We often think of singing songs as worship, but even just singing, we can worship in a number of ways:
- We can sing in a large group, led by a worship leader or worship team. Youtube provides us the opportunity to have group worship singing even with a small group of people. - "Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!" (Ps 150:4)
- Today we have access to many songs from the hymns of past centuries to songs of today - "addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart" (Eph 5:19)
- We can sing to the Lord on our own or together corporately - "I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me." (Ps 13:6)
- We can sing new spontaneous songs to the Lord - "Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!" (Ps 96:1)
- We can sing the words straight from Scripture - "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Col 3:16)
Singing is not the only way to worship with our lips:
- We don't even need a tune, but can declare the goodness of the Lord. - "Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise?" (Ps 106:2)
- Shout! - "Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!" (Ps 32:11)
- We can also worship in silence. - "Be silent before the Lord GOD!" (Zeph 1:7)
- We can "practice the presence" of the Lord. - "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thess 5:16-18)
How do we worship with our whole body, not just our lips?
- Bowing - "I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you." (Ps 5:7)
- Kneeling - "let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!" (Ps 95:6)
- Dancing - "And David danced before the LORD with all his might." (2 Sam 6:14), have we learned to worship the Lord unashamed of what others might think
- Standing - "Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!" (Ps 33:8)
- Raising hands - "So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands." (Ps 63:4)
- Open or close eyes - "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." (Ps 119:18)
- "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!" (Ps 34:8)
Where and when do we worship?
- "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them" (Acts 16:25)
- "I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Ps 34:1)