Biblical Worship Defined http://www.topraise.net/pages/ropaw/biblical-worship.

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John 4:23 "An hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers." From the lips of Yeshua (Jesus) Himself, we learn that the Father desires a certain type of worship. He is actively seeking a certain type of worshiper... one who worships in spirit and in truth. Yeshua made it clear to Nicodemus that only the regenerated spirit of man can commune with the spirit of G-d (John 3:3-8). True, genuine worship is possible exclusively for a person whose spirit is born anew, from above, by the Holy Spirit of G-d. Emotion, intellect, and the physical body are all involved in worship, but unless they proceed from a renewed spirit, what transpires is not true, it is counterfeit. Furthermore, for worship to be genuine it must also be based on revealed truth. What G-d considers true worship is disclosed in His Word. When G-d called forth the nation of Israel from Egypt, He gave very specific instructions concerning worship, which centered around the Tabernacle where the Shekinah presence of G-d dwelt. The blood sacrifices of Moses Tabernacle, pointed to and were fulfilled in the supreme sacrifice of the Lamb of G-d at calvary. King David built another Tabernacle and instituted a new form of sacrifice: continual praise and worship in the presence of G-d. David's order of worship was joyful, exuberant, emotional, involving many singers, musicians, and instruments ministering loudly, and demonstratively before the ark of the Covenant; It was a "New Covenant" type of worship with free access to the throne of God. The worship which David instituted was different from what occurred in the services in the Tabernacles of Moses which consisted primarily of: animal sacrifices, prayers, intercession, and symbolic actions, the High priest alone entering the Holy of Holies to stand before the ark. There was no development of music and the arts (other than the craftsmanship of the Tabernacle & furnishings). Worship was in holy reverence only. On the other hand the Tabernacle of David added new understanding and patterns: No altar- no animal sacrifices, Praise and worship along with prayer and intercession took place, freedom of expressive worship, the ark was not behind a veil-everyone had access to G-d's presence. David invented many musical instruments (1Chronicles 23:5) which brought forth a strong development of music and the arts which consisted of singers, choirs, orchestral music and prophetic music, with scribes to record it. Spontaneous praise and dancing.

This style of worship, called Davidic worship, continued in the Temple built by King Solomon. After Solomon's reign, the kingdom was divided into two nations. Both Judah and Israel (Ephraim) began to worship false gods and Davidic worship ceased, except for a few brief periods when a righteous king would discover the Torah (God's teaching and Instructions) and turn the people back to worship "according to the command of David." When the temple was rebuilt under the direction of Ezra, Davidic worship was re-instituted, but by the time Yeshua came upon the scene, temple worship had fallen back into purely ritualistic animal sacrifices. Joyful praise had ceased; instruments were silent; singers and praiser's had long since abandoned their ministry of worship. The first century church enjoyed a rebirth of joyful celebration as they sang "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thanksgiving in their hearts." (Col. 3:16) Paul urged Christians to "sing and make melody with their hearts to the Lord." (Eph. 5:19) and to "sing with the spirit and to sing with the mind also." (1Cor. 14:15) the historian Josephus wrote that Christians sang so loudly in the lions' den that they drowned out the roar of the beasts! At the council of Jerusalem, James proclaimed that the ancient prophecy of Amos was being fulfilled in the New Testament church. "After these things, I will return, and I will rebuild the Tabernacle of David, which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, in order that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord." (Acts 15: 16-17) No longer do we have to submit to the Mosaic law of the blood sacrifices.; David's covenant with G-d as ours today is one of grace. Our access to G-d is patterned after David's Tabernacle, rather than Moses'. David's Tabernacle was distinguished from Moses; tabernacle primarily by the order of worship and by free access to the presence of God embodied in the Ark. The purpose of the restoration of David's Tabernacle, that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, inevitably involves worship. Davidic worship was meant to be patterned for the new covenant believer. Through the centuries, the Christian church for the most part lost touch with its spiritual roots in worship. By the 1500's congregational singing became almost extinct, and eventually all instruments were banned from church, except for the organ. The Protestant reformation introduced new hymns to be sung by the congregations, but instruments were still frowned upon, if not forbidden. There is no question dance has always been a part of worship and praise unto G-d; however, towards the close of the 18th century dance once again became banned by the churches because of indecent form and improper music at church carnivals and festivals. Since its purpose became distorted, it became mere symbolism and lost its authority. The Shaker faith in 1825 used dance as part of their service. They came over from England which is where they probably were exposed to sacred dance. They believed dance was an important part of purification. The Methodist church used processions in the early 1900's for pageants and festivals. During the 1906 Pentecostal revival, the church world was shaken by what she saw; people dancing and rejoicing at the power and outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This is where we got our term Adancing in the Spirit. With the 1948 revival came the revelation of worship and praise contained in David's Tabernacle. This also brought church government and divine order to the body of Messiah.

