Worship Without Words

Recently, God allowed me to have an unusual gift to help me grow in Him: the gift of pneumonia! Yep; I had an infection in my lungs that held on for two whole months. The illness robbed me of my health, my energy, and (most difficult of all) my voice. I didn’t like it one bit! 

Losing my voice was inconvenient in every facet of life. But most frustrating was its effect on my occupation: a musician and worship leader. It was humbling to not be able to sing for months. How could I personally adorn God with praise, let alone lead others into worship, without speech?

This condition sparked me to remember that worship is more than words. Scripture states that all creation declares God’s glory (Rev. 5:13). Every creature, plant, mountain, ocean, and heavenly being testify of His goodness, praising Him loudly. Yet, most cannot audibly speak. Nonetheless, Scripture declares that they are worshiping their Creator.

True worship is far greater than any audible action; a variety of ways exist to praise our God. So then, let us consider three biblical methods of leading worship that do not employ words.

Good Deeds

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

One effective offering of praise to our Savior is good deeds. Putting faith into action completes our worship. As expressed by the apostle James, “faith was perfected” by Godly actions (James 2:22). In fact, our faith (and presumably our worship as well) is reckoned as “dead” without being accompanied by good works (James 2:17). Did you catch that? To truly glorify God, it is essential that we express it by living a life that pleases Him.

These God-honoring deeds, without question, show our love for God (John 14:15). I would dare say that in the eyes of the Lord, acts of charity and obedience are like a well-composed hymn of praise—a sweet sound to our Savior. 

To put this in perspective, I once heard a worship leader’s testimony about being assigned janitorial responsibilities for the church. At first, he felt demeaned, considering such duties as outside his calling of leading worship. But as he became engrossed with the chores—praying and spending time with the Lord—it struck him that he was, in fact, worshiping. Not that he was worshiping while he served by singing, but rather that his service itself was his worship. Likewise, when we simply do the good works that God has prepared for us to do, we praise our Father in Heaven and attract others to do the same.

Passion

“And David was dancing before Yahweh with all his strength, and David was girded with a linen ephod” (2 Sam. 6:14).

Another part of worship not limited to words is our passion and emotion. When David successfully brought the Ark of the Covenant into his city, he was so elated that he danced before the Lord. In that moment, this king cast aside the garments of his own glory, passionately expressing the thankfulness that welled up within him.

Likewise, it is the sincere passion that pours out from our hearts and into our hands, feet, and face that genuinely reflects our praise. A simple moment on our knees can express more than a rehearsed oration. Hands held high in surrender can speak more than the finest crafted lyric. Heartfelt emotion, as we worship in spirit and truth, can mean more than anything uttered from our lips.

Operating in God-given Roles

“As each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God—whoever speaks, as one speaking the oracles of God; whoever serves, as one serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 4:10-11).

Lastly, merely functioning in the role God made you for can be an act of worship. Compare this to how a hummingbird brings recognition to its Creator. When it hovers up, down, forward, backward, and sideways—defying the understanding of human engineers—it brings glory to God, its designer.

The same applies to our human experience. For instance, when my beautiful bride bakes a spectacular dessert, everything about it brings glory to her. The aroma, the display, the taste—it all brings attention to her ability. It is not the verbal compliments that validate her skill. Rather, it is the quality of what she has made. 

In the same manner, when we fulfill our purpose—doing that which the Lord has designed us for, it edifies Him. When loving parents care for a child, it magnifies their Maker. When an athlete runs well, using the gifts God placed within him, it brings praise to the One who crafted the runner. Anytime we simply be that which God created us to be, we bring attention to his handiwork. When whatever we do is done for the glory of God alone, it can be an act of praise to our Lord.

“Bless Yahweh, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name” (Ps. 103:1).

So then, let us use our deeds, passion, and gifts to praise the name of Jesus. Worship is more than words and songs. It is the essence of who we are. May we live in such a way that not only the breath in our lungs, but the entirety of all we do, cries out His praise.

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