The Numinous Aspect of Biblical Worship

Worship may serve many purposes in the life of the worshiper. It may be spiritual development, the cultivation of Christian graces, and the deepening of understanding. It may be an emotional release or catharsis, the healing of hurts through the touch of the divine. It may be a communion with God, the mystic identification with the source of life. It may be thanksgiving to God for benefits received and rejoicing in his presence. It may be an individual act of commitment to serve God or the corporate celebration of the identity of the people of God, the covenant community. While worship may be all these things, biblical worship operates in an added dimension. For in all these things the focus is on the worshiper; in genuine biblical worship, the focus is always on the One who is worshiped. These four entries demonstrate that the biblical worshiper comes before the Creator with an overpowering sense of reverence, awe, even dread of the divine mystery. This aspect of worship is known as t…