Restoring the Presence Through Praise and Worship

8.6.2025

Isaiah 60:1-3

Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.  (2) For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. (3) The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. 

Restoring the Presence

God is in the process of restoring His presence to the church. So many things have taken the place of the Presence in recent times…some of these things are ok as additions to the atmosphere, but when they become the focus, they hinder.

The Old Testament Presence of God was entered through animal sacrifice.

The New Testament Presence of God comes through praise!

2 Samuel 6:13-15 (NLT) 

After the men who were carrying the Ark of the LORD had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. 15 So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns.

Today, we bring the sacrifice of praise

Hebrews 13:15

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 

We were made for His Presence.

John 4:24 – Amplified

God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (reality). 

Our normal habitat is spiritual.

Genesis 2:7 – Amplified

Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life, and man became a living being.

Birds have feathers so they can become airborne; fish have scales, fins, and gills so they can swim; we are spirit beings so that we can have intimate fellowship with God!

We worship by our spirit, with the aid of our souls and bodies. 

Philippians 3:3 – Amplified 

For we [Christians] are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit and by the Spirit of God and exult and glory and pride ourselves in Jesus Christ, and put no confidence or dependence [on what we are] in the flesh and on outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances —  

How can we worship in spirit and truth, or as Paul says in spirit and by the Spirit of God?

Worship and praise must first of all be heart-focused, not focused on outward things.

Jeremiah 29:13 – And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13-14 – NET

‘When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul,  (14) I will make myself available to you,’ says the Lord. ‘Then I will reverse your plight and will regather you from all the nations and all the places where I have exiled you,’ says the Lord. ‘I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.’

Block out distractions and focus on the Lord when you praise…

Make your mind think on Him.

Focus on Him being right there in front of you. (Pros) – in front of – Proschecomai

Closing your eyes aids focus and removes distractions.

Focus on what you are singing.

Tune in to what you’re hearing inside.

Practice (by the unction of the Holy Spirit) the 7 Hebrew words for praise.

1. Yadah 

Strongs # 3034 – The extended hand, to worship with extended hands.

Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise (yadah) Him. 

Psalm 42:5

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise (yadah) Him for the help of His countenance.

Psalm 52:9

I will praise (yadah) You forever, Because You have done it; And in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good. 

 

Psalm 63:4 

Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. 

Psalm 134:2

Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. 

2. Towdah 

Strongs # 8426 – The Hebrew word for thanksgiving. An extension of the hands in adoration or acceptance.         

Psalm 42:4

When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise(towdah), With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. 

Psalm 50:14

Offer to God thanksgiving (towdah), And pay your vows to the Most High. 

Psalm 50:23

Whoever offers praise (towdah) glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.

Jeremiah 17:26

And they shall come from the cities of Judah and from the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin and from the lowland, from the mountains and from the South, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, bringing sacrifices of praise (towdah) to the house of the Lord. 

Jeremiah 33:11

 the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: “Praise the Lord of hosts, For the Lord is good, For His mercy endures forever” —  and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise (towdah) into the house of the Lord.

3. Halal 

Strongs # 1984 – Hallelujah comes from this word. It means to shine, to boast, to show, to rave, to celebrate, to be clamorously foolish.

Psalm 22:22

I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise (halal) You.

Psalm 34:2

My soul shall make its boast (halal) in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. 

Psalm 63:5

My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise (halal) You with joyful lips.

Psalm 69:30

I will praise (halal)the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. 

Psalm 102:18

This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise (halal) the Lord. 

4. Shabach 

Strongs # 7623 – To address in a loud tone. To command, to triumph, to glory, to shout.

Psalm 63:3

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.

Psalm 47:1

Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! 

Psalm 35:27

Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.

Psalm 117:1 -NLT

 Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth.

Psalm 145:4

One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. 

5. Barak 

Strongs # 1288 – To kneel, to bless God as an act of adoration, to bow down in a worshipful attitude, to bless God expecting to receive something. Often translated BLESS.

Psalm 28:6

Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the voice of my supplications! 

Psalm 66:20

Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me! 

Psalm 72:15

And He shall live; And the gold of Sheba will be given to Him; Prayer also will be made for Him continually, And daily He shall be praised. 

Psalm 100:4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Psalm 95:6

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. 

6. Zamar –  

Strongs # 2167 – To touch the strings. Worship with instruments.

Psalm 21:13

Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power. 

Psalm 57:7

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise.

Psalm 108:1 -NLT

My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!

Psalm 108:1

O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. 

7. Tehillah 

Strongs # 8416 – To sing, to laud. The singing of Halal. Spontaneous songs from the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 22:3

But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

2 Chronicles 20:22

Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.

Psalm 34:1

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 35:28

And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness And of Your praise all the day long.

Psalm 71:8

Let my mouth be filled with Your praise And with Your glory all the day.

Psalm 100:4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.