Q 59: How shall the redeemed of the Lord worship Him?

A 59: The redeemed worship the Lord when they honor and adore Him in love, according to all His precepts and statutes, and free of every unbelieving practice or any practice not specifically taught in God’s Word. (Deut. 13.1-3; Deut. 12.29-31; Deut. 18.9-13)

Worship is about God. Worship is directed to God for God’s pleasure and our edification. But the edification of worshipers is the secondary objective of worship, and not the primary. Worship matters so much because it provides the people of God the opportunity, individually and as a community, to exercise themselves, with every aspect of our being, in fulfilling the great commandment. When we worship God in this way, pouring ourselves out in love for Him, we discover the joy and pleasure of being in His presence and favor, and this is our highest fulfillment. But if we seek this first, minimizing or ignoring the adoration of God as the highest objective of worship, we corrupt worship, deceive ourselves, and run the risk of incurring the wrath of God. True worship extends from the communal practice of God’s people into every aspect of their everyday lives (Rom. 12.1, 2).

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