The difference between praise and worship

Worship is how you live your life, praise is what comes out of your mouth.

No doubt that how we live our lives is worship to Yahweh yet it goes beyond that because "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." John 4:24

There are personal aspects that hamper our worship such as David found that he wasn't able to worship with unconfessed sin (Psa 32:5).

We put a lot of emphasis on the intellectual but worship is also spiritual. Worship involves our hearts, our spirits (Matt 15:8). Singing and praising Him can help lead us into worship.

The children of Israel bowed their heads and worshiped Him such as in Exo 4 and 12. Not that a particular posture is required. Plus even if someone bows, it doesn't necessarily mean that their hearts are engaged in worship to Yahweh. There are several Greek words for worship. One is when there's a bowing down yourself. To worship there has to be a true humbling ourselves before Him that has depth and sincerity.

Worship's pivotal point is when we get our minds off ourselves and focus on Yahweh. It's when we give Him the glory due His name (Psa 96:8). How do we do that? It has to be personal from us to Him. Only you can adequately express what's in your heart about who He is and about who is He to you.

How do we know when we've been in His presence? For one thing, we'll have joy (Psa 16:11).

Let's set aside some time to -
- deliberately focus on Yahweh
- thanksgiving, praising Him,
- play some music with lyrics that are about Him),
- focus on Scripture - can listen to audio Bibles at BibleGateway.com- Audio Bibles such as Psa 145
- think about some of His titles, names, and attributes and
- sing a song to an audience of One (can change a song's lyrics or make up the lyrics), etc. yet listening.
- glorify His Name, tell Him about who He is to you.

Matt 6:6; Psa 46:10, 69:30; 71:23; and 100:4.

Too often, the difference is very subtle, sometimes there is no difference at all. You can often both praise and worship at the same time.

Praise, in most cases, is something that is expressed externally. For example, it's singing, dancing, clapping your hands, playing a musical instrument, shouting. Worship, on the other hand, is more like a personal encounter with God that can often be not seen at all by anyone. Plus, worship is also a lifestyle.

I hope this helps! For more reference, check out Bob Sorge's book on worship

I heard a man of God from my church state once that "Praise is pushing the forces of darkness out, and Worship is drawing the power of darkness out."

Not sure of direct Scriptural support, but the concept can somewhat be pulled from above discussion.

Jaelyn Liza said:

Too often, the difference is very subtle, sometimes there is no difference at all. You can often both praise and worship at the same time.

Praise, in most cases, is something that is expressed externally. For example, it's singing, dancing, clapping your hands, playing a musical instrument, shouting. Worship, on the other hand, is more like a personal encounter with God that can often be not seen at all by anyone. Plus, worship is also a lifestyle.

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+1.

Receiver said:

Worship is how you live your life, praise is what comes out of your mouth.

Click to expand...

At the age of 73, I have experienced just about every form of praise and worship you can think of. Currently I am part of a church that is youth oriented and their praise is so powerful and I love it. It is the only church I have been in here that sings songs more than once or twice. If the Spirit is here they keep going.

A while back I did a study of praise and worship in scripture and found out some interesting things. One, praise is worship and worship is praise. Second, singing songs is not worship. Third to truly worship one has to be surrendered to your conqueror. In other words kneeling before him when he has defeated you to acknowledge his right to reign over you.

You can sing all day long but if you are not surrendered it is no more worship than Elvis singing "Blue
Suede Shoes."

I remember in days gone by at the Christian youth camps I was actively involved in the singing by the teenagers was so pure and unadulterated that we heard the angels singing along with us.

For me I praise God when I give Him thanks for all of the things that are good in this world and the beauty all around us- it still fascinates me daily like a blind person seeing for the first time, and I worship when I am on my knees or bowing my head. I worship Him when I am reading His book or speaking of His or His name. ( God or Jesus)

Praise to God is certainly worship, and it is mostly from the heart and not just the mouth. Reading Bible verses of exaltation of Christ is worship, along with certain songs of devotion and thanks to God and His "...beloved Son". At the Lord's table we have collective worship by the saints as given in 1 Corinthians 11 and especially verses 23-29 and is not a time of preaching, but quiet meditations etc.; also we see one can worship in their heart at any time wherever they are.

