Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
Psalm 96:6-9
Though God, being eternally and completely self-sufficient, does not need us, He designed and created us for the purpose of receiving our worship. Throughout the Bible we are commanded and called to worship God in a manner that is acceptable to Him. True worship must form in the heart first, with a recognition and appreciation of who God is and what He has done for us. Isaac Watts wrote, “The Great God values not the service of men if the heart be not in it: The Lord sees and judges the heart; He has no regard for outward forms of worship, if there be no inward adoration, if no devout affection be employed therein. It is therefore a matter of infinite importance, to have the whole heart engaged steadfastly for God.”
Outward forms of worship can be a true reflection of the heart or merely a performance for others to see. But while an earthly audience may not be able to tell the difference, God knows what is unseen, and He refuses to accept worship that is not genuine. “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:” (Isaiah 29:13).
Every time we worship God with less than our wholly devoted hearts, He sees beyond the outward expression to what is within. But when we come to Him with genuine love and worship, He receives the praise of a sincere heart: “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock” (Psalm 69:30–31).
