The Role of Declaration in Our Worship
When we worship God, we’re not just expressing our emotions or feelings but affirming and declaring His truth, character, and promises. We are expressing our hope, faith, and joy in Him. Worship can be as simple as telling God who He is and what He means to us.
This is what the angels do in Heaven. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” They simply tell God the truth, which is awesome words of praise. We don’t have to sing, but we can. “God, You alone are holy, holy, holy and worthy of my praise. I trust this about You” (Revelation 4:9). “God, You are the One who is faithful, who is just, and who is merciful. I believe this” (Psalm 99:3). As we bless Him for who He is, we honor Him in worship. We also remind ourselves of the deepest needs in our hearts and how God alone can protect, fulfill, and satisfy our needs.
As we bless Him for who He is, we remind ourselves of our deepest needs and how God alone can protect, fulfill, and satisfy them.
Worship is transforming.
In Hebrew, the word “yadah” (יָדָה) means to know, acknowledge, or confess. It’s the same word in Psalm 100:3: “Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves.” When we worship God, we affirm the glory that He reveals about Himself. We renew our hope in His holiness, sovereignty, power, and love for us.
But worship-as-declaration is not just about saying the right words; it’s about believing in our hearts that God is who He says He is. We give voice to our faith in the expression of worship to God. We say this because even in the darkness, when we cannot see it, we trust in Your goodness, love, and faithfulness. Starting with the truth, expressing it on our lips, primes us to submit to God in hope, saying, “God, I trust You, I cry out to You, and I worship You.”
When we declare God’s truth, we’re not just speaking words but worshiping the Lord, and drawing near to the One who saves. “God, I trust You to provide for me, to guide me, and to protect me” (Psalm 23:1).