The "remembrance meeting" (Lord's Table) is also what is often called "breaking of bread" and is part of collective worship on Lord's Day by the gathered saints. This ought to be the central part of worship on Lord's Day by the gathered saints ---not the public. We invite the public to Gospel meetings to hear of salvation and life and blessings in God through the Lord Jesus, the Christ of God. If the public comes to a remembrance meeting they should be invited to sit apart until they can be visited about reception to the fellowship. This is the scriptural order.

Actually there are 3 things here: Praise, thanksgiving and worship.

Praise is giving vocal laud of what God has done. It is not directed to God but to men, telling them of HIS great works and deeds.

Thanksgiving OTOH is directed at God and is thanking HIM for those same great works and deeds done on our behalf.

Worship literally means to "give worth." "Worthship" It has 2 meanings, one wide and one narrow. In the wide sense it encompasses both praise and thanksgiving and everything else we say and do. Does our life give worth to HIM? Does this action or attitude give worth to HIM?

In the narrow sense, it is a deep communing with HIM. Bob Mumford described it as "enjoying God's presence."

David had this to say:

Psalm 100.4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Praise [to others] and thanksgiving [to Him] are us coming in to HIS presence. David also said this:

Psalm 95.6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

I encourage everyone interested in this topic to dissect Psalm 95. It starts with Praise, goes to worship, and then to listening to His voice. (and what NOT to do when you hear it)

Good thoughts, Dave. Actually, Praise and Thanksgiving are part of "giving worth" to God, but as you say: enjoying God's presence. Too often Christians like to put on a stage show to entertain and exalt a singer or loud band, or preaching, and it is more for the performers it seems, than quiet worship in the heart. I have understood worship as both private communion in our hearts and collective praise, as shown by God at the Lord's Table with heartfelt devotion, by all the saints as led of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 10 & 11; Luke 22).

These are just 3 lines out of a paragraph from Fuchsia Pickett's book, "Worship Him" "Marcyne Heinrichs gives us a wonderful contrast of praise to worship:

Praise lifts, worship bows;
Praise celebrates; worship humbly reveres;
Praise extols God for what He has done; worship extols Him for who He is."

Here is a paper I find helpful to understand worship:




It is fairly evident in the Word of God that there is both a personal aspect and a collective aspect of worship. One is private thoughts of homage and adoration, and the other is mutual acts of honor and exaltation. While we don't want to dichotomize the subject, we want to make some distinctions, show something of what worship is, and help the saints to glorify God. J. N. Darby, a gifted Bible scholar, expressed worship of God thus: "It is the honor and adoration which are rendered to God by reason of what He is in Himself, and what He is for those who render it" (CW, Vol.7, p.88). It is the privilege of believers as "a holy priesthood" (I Pet.2:5).

We could not know how to honor God in worship if He did not show us what is pleasing to Himself. We must not, therefore, deviate from the Word of God and be innovative (Ex.32:2-4; Lev.10:1; Luke 22:19-20). We ought to search the Scriptures (Acts 17:11). Surely we ought to give thanks, show love, and worship in Spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). Let us remember, we only have our present time to honor God and "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (Matt.6:19-21).

Sometimes a child of God falls into a bad spiritual state of soul and does not feel like worshipping. That occurs by looking within (self-centeredness), rather than looking to God. We ought to be thankful and praise the Lord for His "great salvation", love and goodness, and be faithful in that which God has committed to us in the little while we have down here. Surely we ought to help each other go on well, and worship together. One who is only a seeker and not yet a "born again" believer, needs to study such as John 14 to know the Savior.

Men of the world may well refuse to openly worship Satan (Luke 4:7), but even so, he occupies ungodly men with many false gods—even materialism, philosophy, humanism, etc. (Acts 17:23; I Cor.8:5-6). There is also vain worship of God by those who take His Name, but who forget Him and act in the flesh (Matt.15:9). On occasion, men who know not the Lord call on Him in time of need (Matt.8:2; Matt.15:25). We can only hope they become true worshipers of God thereafter (John 4:23).

