Worship and praise are often confused for one another. While they often are used together they are not the same thing. Praise is the action of praising, extoling, or expressing our admiration to God. Worship is often defined as a conversation between man and God, giving to God and involves a lifetime of sacrifices he asks, and it is our affirmative response to the self-revealing nature of the triune God. Praise while easier to define and recognize is used in our everyday lives. Worship is a lot harder to define and is an act that we really only engage in while doing worship and encountering the Spirit of God.
As an aspiring worship leader I have found that so many times I have forgotten the differences between praise and worship and the connection that, that brings us to a closer and more intimate relationship with God. This following blog came from a worship internship that I did at my church under two of some of the best worship leaders I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. It is from their knowledge and wisdom that I was able to gain more insight into this topic.
Praise can be helpful for making a set list because it orients you towards a certain aspect or characteristic of God you are going to praise. It helps you to identify and choose bible verses as well as setting an atmosphere for leading. Praise is being preoccupied with God and what he has done. Praise is also known for its extroverted nature. The nature of praise is a celebration and exhilaration and is usually expressed through singing, speaking forth, and dancing. This can affect the way you lead because it allows you to express the unashamed love for Christ in your heart by singing and dancing. It creates an atmosphere around the songs not based off the verses but based off of God’s presence.
Worship is the difference between worshipping in our spirit and in our soul. Worship outwardly looks identical to praise, the real difference is what happens inwardly. While praise can be somewhat distanced from God, worship is usually intimate. Our hearts don’t have to be near God’s for us to praise. Anyone or anything can praise and all of creation praises God but he has no relationship with these things. Worship however, brings us closer to the heart of God. A relationship with him is a requirement because worship is a two-way street. It involves both giving and receiving. As worship leaders it is important to remember the differences between praise and worship because they are completely separate ideas. We need to be able to praise God while at the same time worshipping him. We can be dancing and shouting for God but if we aren’t in relationship with him we aren’t worshipping. It is our job to bring an atmosphere of worship so that people can intimately experience the presence of God.
