What Does Worship (שָׁחָה) Really Mean?

See Strong’s Hebrew: 7812. shachah

shachah: to bow down
Original Word: שָׁחָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: shachah
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-khaw’)
Short Definition: worship

The Hebrew word for worship is “שָׁחָה” (shachah). It appears in the Hebrew Bible numerous times and carries the meaning of bowing down, prostrating oneself, or showing reverence and submission to God.

The word worship used in the scripture is שָׁחָה.  It means to bow down. It is not the same as praise.

To praise is to lift someone up or to be boastful of someone; to worship, instead, is to bow down.

Though both, praise and worship, can mean that we are below the person or object of worship and praise. The physical act of bowing down or prostrating of oneself is the obvious physical teaching in the scripture. The spiritual aspect is to put ourselves under the authority of YHWH, that is having the desire to know and obey Him and His Laws.

While we can indeed praise YHWH, it is our humbling act of worship that shows he is the most high.  For we cannot lift up YHWH who is already the most high; we can only bow down.

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To know more about worship, watch the video: The Hebrew Root of Worship

As much as you need food for your physical body, the Word of God is the food for both soul and body. Therefore feed as much as you can.

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