred to in scripture as prophecy. It is to receive and communicate an immediate message from God. It will never contradict the Scripture. It is meant to correct, comfort or encourage God's people.
The scripture says, "For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of the prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints....But let all things be done properly and in an orderly manner." 1 Corinthians 14:31-33,40
"Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;..." 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
I'm hopeful that the scriptures provide a clear understanding as to why we do what we do in worship. Remember, worship is a lifestyle and once this becomes part of your daily lifestyle, everything else falls into place and you'll begin to put all the above into action.
RSS Feed
