Musings of a peripatetic wannabe-sage: COLLEGIUM 110605 What is worship?

rev. 110505

Well, things have changed since the first post on worship curriculum (thanks to an excellent book recommendation by tinman).

Main Idea: God is absolutely worthy and we have an obligation to adore him.

How is worship related to the concepts of towardness and withness? Passages to consider:

"be with me" Exo 20:23; Lk 23:43; Jn 17:24
"you will be my people and I will be your God" Exo 6:7; Lev 26:12; Jer 7:23; 11:4; 30:22; Eze 36:28; Hos 1:9 (negative example)

Questions

Given the data from the passages and the terms, how do we know worship when we see it?
How is worship different from praise? thanks? _________?
What makes worship "worship" rather than something else?

Idea: use Psalm 5 to identify the various 'God-ward' activities

Entreaty
Assertion
Exclamation

Psalm 5, translated from the LXX

To the Telos, ‘concerning the inheritance’, a psalm of David
ENTREATY
1 Pay close attention to my words
understand my crying
2 pay attention to the voice of my petition, my King and my God
for to you I will pray, Lord
ASSERTION
3 in the morning you will hear my voice,
in the morning I will be present to you and I will watch
4 in no way are you a God willing wickedness
nor will evil make even a temporary home with you
5 nor will the lawless remain in the sight of your eyes
you hated all the workers of wickedness
6 you will destroy all those who speak lies
a man of blood and deceit the Lord detests
EXCLAMATION
7 but I, in the fullness of your mercy, will enter into your house
I will bow toward your holy temple in your fear
ENTREATY
8 Lord, lead me in your righteousness
because of my enemies
make my way straight before me
ASSERTION
9 for truth is not in their mouth
their heart is useless
their throat is an open grave
their tongue is treacherous
10 judge them O God
ENTREATY
let them fall from their deliberations
according to the fullness of their ungodliness
drive them out because they rebelled against you, Lord
11 and let all those hoping upon you be glad
ASSERTION
they will be glad into the age
and you will dwell in them
and they will boast in you
all the ones who place your name first in their affections
12 for you will bless the righteous, Lord
as with an weapon of favor you surrounded us

Terms

hupsoo: 'lift up (translated as exalt, rise up, high in the ESV)--Psalm 18:46; 21:13; 57:5, 11; 89:13; 94:2; 99:5, 9; 107:32; 108:5
proskuneo: 'bow down' (translated as worship in the ESV)--Psalm 29:2; 66:4; 96:9; 97:7; 99:5, 9; Revelation 14:7; 19:10; 22:9
phero: 'declare' (translated as ascribe in the ESV) Psalm 29:1, 2; 96:7, 8

Movements within the dicussion:

Definitions: lift up (hupsoo), bow down (proskuneo), and declare (phero).
Vocabulary of ideas: summary passages of salvation (Rev 5:9-10; Exo 20:2), names of God, and attributes of God
Vocabulary of behavior: visual, kinetic, language-oriented, and logical
Means: creating physical space and worship moments.