Thoughts on Worship

What is WORSHIP?
Years ago a worship service was one where Hymns of praise were sung, a message preached and an invitation given. Today worship is grouped with a song service and praise and independent of the preaching. It seems to me either type service or parts of either type can be a part of worship but that singing, praise, preaching and even an invitation can be done with no worship involved. Also, worship can be done with none of these present.
What does the Bible have to say about worship?
Here are some words the Bible uses that are translated ‘worship’.
“… you shall worship God at this mountain." Exodus 3:12 – Heb. ābad – to work or to serve

“….then they bowed low and worshiped.” Exodus 4:31 – Heb. shāha – to prostate oneself, to bow down and doing homage

“Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in holy array. Psalm 29:2 Heb. – shāha again; perhaps doing homage by recognizing His glory in “the splendor of His holiness” is another translation of the “holy array” (in either case it is not speaking of your dress)

“Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.” Psalm 95:6 Heb. - kāra – to bend the knee, bow down, to work, to serve

What about the New Testament and the Greek words?
(Jesus talking to the woman at the well in Samaria) “…an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But 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. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:21-24  - Gr. – Proskyneō or a variation of it in all these instances – it means to pay homage or reverence, to prostate oneself, to kiss the hand or to lick the hand as in a dog licking the hand and carries the idea of humility. (This is the most used word for worship in the NT)

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. …”Romans 12:1-2 Gr.- latreia – means service which is why some translations say, “your spiritual service of worship”. Primarily hired service or divine service as in Hebrews 9:1, “…divine worship and the earthly sanctuary.”

So yes, “speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and make melody with your heart to the Lord;” (Ephesians 5:19) and definitely “sing praise to Your name, O Most High” (Psalm 9:2) and “let us sing for joy to the LORD, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95:1), and do it to praise God and to worship, but remember that worship is mainly humbling submitting or bowing down to God and serving Him according to the meaning of the words the Bible uses for the word WORSHIP.

Recognize Him for who He is, bow or bend the knee before Him, serve Him, submit totally to Him and let Him use you and work through you, let Him change you and mold and make you into the image of Christ. This is worship in truth; in Jesus.