“Clap Your Hands, All Peoples”

Worship and the Church—Part 5

Click HERE to read the previous article.

This is the fifth article in a series on worship. Previous articles have defined worship as ascribing supreme worth to God, “proclaiming His excellencies.” We’ve said that in Christ, worship has been transformed from the largely formal service of the Old Testament, localized in the Tabernacle and the Temple, to something that touches all of life.

Our focus has been on corporate worship as the Body of Christ. And as we come together to offer God our worship, we’ve said that our worship must be Trinitarian, worshipping God as He has revealed Himself: Father, Son, and Spirit. It must be Word-saturated, so that the content of our worship is permeated with Scripture, teaching us who God is and what He has done. And we’ve said that our worship must be Gospel-centered, recognizing that we were lost in sin, enemies of God, yet He reached out and brought us to Himself through Jesus’ death on the cross.

We’ve looked at the role of music in worship. We said music helps us express our unity in the Gospel as we sing together. It helps us remember God’s Word because we tend to remember what we sing. And we saw from Scripture that God wants our worship to be creative, to sing His praise with a variety of music, new, old, vocal, and instrumental, and He wants our worship to be marked by excellence. And finally, we said that our music should be filled with God-honoring emotion.

Discussing emotion in worship brings us to the subject of this article: physical expression in worship. I know many have strong feelings on this subject. This message may be a challenge to hear, but it’s important that we look at every issue from a biblical perspective, not our personal preference. And it’s important that we wrestle with the hard issues, not ignore them.

So it is good to consider, why are so many strong Bible-teaching churches so reserved in our worship? There could be many reasons. Some may restrict a physical response because they don’t want others to think they are overly emotional or trying to show off. Some may not want to distract others or bring attention to themselves. Many of us have seen abuse in this area, barking, maniacal laughing, being slain in spirit, etc., and so we rightly do not want to draw others’ attention from God to ourselves. And some may simply be unaware of what Scripture says about the topic.

Whether you are naturally expressive or naturally not, there is much for all of us to learn here, because it is clear that physical expression in worship is commanded in Scripture. Yes, I said “commanded”. Worship was never meant to be a mere intellectual engagement with biblical truth. Romans 12:1 makes this clear, “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” 1 Corinthians 6:20 tells us we “were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

God created our bodies to glorify Him. It is true that Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 6 are not speaking specifically to corporate worship, but both make clear that the physical part of our life is important. Love of God is to be expressed through all that we are. “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). That includes the bodies He’s given us.

There are two groups of words translated “worship” in Scripture. The first group, Hebrew ‘âbad, Greek latreuō, means literally to serve, and refers to the work of the priests in the Tabernacle and Temple. The second group of words translated “worship,” Hebrew shâchâh, Greek, proskuneō, means to “bow down,” or “bend the knee.” Both groups contain the idea of physical, bodily action as an expression of reverence.

Physical expression in Scripture is both commanded and modeled, most often by singing, which occurs some 60 times in the Psalms alone. But there is a rich blend of other physical acts as well.

1) Bowing and Kneeling: “Come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker” (Ps. 95:6). These actions are also referenced in Psalm 5:7, 45:11, 72:11, 138:2; 2 Chronicles 6:13; Daniel 6:10; and Philippians 2:10.

2) Raising Hands: “Lift up your hands to the sanctuary and bless the Lord” (Ps. 134:2); see also Psalm 28:2, 63:4, 141:2; Lamentations 2:19; and 1 Timothy 2:8.

4) Clapping: “Clap your hands, all peoples; shout to God with the voice of joy” (Ps. 47:1); see also Psalm 98:8.

5) Shouting: “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; and shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart” (Ps. 32:1); see also Psalm 35:27, 71:23; Isaiah 12:6; and Zephaniah 3:14.

6) Silence: “My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation” (Ps. 62:1); see also Psalm 4:4, 46:10.

7) Playing Instruments: “Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals” (Ps. 150:3-5); see also Psalm 33:2, 98:6, 149:3, Isaiah 38:20; 2 Samuel 6:5; and 1 Chronicles 13:8, 15:16.

8) Dancing: “Let them praise His name with dancing; let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre” (Ps. 149:3); see also Psalm 30:11, 150:4; Exodus 15:20; and 2 Samuel 6:14.

9) Standing still: “You who fear the Lord, praise Him; all you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel” (Ps. 22:23); see also Psalm 33:8, 65:8, 119:161; and Isaiah 29:23.

Given what Scripture says, can we really command a particular physical response in worship? Should I tell my people to, “sing like you mean it,” or, “raise your hands to Him,” during the worship service? I suppose I could, but I think it would be a mistake. Commanding a particular physical response will more than likely produce an artificial response, not a genuine one. Or still more likely, sullen looks and abject refusal. I know my people.