The faithful Old Testament saints worshipped with sacrifices and kept the feasts and ceremonies. When quickened (awakened by the Spirit) to God, they consecrated themselves and sought to be obedient, honor God, give thanks and praise Him. They did not have the Lord's supper and could not enjoy the communion that we who are born of the Spirit are given. They were not part of the Bride of Christ. In times of old they simply obeyed and waited in hope to see what God would show them and say by the prophets. That worship was done away (fulfilled) in Christ, the hope of Israel. Many religious professors of Christianity today, like the Jews of today, have no more than these works of old, without even the blood sacrifice ---without Christ.

Real Christians have more than religious teaching ---they have the Teacher, who is also that blood sacrifice which is required to wash away sin. They have communion by the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 14:23), and they have the full revelation of God by the Holy Scriptures. Truly we who know Him ought to have Him in remembrance, then our hearts will be drawn out in love.

The Lord Jesus introduced the new worship in saying: "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth" - John 4:24. While that was always true in a sense, there was not communion in the O.T. as we know it, and little understanding of truth (Heb.9). One may begin each day with worship, by reading the Word, giving thanks for God's gift of His Son, the sacrifice, and His blessings, and praising Him for who He is. Our conscience has been purged "from dead works to serve the living God".

The personal and universal relationship we have is also shown by the Holy Spirit's presence. He indwells every individual believer (I Cor.3:16; I John 4:13), and He also dwells among the gathered saints (Matt.18:20). We may, therefore, worship anytime and anyplace, but the scriptural gathering in God's appointed place honors Him with a collective testimony (Acts 2:42; Heb.10:25). The Lord's supper is the central theme of worship, as given by the Lord. It is a time of remembrance, not a ritual.

A faithful gathering in worship is pleasing to Him (Luke 22:10-20; John 9:31; I Cor. 11:17-34). It should also testify to the "one body" as expressed in a local place (Rom.12:5; I Cor.12:13; Eph. 4:5; Col.4:15-6). There should be no division among the saints (I Cor.12:25-27), and the local company or gathering must be fully in accord with God's Word and the saints elsewhere. It is unity in the remembrance of Him, which says we are one spirit in Christ (Gal.3:28).

The gathering at the Lord's table is not a time to petition the Lord, preach, be occupied with self or anything but His sacrifice for us and His offering to God (Matt. 26:26-28). It is a most holy time and should be a quiet time of devotion, lest we hinder communion of others. As priests we truly ought to come in the spirit of humility to offer up thanksgiving, praise, and adoration in remembrance of our Lord's love by dying for us. The women do this in silence (I Tim. 2:11-12) in accord with their holy and unique position as a type of the church in submission. Their manner and bearing before the Lord is specifically mentioned, and said to be "of great price" (I Cor.11:1-10; I Tim.2:9-12; I Pet.3:3-4). It is also like unto the holy garments of the high priest of old. His appearance as properly arrayed was a silent testimony as he came before the Lord. The men ought to exercise their calling by giving out suitable songs, audible prayer, and reading of the Word as led of the Spirit. It is like the work of the priest as he handled the holy emblems. We must not go beyond the Scripture and add things that might seem good to us. It will allow the flesh to act and "quench" the Holy Spirit (I Thess.5:19), who must have liberty to lead. May we learn to "be still" (Psa.46:10) and wait upon Him.

[References to the assembly here, assumes it is a true scriptural gathering expressing the "one body" in the world, and the priesthood of believers (I Pet.2), as God established for our benefit and His glory.] - R.L.D., 11/96; rev. 12/08: SW01

One will hear teaching and diverse ministry along our pathway from many sources. One should always test it by the Word of God (see John 5:39; Acts 17:11; II Tim.2:15; II Tim.3:16; Titus 1:9). Whether it is profitable often depends, too, on our state of soul. This paper is prepared with much care and prayer to be a help and honor the Lord. Comments and questions are welcome.

Several aspects such as the distinction about women and not taking communion unless a priest administers it, don't agree. But there's no reason to discuss it because neither of us are going to change our minds. Decisions that were made with much care and prayer and studying the Scripture.

Wholeheartedly agree that we need to wait upon The Lord, we can worship at any time, we're to gather with other believers, we're not to add to Scripture, and when communion isn't a ritual then it's worship.