Worshippers are people God seeks out – John 4: 23 and these are they who are “Halathenoi” = “Genuine. Real. Not Fake.”
Worship Defined – The Old Testament Hebrew word “shaha” ( Genesis 18: 2;) means “bowing down,” or to “prostrate self or do homage” (Isaiah 49: 7) It is a choice; done voluntarily.
The etymology of the word “worship” is from the old English word “weorbspice” which indicates worthiness of recipient = God.
The Greek word is “prosekunasen” – “pros” means “saying, speaking”; the complete word means to “yield, worship, welcome respectfully (opening up to Him). It can include bowing, kissing the feet, touching the hem (reasons Jesus accepted the approach of the woman with the issue of blood, etc., because she came to a sovereign). John 11: 32 tells of Mary falling down and weeping, indicating true worship.
The idea here is of coming to a place where we yield wholly to God and our life is given to Him, much as husband and wife relationship is supposed to be of one yielding body to the other. Eventually all will yield, by God’s choice.
Worship is a matter of the heart before God – Acts 17: 25 and Matthew 15: 8-9.
As Abraham worshipped when he prepared to give his son (Genesis 22: 5), so he revealed true worship as he yielded up his greatest treasure.
True and pure worship is expressed adoration and surrender to The Lord without asking for or thanking Him for anything. The soul occupies itself by concentrating on God Himself for Who He Is, not for what He can or will do for us. Worship is upward from man to the throne of God. (Thankfulness is necessary and a perfect place to begin. But, it is in relation to our needs being met – from the throne down.). Look up.