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Worship is giving God the honour, love and devotion He deserves, with our whole lives. It includes singing and prayer, but it's far bigger than a song set. The Old Testament words for worship picture bowing down in reverence and serving; worship is both how we respond to God and how we live because of Him.
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
John 4:23
Why we worship
- Because of who God is. "Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise" (Psalm 145:3). Worship is the right response to God's holiness, power and love.
- Because of what He has done. In Revelation, heaven worships the Lamb "because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation" (Revelation 5:9). See what the Gospel is.
- Because we were made for it. Everyone worships something. Worship that's aimed at God puts everything else in its right place.
Worship in spirit and truth
When a Samaritan woman asked Jesus where people should worship, He moved the conversation from a place to a person: God seeks worshippers who worship "in the Spirit and in truth" (John 4:19–24).
- In Spirit: from the heart, empowered by the Holy Spirit, not just going through motions. God warned against people who "honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me" (Isaiah 29:13).
- In truth: shaped by who God really is, as He has revealed Himself in Scripture and in Jesus, not by our own ideas of Him.
Worship is your whole life
Paul describes worship in the broadest possible terms: "offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship" (Romans 12:1–2). Work done honestly, a meal shared, a child cared for, an enemy forgiven: "whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). More in faith and work.
Ways the Bible describes worship
- Singing. "Sing to the LORD a new song" (Psalm 96:1); believers speak to one another "with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:19).
- Prayer and thanksgiving. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise" (Psalm 100:4).
- Bowing and stillness. "Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker" (Psalm 95:6).
- Generosity and doing good. "Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased" (Hebrews 13:15–16).
- Gathering together. Believers are urged not to give up meeting together (Hebrews 10:24–25). Gathered worship strengthens faith in a way private worship can't.
When you don't feel like worshipping
Worship isn't only for good days. Job worshipped in the middle of devastating loss (Job 1:20–21), and many psalms begin in pain and end in praise. Hebrews calls it a "sacrifice of praise" (13:15), because sometimes it costs us something. Start honestly: tell God how you feel, then remind yourself of what is true about Him.
How to grow in worship
- Start the day with gratitude: name three specific things God has done or given.
- Pray a psalm out loud: Psalm 23, 63, 96 or 103 are good places to begin.
- Sing, even alone, and pay attention to the words.
- Worship with others in a local church every week.
- Offer your work and relationships to God as worship, asking how to honour Him in each.
For more on drawing near to God day to day, read how to grow closer to God. And gathered worship can reach a whole city: at Jesus Festival Hamilton, churches across the city worship together in a public park.
Worship together
Places across the network where worship meets the city.
- Jesus Festival (JesusFestival.ca): Gathering cities around worship, the Gospel, prayer, and unity across the whole local church.
- God Heal Our Land (GodHealOurLand.com): A national call to prayer, repentance, and revival for Canada, built on 2 Chronicles 7:14. Interdenominational and free to join.
- Love on The World (LoveonTheWorld.com): Mobilizing believers to love people, share Jesus, and serve their communities with bold compassion.
Quick answers
What is worship in simple terms?
Worship is giving God the honour, love and devotion He deserves with your whole life. It includes singing and prayer, but also how you work, give, serve and treat others.
What does it mean to worship in spirit and truth?
In John 4:23–24, Jesus says true worshippers worship 'in the Spirit and in truth': from the heart, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and shaped by who God really is as He has revealed Himself in Scripture and in Jesus.
Is worship only singing?
No. Singing is one way to worship, but Romans 12:1 calls offering your whole life to God your true and proper worship. Prayer, thanksgiving, generosity, service and gathering with other believers are all worship.
Why do Christians worship God?
Because of who God is (Psalm 145:3), because of what He has done, especially in Jesus' death and resurrection (Revelation 5:9), and because people were made to worship Him.
How can I worship God every day?
Start the day with specific gratitude, pray or read a psalm out loud, sing, worship weekly with a local church, and offer your work and relationships to God as acts of worship.