What Worship is?
We do not have general term for “worship” in the Old Testament. But many words are used to describe the actions of worshiping the Lord.The Hebrew word usually translated “worship” in English means, literally, to bow down.The phrase “give thanks” (hodah) commonly applied to worship means to “make confession” of Yahweh as Lord and King. The worshiper “knows” the Lord, that he is God (yada‘, Pss. 46:10; 100:3; Hos. 6:3), and trusts (bataḥ, Pss. 13:5; 31:6; 56:3–4; 115:9–11) in him and in his ḥesed or covenant love.
Expressions associated with worship in the Hebrew Scriptures may be broken down into eight major categories: (a) general expressions for worship, (b) words for assemblies and festivals, (c) terms of movement and gesture, (d) words for expressions of praise and acclamation, (e) terms of declaration and meditation, (f) musical terms, (g) words for offering and sacrifice, and (h) terms for the place of worship. Some of these terms apply to the activities of all worshipers of Yahweh, while others apply more specifically to the activity of priests, who perform the service (‘vodah, Neh. 10:32) of the house of God, and minister (sheret, Deut. 10:8; 1 Chron. 16:4; Neh. 10:39; Ps. 101:6)
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