Until the present century very few churches experienced the "halal" of David's Tabernacle, that exuberant, "clamorously foolish" expression of praise that characterizes Davidic worship. Restoration is a progressive step toward the coming of Messiah. It brings into order and purpose all that G-d has done for centuries within the church. It brought the release of body ministry. Today the Holy Spirit is stirring a new hunger in the hearts of believers to return to biblical worship. In many different denominations and fellowships around the world believers are yearning to rediscover the joy of worship, according to directives set forth in scripture. God is releasing His people to worship Him with the entire person, the body, the mind, the emotions, and the spirit, "as David did." "We are truly a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for Gd's own possession, that we may show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1Peter 2:9)! Restoration is not the creation of something new; it is the renewal of something that once existed, making it like new again. "Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations, you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings." (Isa. 58:12) Worship according to the order of David may be new to the 20th Century Americans, but it has been the pattern for G-d's people for thousands of years. Restoration is not a quick, easy process. It involves stripping and tearing down in order to build back again. Consider a piece of furniture undergoing restoration. It first must be stripped of all the old finish, laid bare and naked before its restorer. It is reduced to raw wood, vulnerable and ready to receive the new finish, as it pleases the restorer. So it is in the body today, as G-d is re-birthing a desire to enter into biblical worship. He is stripping us down to "raw wood." Scripture calls it "purification", (refining us into the fire; Zec 13:9) and assures us that each believer must sooner or late undergo the process. As we let go of the "old finish", the traditional forms of worship, the old ways of doing things: as we adjust to the loss of what is comfortable, predictable, and secure; as we search the scripture for the type of worship that pleases G-d, and begin to enter into it; we discover that this is the worship in spirit and truth. It is an exciting time to be Believers in Yeshua the Messiah!

Hebrew Words for Praise & Worship

HALAL - (#1984 to praise, to celebrate hilariously, to be clamorously foolish, to rave, to boast, to make a show, to shine forth. Root word in "Halleluyah" (literally means "Praise Yah"). "Praise the L-rd!" Ps. 149:1; 150:1-6 "Whosoever offereth praise glorifieth Me." Ps. 50:23 "Great is the L-rd, and greatly to be praised." I Chr. 16:25 "And the people said Amen, and praised the L-rd." I Chr. 16:36

GUWL - (1523) to spin around under the influence of strong emotion; to spin like a top; to rejoice and be glad. Most often translated "rejoice". "Let the daughters of Judah rejoice." Ps 48:11 "Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation". Isa 25:9 "Let the earth be glad and let the sea rejoice". Ps 96:11 "Be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for gladness". Isa 65:18-19 "The Lord Thy G-d in the midst of thee is mighty...He will joy over thee with singing". Zeph 3:17

ALAZ - (5937) to rejoice, to exult, to jump for joy. Most often translated "exult" or "rejoice". "Let the G-dly ones exult in glory". Ps149:5 "Let the field exult and all that is in it". Ps 96:11

PAZAZ - (6339) to leap, to spring, as if separating the limbs. "King David, leaping before the L-rd". II Sam 6:16

RAQAD - (7540) to leap, to stamp, to spring about wildly with joy. "King David leaping and making merry". II Chr. 15:29

KARAR - (3769) to dance and whirl about.

