Disciples Prayer Life: Week 6

Prayer and Worship

The New Bible Dictionary, Third Edition (Worship)

‘Worship’ (Old English ‘weorthscipe’=‘worth-ship’) originally referred to the action of human beings in expressing homage to God because he is worthy of it.

Another way of understanding the word ‘worship:’

Evaluating God properly

Acknowledging His character and nature

Expressing the worth of God

“Come, let us shout joyfully to the Lord, shout triumphantly to the rock of our salvation! Let us enter His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout triumphantly to Him in song.

For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods. The depths of the earth are in His hand, and the mountain peaks are His. The sea is His; He made it. His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care. Today, if you hear His voice:” (Psalm 95:1–7, HCSB)

Biblical Words:

New Dictionary of Biblical Theology (Biblical Terms for Worship)

‘to worship’ (hištaḥawâ) literally means ‘bend oneself over at the waist’. It is regularly translated by proskynein in the Greek Bible

the Hebrew ‘āḇaḏ, which literally means ‘to serve’. When this verb refers specifically to the service offered to God, it is often rendered by latreuein in the lxx.

D. G. Peterson, “Worship,” in New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, ed. T. Desmond Alexander and Brian S. Rosner, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 856.

New Dictionary of Biblical Theology Biblical Terms for Worship

A final group of terms was used to indicate the fear, reverence or respect due to God. In Greek, these were words based on the seb- stem or words in the phoboun group, generally translating the Hebrew yārē and its cognates.

Last time we were together we looked how our prayer life can help us express gratitude for all that God has done and is doing.

Worship in prayer is similar. Worship, ascribing to God worth, expressing praise and/or service to God calls us to pay more attention to who He is. Yes, we are to celebrate what He does, but we are also called on to celebrate who He is.

Can you imagine spending time in prayer and simply focusing on the nature and character of God?

We need to identify that which God has done for us.

We also need to spend time focusing on who He is, His character, and nature.

The section of the 95th Psalm we read a moment ago can help us direct our prayer to worship.

Who is the God?

The psalmist identifies God as:

the Rock of salvation:

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Non-literal Uses

Numerous passages attribute the qualities of a rock—strength and firmness—to God.

King

In the world of the OT kings were absolute monarchs. As such they were answerable to no one but themselves. No human had the authority or audacity to question the right of a king to act.

Creator

Creating all that is from nothing gives God a distinct right as owner to do as He chooses.

Jeremiah 18:1–4 HCSB

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Go down at once to the potter’s house; there I will reveal My words to you.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, working away at the wheel. But the jar that he was making from the clay became flawed in the potter’s hand, so he made it into another jar, as it seemed right for him to do.

Specific Strategies for Worship in Prayer

Look at the hymns/songs you sing.

Do the hymns/songs celebrate particular aspects of God’s character:

For example:

Great is Thy Faithfulness

God of Wonders

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

Jesus, Your Name

What a Might God we Serve

the list could go on...

Think about the prayers offered during our worship services:

Are our public prayers geared towards giving thanks or towards acknowledging God’s nature?

Personal Prayer:

Take some time this week and evaluate your own personal prayer. Do you spend time in prayer simply acknowledging the character and nature of God?

Incorporating Praise in our Prayer

a). use a list of words taken from Scripture - PRAYER GUIDE 6 - copies will be available Sunday - deliberately use these words. in speaking to God

b). Pray the Psalms

Change the pronouns so that they reflect you

c). choose to listen to music that acknowledges God’s nature and character.

You may have other ways as well...

NEXT WEEK: Week 7 - PRAYING TOGETHER