Terms of Movement and Gesture in the Old Testament

Biblical worship is active worship, involving movements of the body as well as of the lips, to express both submission to the covenant God and exultation in his presence.

An example of prostration taken from the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III. “Jehu, Son of Omri” presents his tribute to the King. Worship is described as a prostration before the lord.

The word usually translated “worship” (shaḥaḥ, in the reflexive form hishtaḥ‡vah) means “to bend down or prostrate oneself” (Gen. 22:5; 1 Sam. 1:3; 1 Chron. 29:20; Pss. 66:4; 99:9; 138:2; Isa. 66:23). Worshipers are invited to bow down (kara‘, Ps. 95:6; Isa. 45:23) to the Lord, to kneel or bend the knee (berekh, Ps. 95:6) before him; or they might “bow low” (qadad, Gen. 24:26; Exod. 12:27; 2 Chron. 29:30; Neh. 8:6) or “bow [themselves]” (nikkaf, Mic. 6:6). Having done so, they may rise up (qum, Ps. 24:3; Neh. 9:5) and stand (‘amad, Pss. 122:2; 135:2) within Zion’s gates or in the Lord’s house, lifting up their hands (nasa’, Pss. 63:4; 134:2) to the name of the Lord or spreading out their hands (peras, 2 Chron. 6:13; Ps. 143:6) in prayer. As we have seen, the verb hodah, “give thanks,” has the basic meaning of confessing Yahweh as Lord. It is derived from the root yadah, which signifies the extending of the hand (yad), and refers to the lifting of the hand in the oath of covenant loyalty.

On festal occasions, the worshipers may join in dance (maḥol, Pss. 149:3; 150:4). The word often translated “rejoice” indicates a type of circle dancing (gil, Pss. 9:14; 35:9; 53:6; 118:24; 149:2). All the land is urged to “tremble,” actually to writhe or twist before the Lord (ḥul, Ps. 96:9). Additional words for dancing occur in the accounts of David’s bringing the ark to Zion; before the ark, David was leaping (pazaz, 2 Sam. 6:16), dancing around (kirker, 2 Sam. 6:16), skipping or springing (roqed, 1 Chron. 15:29), and the people were celebrating (siḥaq, dance or play to music, 1 Chron. 13:8).

To observe the festivals of the Lord, one must “go up” or ascend (‘alah, Isa. 2:3; Pss. 24:3; 122:4) to the sanctuary of Yahweh, enter his gates or courts, or go to his altar (bo’, Isa. 1:12; Pss. 43:4; 96:8; 100:4; 118:19–20). In the sacred courts worshipers might be seen “walking around” Zion or its altar (savav, Ps. 48:12; intensive form sovev, Ps. 26:6; hithalekh, Ps. 56:13). Processions into the sanctuary (halikhot, Ps. 68:24) may have featured movements of the ark, as the symbol of the Lord’s “going up” (‘alah, Ps. 47:5) to ascend his throne in Zion, the King of Glory “coming in” to his sanctuary (bo’, Ps. 24:7–10). At such times of victory, worshipers would clap their hands (taqa‘, Ps. 47:1), and even the rivers are urged to clap (maḥa’, Ps. 98:8) their figurative hands. It was an honor for tribal dignitaries to lead a procession (hiddaddah, “cause to move slowly,” Ps. 42:4; radah, “rule, govern,” Ps. 68:27). The celebrants might wear special adornment or vesture (hadarah, Pss. 29:2; 96:9), perhaps a reference to the fine linen garments of the priests (Exod. 39:27–29; 1 Chron. 15:27; 2 Chron. 5:12).

There is a time for activity and a time to cease from activity. Along with praise, there is repose or silence in Zion (dumiyyah, Ps. 65:1). God urges those who fear him to relax or be still (hirpah, Ps. 46:10) and know that he is God. Because the Lord is in his holy temple, all the land is hushed into silence (has!, Hab. 2:20).