Closer
Sunday, OCTOBER 4, 2026 - PASTOR CHRIS REA
Why Your Worship Shouldn’t Stay Quiet | What the Bible Says About Worship
Worship is not meant to be restrained by self-consciousness, fear of what others think, or concern about how we appear. When David brought the Ark of God’s presence into Jerusalem, he responded with wholehearted, physical, uninhibited worship, leaping and dancing before the Lord even when Michal despised him for it. Scripture gives us a rich vocabulary for worship that includes lifting our hands, kneeling, bowing, shouting, singing, making music, giving thanks, and celebrating, revealing that biblical worship engages the whole person rather than remaining merely internal or intellectual. David understood that his worship was ultimately about God, not the opinions of the people watching him, and his response flowed from a heart captivated by the presence of God. We naturally express overwhelming joy when something we love wins, whether it is a championship, a long-awaited celebration, or a child seeing their favorite person walk through the door, so why would our response to the victory of Jesus over sin and death be marked by greater restraint? The challenge for many of us is not learning how to worship but unlearning our fear of being seen. True worship is wholehearted, expressive, and God-centered, and when our hearts are genuinely full of God, our worship will inevitably overflow into our lives and our bodies.
2 Samuel 6:12–15
2 Samuel 6:16
2 Samuel 6:20–22
1. YADAH (yaw-DAW) To praise or give thanks, associated with extending the hands.
Psalm 63:4 (NIV)
"I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands."
2. BARAK (bah-RAHK)
To bless; associated with kneeling.
Psalm 95:6 (NIV)"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker."
3. SHABACH (shah-BAHKH)
To praise or commend, often with a loud voice.
Psalm 117:1 (NIV)"Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples."
Psalm 47:1 (NIV)"Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy."
4. TOWDAH (toh-DAW)
Thanksgiving, confession, or an offering of praise.
Psalm 50:23 (NIV)"Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me..."
5. ZAMAR (zah-MAHR)
To make music or sing praise, often with instruments.
Psalm 98:5 (NIV)"Make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing."
6. HALAL (hah-LAHL)
To praise, boast, or celebrate.
Psalm 150:4 (NIV)"Praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe."
7. TEHILLAH (teh-hil-LAW)
A song or hymn of praise.
Psalm 22:3 (NIV) "Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises."