"David was dancing before the L-rd with all his might". II Sam 6:14

MACHOWL - (4234) a round dance (Chowl; whirling particles, as sand). "Praise His name in the dance". Ps 149:3 "Praise Him with timbrel and dance". Ps 150:4 "The virgin shall rejoice in the dance". Jer 31:13 "All the women with timbrels and dancing". Ex 15:20 "The women came out with singing and dancing to meet Saul". I Sam. 18:6 "He will turn my mourning into dancing". Ps 30:11

MACHOWLAH - (4246) a dance:-company dances. "Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing." Ex 15:20 "Isn't he the one they sing abut in their dances." ISam 21:11 "Isn't this the David they sang abut in their dances." ISam 29:5 "The women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes." ISam 18: 6

HALIJKAH - (1979) a procession or march, a caravan: -company. "Procession of my G-d my King, into the sanctuary". Ps 68:24

CHAGAG - (2287) to celebrate, to observe festival, to march in sacred procession, to be giddy, to move in a circle, to dance, to reel to and fro. "You shall celebrate the feast to the Lord". Lev. 23:41 "I used to lead them in procession to the house of G-d, with joy". Ps. 42:4

RUWA - (7321) to shout; to split the ears with sound; to blow an alarm (associated with trumpets). "Shout unto G-d with the voice of triumph". PS. 47:1 "Shout in triumph, O Israel". Zep. 3:14 "All the people shall shout with a great shout and the wall of the city will fall down flat". Josh. 6:5

SHABACH - (7623) to praise, to address in a loud voice, as in triumph.

"My lips shall praise Thee". Ps. 63:3 "Praise ("halal" the L-rd, all nations;) praise Him all peoples"! Ps. 117:1

"QUIET" WORDS FOR WORSHIP

YADAH - (3034) (Translated: "to give thanks; or to praise") to worship with extended, uplifted hands; to praise; to give thanks. "It is good thing to give thanks to the L-rd". Ps 92:2 "At midnight I will rise up to give thanks". Ps 119:2 "Surely the righteous will give thanks to Thy Name". Ps 140:13

TOWDAH - (8426) (Translated: "thanksgiving".) Extension of the hands in a thank offering, a sacrifice of thanksgiving. "Offer to G-d a sacrifice of thanksgiving". Ps 95:6 "Come before His presence with thanksgiving". Ps 95:2 "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving". Ps 100:4

BARAK - (1288) to kneel in adoration; to bless. "Let us kneel before the L-rd our Maker". Ps 95:6 "Sing unto the L-rd and bless His name". Ps 99:5 "I will bless you and I will bless those that bless you". Gen 12:2-3

SHACHAH - (7812) (Translated: "worship") to prostrate in homage or worship. "Let us worship and bow down." Ps 95:6 "Worship at His footstool; holy is He". Ps 99:5 "Bring an offering and come before Him; worship the L-rd in the splendor of holiness." I Chr 16:29 "All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the L-rd; and all the families of the nations will worship before Him". Ps 22:27

Greek Words for Praise & Worship

AGALLIAO - (21) (Usually translated: "rejoice") to jump for joy, to leap to exult. "Yeshua rejoiced in spirit". Lk 10:21 "Rejoice greatly...in trial". I Peter 1:6 "Let us be glad and rejoice". Rev 19:7 "The babe lept in my womb for joy". Lk 1:44 PROSKUNEO - (4352) to prostrate oneself in worship; to reverence, to adore; to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand. "Thou shalt worship the L-rd thy G-d". Lk 4:8 "All nations will come and worship before Thee. Rev 15:4 "G-d is a spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth". John 4:24 THRIAMBEUO - (2358) to make an acclamatory procession, to conquer, to celebrate a victory, to Triumph. "Having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it". Col 2:15