Greek and Hebrew Words for Worship

Biblical Worship – Understanding the Greek and Hebrew

Worship involves intimacy and submission, yielding to the Lord. Many of the Greek and Hebrew words used in the Bible show physical expressions and acts, like laying facedown, prostrated before the Lord. They show service and adoration. True worship is complete submission of ourselves before Him and involves more than verbal worship.

Songs alone are not worship. True Biblical worship involves a heart attitude and being yielded.

There is truth found in the words God has chosen to use to teach us about worship; however, it is possible to get overly technical with definitions and miss the spirit and heart of a subject. Get ahold of the spirit of what these words reveal to us. Take the time to study these words and consider how worship is demonstrated.

For Greek and Hebrew words for Praise go here

Old Testament Hebrew Words for Worship

Shachah (shaw-khaw’)

Strongs #7812

– to depress, ie – prostrate in homage

Abad (aw-bad’)

Strongs #5647

– to serve

Caged (saw-gad’)

Strongs #5456

– to prostrate oneself (in homage)

New Testament Greek Words for Worship

Proskuneo (pros-koo-neh’-o)

Strongs #4352

– to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand; to fawn or crouch to – ie to prostrate oneself in homage, – to kiss forward

Sebomai (seb’-om-ahee)

Strongs #4576

– to revere, ie to adore

Latreuo (lat-ryoo’-o)

Strongs #4576

– to minister to (from ‘a hired menial)

Therapeuo (ther-ap-yoo’o)

Strongs #2323

– to wait upon menially – one who ministers to another
– ie to adore God
– to relieve of disease (same word translated ‘cure’, ‘heal’, ‘worship’)

Definition and Usage

To fully understand worship, we need more than simply technical definitions. However, these are a start. I encourage you to look up some of these words in context of how they are used in scripture to get a better idea of what they mean.

There’s more to a word than it’s technical meaning. Seeing how that word is used and the settings it’s used in adds a lot to our understanding. A good concordance like Strongs or Vines will help you see where these words are used in various verses to gain this understanding.