Psalm 47
1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
2 For the Lord Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. [b]
5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
Psalm 111
Praise the Lord.
I will extol the Lord with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2 Great are the works of the Lord;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
giving them the lands of other nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are established for ever and ever,
enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.
VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYxoO3EgeKI
Today’s worship insight is from: https://www.pursuegodnetwork.org/types-of-praise/
Perhaps you’ve wondered about praise and worship and where we get concepts like raising our hands or being expressive with worship. These go far beyond modern “worship culture” and actually find their roots in Old Testament (OT) instruction on worship. In this topic, we’ll explore several types of praise found in the Bible which will help broaden your understanding of the roots of modern worship and also help to bring more depth to your personal praise and worship.
Tehillah
Tehillah (תְּהִלָּה) means “to praise vocally with songs or shouts” and is closely related to the Hebrew name for the Book of Psalms – Tehilim (תְּהִלִּים). Tehillah is a type of praise that is primarily heard, whereas other types of praise are seen. It is used in Psalm 22:3 where it says that God is enthroned on the praises of his people or takes up residence in the praises of his people.
Psalm 34:1 I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.
Halal
Interestingly enough, the word halal ( הָלַל ) refers to a boastful and loud praising of God and is found often in the OT – ninety-six times in total. Originally, the word had to do with “shining.” The word hallelujah comes from this word. It also means “to boastfully worship” in a way that can even make you look foolish! Psalm 113:1-3 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord. Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised. Shavach
Whereas halal is a boisterous clamoring of praise, shavach (שָׁבַח) is a more dignified manner of speaking, as if speaking to royalty in a lofty and loud way. It is also described as a battle cry; a victorious shout. But it goes beyond just shouts; it implies that your whole being is behind these praises, expressed through these vocal declarations.
Psalm 117:1-2 Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. For his unfailing love for us is powerful; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.
Yadah
Yadah ( יָדָה ) means to publicly worship with the vigorous extending of hands in giving worship or adoration; the verb can mean “to cast forth,” as in “casting forth” praise or “casting forth” our hands in worship. It can carry the idea of a child reaching for their parents in full need and surrender.
2 Chronicles 20:21 After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: “Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!” Psalm 138:1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods.
Barak
Barak (בָּרַךְ) means to bow down or kneel before the Lord in quiet worship and adoration. It carries the sense that the physical posturing of the body in humble kneeling reflects the posture of the heart that God alone is king and that we yield to him. It also carries the sense that we posture ourselves in this way to bless God with our worship. We see a practical example of this in Psalm 103 by remembering the virtues of God and praising Him for them. Psalm 103:1-5 Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
Towdah
Towdah ( תּוֹדָה ) means “to praise with an outstretched hand in agreement with what has already been done” or what will be done in the future; this word actually comes from the word yadahabove and is often translated simply as “thanksgiving.” This word carries the concept of praising the Lord with a “sacrifice of praise” – praising him in the midst of challenges and trials – even before experiencing the breakthrough of God’s promise. That is why this type of praise takes great faith and is seen as a sacrifice of praise. This concept is also seen in the New Testament as in Hebrews 13:5 where it encourages us to “…Continually offer to God the sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.” Psalm 50:23 But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.
Zamar
Zamar ( זָמַר ) means “to sing with instruments or to make music accompanied by the voice,” and is often translated “make music.” It also refers to playing a stringed instrument skillfully, mostly in rejoicing. We see this word used a lot in the Psalms, as in Psalm 92:1: Psalm 92:1 It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. These types of praise inform how and why we do what we do in our modern worship services. If we look throughout the pages of scripture for insight on how we worship God, we will find a wealth of information to apply in our personal lives as well as on the worship teams we serve.
QUESTIONS
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Which type of praise do you think of most often out of this list?
- Which type of praise seems most foreign to you or the ministry you’re involved in?
- How does aligning with biblically prescribed praise change the way you
worship? Halal is not often seen in corporate worship. What are your thoughts about incorporating all of the Hebrew forms in your personal worship?
Practice of 7 Hebrew Words
This week, in an effort to incorporate movement and expression into personal and corporate worship, use each day of the week to focus on these 7 words. Each day there will be a song that you can also incorporate into your daily rhythm or choose your own.
Monday- Tehillah means “to praise vocally with songs or shouts”
We Praise You – Brandon Lake https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yy9vvdPFoM
Tuesday-Halal refers to a boastful and loud praising of God and to be clamorously foolish.
Glorious Day (Live) ft. Kristian Stanfill https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfzpfqrPUDo
Wednesday- Barak means to bow down or kneel before the Lord in quiet worship and adoration.
Goodness Of God – Jenn Johnson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0FBb6hnwTo
Thursday- Whereas halal is a boisterous clamoring of praise, Shavach is a more dignified manner of speaking, as if speaking to royalty in a lofty and loud way.
Holy Holy Holy – Hillsong UNITED https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvRp_xKLP8I
Friday- Yadah means to publicly worship with the vigorous extending of hands in giving worship or adoration;
Jireh | Elevation Worship & Maverick City https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC-zw0zCCtg
Saturday- Towdah means “to praise with an outstretched hand in agreement with what has already been done” or what will be done in the future.
Leeland – Way Maker (Official Live Video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJCV_2H9xD0
Sunday- Zamar means “to sing with instruments or to make music accompanied by the voice,” and is often translated “make music”
Prophetic Worship – Drums https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7Xt7Yub1FY
