What is Praise and what is Worship according to the Word of Yahweh?

BIBLIA / BIBLICAL TEACHINGS What is Praise and what is Worship according to the Word of Yahweh?

(When quoting scriptures, from the Rotherham Emphasized Bible New Testament, I will substitute the Hebrew word Yahshua for
Jesus, Yahweh and Elohim for God and Anointed for Christ.) Our Father and our Lord deserve and seek our praise; “For great is Yahweh, and worthy to be mightily praised” (Psalms 96:4). They also deserve and seek our worship; “Give to Yahweh, the glory of his Name, Bow down to Yahweh, in the adornment of holiness” (Psalms 29:2). Churches today have what are called ‘Praise and Worship Services.’ The phrase, ‘Praise and Worship’ is never used in our Fathers Word. The question is, “Can you have a ‘Praise Service’ without a ‘Worship Service’ or can you have a ‘Worship Service’ without a ‘Praise Service?” Or are the words ‘Praise’ and ‘Worship,’ as used in Christian circles, synonymous? I believe Christians believe the latter, which is not true. Most

Christians today have never been taught what it is to worship. They have been taught that a Church Service is a Worship Service. We will learn the differences between the meaning of praise and worship. Let us begin our search by examining the word ‘praise’ in the Old Testament Scriptures.

There are basically four Hebrew words translated ‘praise’ in the Psalms. The most common Hebrew word translated praise is ‘halal’ which is used 94 times. Halal is used in the word ‘Hallelujah.’ Hallelujah means, Halal = Praise, Jah = Yah or Praise Yahweh. The definition of ‘halal’ is:

01984 llh halal haw-lal’ 1) to shine 1a) (Qal) to shine (fig. of God’s favour) 1b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light 2) to praise, boast, be boastful 2a) (Qal) 2a1) to be boastful 2a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle) 2b) (Piel) 2b1) to praise 2b2) to boast, make a boast 2c) (Pual) 2c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise 2d) (Hithpael) to boast, glory, make one’s boast 2e) (Poel) to make a fool of, make into a fool 2f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman

The second most common Hebrew word translated praise in the Psalms, in the King James Version, is ‘yadah’ which is used 67 times. The definition of ‘yadah’ is:

03034 hdy yadah yaw-daw’ 1) to throw, shoot, cast 1a) (Qal) to shoot (arrows) 1b) (Piel) to cast, cast down, throw down 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to give thanks,, laud, praise 1c2) to confess, confess (the name of God) 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to confess (sin) 1d2) to give thanks

Psalms 111:1 Praise [halah] ye the LORD. I will praise [yadah] the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. (King James Version)

Psalms 111:1  Praise [halah] ye Yah! I will give thanks [yahah] unto Yahweh, with a whole heart, in the circle of the upright and the assembly. (Rotherham)

The third most common Hebrew word translated praise in the Psalms is ‘zamar’ which is

used 41 times. The definition of ‘zamar’ is:

02167 rmz zamar zaw-mar’ 1) to sing, sing praise, make music 1a) (Piel) 1a1) to make music, sing 1a2) to play a musical instrument 

Psalms 135:3 Praise [halah] the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises [zamar] unto his name; for it is pleasant. (King James Version)

Psalms 135:3 Praise [halah] ye Yah, For good is Yahweh, Sing praises [zamar] to his Name, For it is full of delight; (Rotherham)

The fourth most common Hebrew word translated praise in the Psalms is ‘t@hillah’ which

is used 30 times. The definition of ‘t@hillah’ is:

08416 hlht t@hillah teh-hil-law’ 1) praise, song or hymn of praise 1a) praise, adoration,    thanksgiving (paid to God) 1b) act of general or public praise 1c) praisesong (as title) 1d) praise (demanded by qualities or deeds or attributes of God) 1e) renown, fame, glory 1e1) of Damascus, God 1e2) object of praise, possessor of renown (fig)

“Psalms 147:1 ¶ Praise [halah] ye Yah, For it is good, to make melody [zamar] to our El,—For it is delightful, seemly is praise [t@hillah]!”

“Psalms 149:1 ¶ Praise [halah] ye Yah, Sing to Yahweh a song that is new, his praise [t@hillah] in the convocation of the men of lovingkindness.”

