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What the Bible Says About Worship

Overview

The Bible addresses worship across 124 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Deuteronomy, Nehemiah and Psalms. Closely related themes include Curse, Reward, Amen and Commandments. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Moses, Ezra, Jesus and Abraham.

Key Bible verses about worship

Old Testament

Genesis

Genesis 4:4

And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: flock: Heb. sheep, or, goats

Genesis 8:21

And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. a sweet: Heb. a savour of rest or, satisfaction for the imagination: or, through the imagination

Genesis 12:7

And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

Genesis 12:8

And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

Genesis 13:4

Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

Genesis 13:18

Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD. plain: Heb. plains

Genesis 35:1

And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

Exodus

Exodus 20:3

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Exodus 23:17

Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD.

Exodus 23:18

Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning. sacrifice: or, feast

Exodus 24:7

And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.

Exodus 28:38

And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

Exodus 34:23

Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord GOD, the God of Israel.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 5:7

Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

Deuteronomy 6:13

Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

Deuteronomy 12:5

But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

Deuteronomy 12:6

And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:

Deuteronomy 12:7

And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.

Deuteronomy 12:11

Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD: your choice: Heb. the choice of your vows

Deuteronomy 12:12

And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.

Deuteronomy 16:6

But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 16:7

And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.

Deuteronomy 16:8

Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein. solemn: Heb. restraint

Deuteronomy 16:11

And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.

Deuteronomy 16:14

And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.

Deuteronomy 27:12

These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin:

Deuteronomy 27:13

And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. to curse: Heb. for a cursing

Deuteronomy 27:14

And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice,

Deuteronomy 27:15

Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 27:16

Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 27:17

Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 27:18

Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 27:19

Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 27:20

Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 27:21

Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 27:22

Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 27:23

Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 27:24

Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 27:25

Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 27:26

Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 31:11

When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

Deuteronomy 31:12

Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:

Deuteronomy 31:13

And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

Deuteronomy 33:19

They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.

Joshua

Joshua 8:33

And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.

Joshua 8:34

And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.

Joshua 8:35

There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them. were: Heb. walked

2 Kings

2 Kings 17:36

But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.

2 Kings 23:1

And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

2 Kings 23:2

And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD. both: Heb. from small even unto great

2 Kings 23:3

And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

Nehemiah

Nehemiah 8:1

And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.

Nehemiah 8:2

And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. that: Heb. that understood in hearing

Nehemiah 8:3

And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. from: Heb. from the light

Nehemiah 8:4

And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. pulpit: Heb. tower of wood

Nehemiah 8:5

And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: sight: Heb. eyes

Nehemiah 8:6

And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Nehemiah 8:7

Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.

Nehemiah 8:8

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

Nehemiah 8:13

And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law. to understand: or, that they might instruct in the words of the law

Nehemiah 8:14

And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month: by: Heb. by the hand of

Nehemiah 8:15

And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.

Nehemiah 8:16

So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.

Nehemiah 8:17

And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

Nehemiah 8:18

Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner. a solemn: Heb. a restraint

Psalms

Psalms 27:4

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. the beauty: or, the delight

Psalms 45:11

So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.

Psalms 76:11

Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. unto him: Heb. to fear

Psalms 77:13

Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

Psalms 84:1

To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! for the sons: or, of the sons

Psalms 84:2

My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

Psalms 84:3

Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.

Psalms 84:4

Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

Psalms 84:10

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. I had: Heb. I would choose rather to sit at the threshold

Psalms 96:8

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. due: Heb. of his name

Psalms 96:9

O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. in the: or, in the glorious sanctuary

Psalms 97:7

Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

Psalms 99:5

Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy. he is: or, it is holy

Joel

Joel 1:14

Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, solemn: or, day of restraint

Joel 1:15

Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

Joel 2:15

Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

Joel 2:16

Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

Joel 2:17

Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? rule over: or, use a byword against

Zechariah

Zechariah 8:21

And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. speedily: or, continually: Heb. going to pray: Heb. to intreat the face of

Zechariah 14:16

And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

Zechariah 14:17

And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.

Zechariah 14:18

And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. that have no: Heb. upon whom there is not

New Testament

Luke

Luke 4:8

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Luke 4:16

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

Luke 4:17

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

Luke 5:14

And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Luke 6:12

And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Luke 18:10

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

Luke 24:53

And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Acts

Acts 1:13

And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

Acts 1:14

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Acts 5:42

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Acts 10:26

But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

Acts 12:12

And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

Acts 14:15

And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

Acts 16:25

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Acts 20:7

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

Acts 20:8

And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.

Acts 20:9

And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

Revelation

People in the Bible and worship

Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.

In the Bible dictionary

Studying worship for yourself

  • Begin with Genesis 4:4, then read the passages below in canonical order.
  • Compare how Deuteronomy, Nehemiah and Psalms each treat the theme.
  • Consider the lives of Moses, Ezra and Jesus and how their stories intersect with it.
  • Widen the study to related themes: Curse, Reward, Amen and Commandments.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Bible say about worship?

The Bible addresses worship across 124 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Deuteronomy, Nehemiah and Psalms. Closely related themes include Curse, Reward, Amen and Commandments. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Moses, Ezra, Jesus and Abraham.

How many Bible verses are about worship?

The Bible references worship in 124 verses (King James Version).

Where does the Bible first mention worship?

In canonical order, the first of these passages is Genesis 4:4: “And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: flock: Heb. sheep, or, goats”

Which people in the Bible are associated with worship?

Moses, Ezra, Jesus, Abraham and Paul.

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