Worship in the Covenant Community

“So you will be my people, and I will be your God” (Jeremiah 30:22). God’s covenant—his enduring promise of relationship and presence—is central to the worship of his people. Worship is the act of ascribing worth to and celebrating the glory of something or someone. The truth is, all people worship. For the people of God, the question is, who will receive our worship? Is the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—the only one we will choose to direct our worship toward?

Scripture reveals a pattern to the worship of God’s people: God reveals himself, and his people respond through their worship. In the stories of Scripture, we read how they responded: they sang songs, raised their hands, played instruments, danced to music, and did good works of service.

The lessons of this quarter examine the worship that God’s people have offered. Although the ways his people worship may have changed throughout history, the reason for their worship remains the same: a faithful response to God.

Worship as Response

This quarter’s first unit gives examples from the Old Testament of God’s people responding to God’s revelation through worship. Abram (Abraham) built altars to mark an occasion when the Lord called him to greater faithfulness (Genesis 13:8–18, lesson 1). Solomon offered worship upon the awareness of the people’s tendency to sin (1 Kings 8:22–24, 48–50a, lesson 2). Hezekiah worshipped the Lord after being reminded that the Lord alone is God (2 Kings 19:14–20, lesson 3). Josiah demonstrated spiritual leadership by calling the people back to proper worship by adhering to the requirements of the covenant (2 Chronicles 35:1–6, 16–19, lesson 4).

These examples demonstrate how the people’s worship of God is a response to the Lord and his work. Through worship, God’s people proclaim that the Lord truly is the worthy Lamb of God!

Worship as Song

The songs of the Old Testament were one way for the people of God to respond to the Lord’s work. While we may not know the melody of these songs, their lyrics reveal what the Old Testament people of God may have felt as they experienced his power and goodness.

These songs of worship are found throughout the Old Testament. Moses and Miriam celebrated God’s power to bring the deliverance of the Israelites (Exodus 15:1–21, lesson 5). The prophet Isaiah praised God for his deliverance (Isaiah 25:1–10, lesson 8).

In the Old Testament book of Psalms, we see examples of confession (Psalm 51, lesson 6), petitions for deliverance (Psalm 22, lesson 7), and proclamations of trust in God (Psalm 62, lesson 9). Thanksgiving and praise were among the main themes of the songs of the Hebrew Psalter.

Worship as Thanksgiving and Praise

The final unit of the quarter focuses on the Hebrew psalter. The psalmists invite us to “praise the Lord” (Psalm 146:1, lesson 11) and to “shout for joy to the Lord” (100:1, lesson 12). The worship of the people of God should be filled with thanksgiving and praise to the Lord, for he is our good shepherd who sustains us (Psalm 23, lesson 10). The Lord is not distant and far off from us. Instead, the Lord is near us and has invited us to have a close relationship with him (139:1–12, lesson 13). As you study the worship practices of the people of God, consider how your worship is a response to the truth that the Lord is the one who is worthy of praise.

by Collin Schlotfeldt

Unit 1: Leaders Set Worship Example

Date	Title	Bible Text
September 1	Abram Builds an Altar	Genesis 13:8–18
September 8	Solomon Dedicates the Temple	1 Kings 8:22–24, 37–39, 46, 48–50a
September 15	Hezekiah’s Prayer	2 Kings 19:14–20, 29–31
September 22	Josiah Celebrates Passover	2 Chronicles 35:1–6, 16–19
September 29	Moses and Miriam Lead in Praise	Exodus 15:1–3, 11–13, 17–18, 20–21

Unit 2: Songs of the Old Testament

Date	Title	Bible Text
October 6	Prayers of Repentance and Confession	Psalm 51:1–4, 10–12, 15–17
October 13	A Plea for Deliverance	Psalm 22:1–11
October 20	Praise for Deliverance	Isaiah 25:1–10a
October 27	Trust in God Alone	Psalm 62

Unit 3: Psalms of Thanksgiving and Praise

Date	Title	Bible Text
November 3	Confidence in God’s Shepherding	Psalm 23
November 10	Songs of Praise	Psalms 146, 150
November 17	A Song of Thanksgiving	Psalms 100
November 24	God’s Promised Presence	Psalm 139:1–12