In the King James Version, ‘praise’ is used 145 times in the Psalms and is generally one of these four Hebrew words. (In the Rotherham Translation ‘praise’ is used 135 times.) On the other hand, in the King James Version, the word ‘worship’ is only used 15 times in the Psalms and is never used in the Rotherham. The word translated ‘worship’ is the Hebrew word ‘shachah.’ The definition of ‘shachah’ is:

07812 hxv shachah shaw-khaw’ 1) to bow down 1a) (Qal) to bow down 1b) (Hiphil) to depress (fig) 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to bow down, prostrate oneself 1c1a) before superior in homage 1c1b) before God in worship 1c1c) before false gods 1c1d) before angel

Psalms 95:6 O come, let us worship [shachah] and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. (King James Version)

Psalms 95:6 Enter! let us bow down [shachah], and bend low, Let us kneel, before Yahweh our maker; (Rotherham)

Psalms 66:4 All the earth shall worship [shachah] thee, and shall sing [zamar] unto thee; they shall sing [zamar] to thy name. Selah. (King James Version)

Psalms 66:4 All the earth, shall bow themselves down [shachah] to thee, And sing praises [zamar] unto thee,. Shall praise in song [zamar] thy Name. Selah. (Rothetham)

The Greek word translated ‘worship’ is ‘proskuneo.’ The definition of proskuneo is:

4352 proskunew proskuneo pros-koo-neh’-o 1) to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence 2) among the Orientals, esp. the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence 3) in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication 3a) used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank 3a1) to the Jewish high priests 3a2) to God 3a3) to Christ 3a4) to heavenly beings 3a5) to demons

The meaning associated with proskuneo as well as shachah is to kneel or prostrate oneself.

“Matthew 4:9 and said to him, All these things, will I give thee,—if thou wilt fall down and worship [proskuneo] me.”

“1 Corinthians 14:25 And, so, falling down upon his face, he will do homage [proskuneo] unto Yahweh, reporting that, in reality, Yahweh is, among you.”

“Revelation 22:8 And, I, John, am he that was hearing and seeing these things; and, when I had heard and seen, I fell down to do homage [proskuneo] at the feet of the messenger who had been pointing out unto me these things,”

“Psalms 95:6 Enter! let us bow down [shachah], and bend low, Let us kneel, before Yahweh our maker;”

“Genesis 18:2 And he [Abraham] lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo! three men, standing over against him,—so he looked and ran to meet them from the opening of the tent, and bowed [shachah] himself to the earth;”

To worship is to commune with our Father and our Lord. This generally would be done individually as prayer is done. Remember when Yahshua separated himself from his Apostles and being alone knelt down and prayed to his Father (Mk. 1:35, 14:35). Also we were instructed by our Lord about how to pray; “And, when you may be praying, you shall not be as the hypocrites, because they love, in the synagogues, and at the corners of the broad ways, to take their stand and pray, that they may shine before men; Verily, I say unto you, they are getting back their reward. But, you, when you would pray, enter into your closet, and, fastening your door, pray unto your Father who is in secret,—and, your Father who sees in secret, will reward you. And, being at prayer, use not vain repetitions,

just like the nations,—for they think, that, in their much speaking, they shall be heard; do not, therefore, make yourselves like them, for Yahweh your Father knows of what things you have, need, before you ask him. Thus, therefore pray, you: Our Father, who art in the heavens,—Hallowed be your name” (Mt. 6:5-9).

Also we have been given instructions to worship in spirit; “But there cometh an hour, and, now, is,—when, the real worshippers, shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for, even the Father, is seeking, such as these, as his worshippers. Yahweh is, spirit; and, they that worship him, in spirit and truth, must needs worship” (Jn. 4:23,24). To worship in spirit is to speak in tongues. We speak in tongues by ourselves and not in a group; “For, he that speaks with a tongue, not unto men, doth speak, but, unto Yahweh,—for, no one, understands, although, in spirit, he is speaking sacred secrets” (I Cor. 14:2, 28); “For, if I am praying in a tongue, my spirit, is praying, but, my mind, is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray also with the mind,—I will strike the strings with the spirit, but I will strike the strings also with the mind” (I Cor. 14:14,15). Our Father seeks to be worshipped by spirit, which is speaking in tongues.

In most Churches today, what we call a ‘Praise and Worship Service’ is really a ‘Praise Service.’ We sing, make music and give thanks to our Father and our Lord by the words we sing. This is Wonderful! To worship on the other hand in a Church as a group would be to bow down or kneel in communion to Yahweh and Yahshua. Worshipping (kneeling down, bowing, prostrating one’s heart and speaking in tongues) with other men present can be inhibiting and distracting and could also bring glory to oneself. We must go to our own closet (under the stars) alone and as the Psalm states, “All the earth, shall bow themselves down [shachah] to thee, And sing praises [zamar] unto thee, Shall praise in song [zamar] thy Name. Selah” (66:4).