By what Biblical basis do Christian denominations equate Worship with Singing?

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It seems that there are really two questions being asked here, with one being whether the term for the music portion of service should or should not be called "worship", and the second being whether or not we should be bowing rather than singing as part of the church service. I will attempt to address both individually.

Is "worship" the right word?

The verses that you are looking at are those where the word "worship" is translated from the Hebrew "שָׁחָה", which means literally "to bow down", and so your observation there is correct. In fact, a quick search makes it look to me like that might be the most common word in the Old Testament that is translated as "worship" and the others generally having a similar sense. However, if you were to check Strong's for the word "worship", you would see that it shows several different Greek words which have been translated "worship", including words which have a clear sense of showing the worth of something.

In fact, the English word "worship" comes from the Old English from "worth-ship". So, in English, worship is showing the value or worthiness of a person. Bowing down in reverence is one very good way to show in practice how worthy somebody is to you, but this is not the only way. The idea of worth relates well to the Hebrew "כָּבוֹד", meaning literally "weight" (in the sense of value or worth), which is often translated "glory". So, even though the words are a bit different, it is very clear that we can say of the act of attributing glory to God, which is quite numerous, especially in the Old Testament, that what they are actually doing is what we would call "worship". Therefore, it isn't a terrible stretch to use this word for the singing portion of a church service.

Is singing appropriate in corporate worship?

This answer to this question would be a little different depending upon the denomination, and each will take a slightly different approach. There are even some churches which use the term "praise and worship" which distinguish the portion of singing as "praise" and the portion with prayer as "worship". Those who do not would likely choose to abstain because they would attribute a greater solemness to the corporate worship and may see singing as distracting. Also, if we look at Biblical figures and their responses to meeting God, or often even his messengers, is that the tone is that of solemn fear and reverence, such as in Isaiah 6. I do not recall any specific encounter with God where the reaction was to sing praise, and so this attitude toward solemn worship would likely preclude singing.

On the other hand, many (possibly most) denominations choose to use songs during their corporate worship, and there is a precedent for that as well. Consider that one of the longest books of the Bible, Psalms, is a book dedicated to songs of praise to God. Furthermore, if you were to read the Old Testament in Hebrew, you would find that much of it is actually written in poetry. There is a rich history in the Bible of using songs to praise and highlight the worth and value of God, and this is also often with music. In fact, the Levites, who were chosen to handle the temple of God and to tend to sacrifices, were also musicians. There is much mention, especially in the Old Testament of using song and musical instruments to worship God, and any time that I'm tempted to condemn some folks for how they worship, I'm reminded that David even danced naked once in his worship. There are even Psalms of Degrees, which are believed to be intended as songs to sing on the way to the temple. So, I think that there is sufficient rational that can be supported by denominations which do use song as part of worship.

Therefore, it seems to me that there is good justification for the use of the word "worship" associated with the song portion of some corporate Christian worship. That being said, the matter of worship that is right for you is a different matter. I believe that most Christians of any denomination would encourage you to spend time on your own bowed down in reverence and prayer, and that this sort of time should ideally be greater than your time engaged in corporate singing.

Upvote:0

Plenty of verses reference singing as way to praise(one way to worship) the Lord, even if the word worship isn't explicitly stated.

Praise:

  • express warm approval or admiration of

    admire

    • regard (an object, quality, or person) with respect or warm approval

Worship:

  • show reverence and adoration for (a deity)

    adore

    • love and respect (someone) deeply

    reverence

    • honor or respect felt or shown

Below are just a few references:

Exodus 15:1

Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

2 Sam 22:1

And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:

1 Chronicles 16:23, 29

23 Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.

29 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

Psalm 7:17

I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.

Psalm 96:1-2, 9

1 O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.

2 Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.

9 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

Psalm 100:2

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Matt 26:30

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Acts 16:25

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Upvote:3

I have been a member of 3 denominations; since infancy the first small one had dire singing. More like bleating, done as a perfunctory opening and closing of their meetings. They had their own songs and never sang hymns nor Psalms. They didn’t even refer to their meetings as ‘worship meetings’. They were to instruct people in what the group taught and to train them to gain recruits. More than two decades later, I had become a Christian and was thrilled at the heart-felt singing in the church where I was baptised. Clearly, they believed singing praise was an integral part of their worship. Much later I joined another Protestant group which only sang Psalms, unaccompanied (until recent years when that has changed in the gathering I’m in.) I can speak for the last two groups.

Both of them take the Bible to be their rule of faith and practice, and singing praise to God is clearly shown to be worship, the first mention (I can find) being the song of Moses and Miriam in Exodus 15. Verse 19 adds that “Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. Miriam sang to them, ‘Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.’ A worship song without doubt.

Then we get Hannah praying in worship (1 Samuel 2:1-10) which is written in the form of lyrics. If you don’t think that was ever turned into songs of worship by Jewish people, just go ask them on the Mia Yoda site. See also 2 Samuel 22:1, 2 Chronicles 5:13 & 50; 29:30; Ezra 3:11; Psalm 40:3; 47:6, 7; 68:32, 69:30; 96:2; 101:1; 104:33; 105:2; 106:12; 147:1.

Then the entire book of Psalms contains hundreds of worship songs (mainly penned by king David who also composed tunes on his lyre/harp). Those psalms were sung in worship when the nation went to the temple in Jerusalem, with professional singers and musicians leading the praise. But in case you’re inclined to dismiss all that as pre-Christian, you did ask for a biblical basis, and there is a massive basis in the O.T.

However, in the N.T. (the Christian era) we get an angelic choir singing in worship on the night Jesus was born of the virgin Mary – Luke 1:13-14 – prior to which there is recorded Mary’s song and Zechariah’s song. We also get Jesus and the apostles singing Psalms of worship (see Mark 14:26). Then Paul and Silas sang worship songs to God in prison (Acts 16:25). Christians in Colossae were urged by Paul to express their faith in God by use of Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in their hearts to the Lord (Col. 3:16) Those who knew the joy of the Lord would do that. Also, any Christian who is happy “Let him sing songs of praise” (James 5:13).

Sadly, there seem to be a lot of joyless Christians, who have not made the link between faith and singing God’s praise in worship. “Our God inhabits praise” we are told, as “God is enthroned on the praises of his people” (Psalm 22:3) They ought to read Revelation 5:9,12 & 14:3 & 15:3 where the song of Moses is sung in heaven. Some Christians actually hate singing and only mumble or mutter hymns at gatherings of worship. I don’t refer to those who are tone deaf and who could not sing in tune even if their life depended on that. On the contrary, many of these ones sing loudly, and with gusto, because their hearts are full of joy, faith, and praise, and this is their acceptable worship to God. On the contrary, you can get someone singing with a glorious voice in the assembly, but they might as well be a croaking frog if their song is not full of heart-felt worship to God.

As this Puritan said,

“Where the heart is not engaged, the parrot is as good a chorister as the Christian” – Thomas Watson, a contemporary of Samuel Rutherford.

I have provided 27 biblical verses and passages about singing praise to God in worship as my basis for this answer, but please note, this is not an exhaustive list. These are simply a few examples. All I will add from my observations of sung praise in various congregations over 4 decades is that those who love God and Christ know that to be part of their worship, and that the Bible is full of that.

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