Some question whether it is accurate to say that God commands us (Christians today) to clap our hands, to lift them in praise, or to dance in worship. Rather, they say God encourages physical expression in worship, but leaves it to us to do what we’re comfortable with. I’m not so sure.

When we seek to apply Old Testament commands today, there are generally three possibilities. First, some Old Testament commands were meant to be fulfilled in Christ, and no longer apply. Commands regarding burnt offerings, sacrifice, are the most obvious examples of these. Second, some commands are universal and enduring for all God’s people, like Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” These commands will never fade. Finally, some commands reflect cultural practices that were relevant to ancient, ethnic Israel, but which don’t need to be applied to us directly. An example of these commands would be the laws about not picking crops clean, to leave a little surplus for the poor and the alien. But even such cultural commands as these aren’t to be completely ignored. Rather, we must consider how they should be applied in our own cultural context. We may not leave the corners of our fields unpicked, but we do provide for the poor.

It would be a stretch to say that the command to clap or raise our hands has been fulfilled in Christ. Which means the commands for physical expression in worship are either universal, enduring commands, or they are cultural commands which don’t govern us directly, but do provide principles for us to consider and apply as makes sense in our own culture. I’m not sure which, but either way, I have to take them seriously.

So if I simply say, “Interpret the Bible’s commands for physical expression however you are comfortable,” it seems to me I would be brushing aside God’s Word in a way I wouldn’t dream of doing in almost any other area. And I would be giving a green light to whatever keeps us from fervent worship, whether natural reserve, desire not to distract, or anything else, at the expense of God’s Word.

So we have to take these commands seriously. And in so doing, let’s start by considering why Scripture has this emphasis in worship: because God made us physical beings, not disembodied spirits. In Psalm 16:9, as David considers God’s faithfulness, He responds, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices....” God made us physical beings, and He intends that our whole being brings Him praise. In other words, God desires us to praise Him not just with our hearts, minds, and mouths, but with all that we are. I can tell my wife that I love her, but if I never show it physically, she isn’t going to believe me, and she’d be right.

But physical expression by itself is not the critical part of worship. Physical expression in worship must flow from a heart that seeks to honor God. As we’ve already seen, God strongly rebukes those who worship with a disobedient heart. Physical expression in worship, without the desire to honor God from the heart, will hinder true worship, not help.

Raising our hands in worship can express dependence and reverence; but without the attitude, the action is damning. “When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:15). In our culture, singing is almost synonymous with worship. But when our life doesn’t match our singing, God doesn’t want to hear it, “Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:23-24).

Outward expression is not a reliable indicator of worship that pleases God. You can be absolutely exuberant in corporate worship, yet live in unrepentant sin. And you can show little physical expression in worship, yet have a profound love for God and live a life that pleases Him. We never prove our devotion to God by externals, because He looks on the heart. Our focus in worship should never be anywhere other than on exalting and magnifying God. If our worship, whether physically expressive or not, doesn’t come from a clear understanding of God’s Word, His work, and His worth, it won’t be all that He desires.

And that means that we don’t help others grow in worship by telling them to lift their hands. We help others grow in worship by helping them get a firm grasp on the majesty of our God. By preaching and singing His Word, His works, and His worth, so that an understanding of who He is and what He has done sinks deep into our hearts. We need to fill our people’s minds with His kindness, love, faithfulness, mercy, and grace. We need to help them grasp the fact that in Him, their lives can be complete, satisfying, and full. And when they grasp those things, we need to encourage them to let gladness and rejoicing follow. He is worthy of our strongest, purest affection.

When we see God’s beauty clearly, that can ignite passionate worship that exalts and honors Him. Like the worshippers in Nehemiah 8 who, after rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, stood for six hours to hear Ezra read God’s Word for the first time. And at the end, “all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen!’ while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground” (Neh. 8:6). Or like David, when he brought the Ark back from its Philistine captivity. 2 Samuel 6:14 says he was dancing before the Lord with all his might, and when his wife accused him of acting foolishly, he declared that he was glad to be humiliated before the Lord (2 Samuel 6:21-22).

Does your worship reflect the biblical model, or just what you are comfortable with? Are you responding appropriately to the greatness, goodness, and beauty of God? Do your mind, heart, soul, and strength reflect joy and gladness for what He has done?

We will bring this discourse on physical expression to a close in the next article, with a focus on practical application.

Tim Schoap is co-pastor of Signal Mountain Bible Church in Signal Mountain, Tenn. 

Click HERE to read the next article in the series.