Sunday mornings across America are witness to a subtle shift that has turned worship into a powerless, dreary experience. Lyrics no longer focus on 1) the attributes of a holy, loving God, and 2) his mighty acts, which is the biblical model for worship from Genesis to Revelation. Instead of turning our attention (a mere 1-2 hours a week, mind you) on Him, we are soothed but unchanged by religious sounding choruses that focus on ourselves, our problems, our desires, our questions, each other, God’s gifts—anything but God’s holy attributes and his mighty acts.

Why is this alarming? Thanksgiving and praise are how we come into the presence of God. In his presence is everything we need in this life: grace, joy, peace, strength, direction, physical healing, provision, salvation—everything. In his presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11), and that joy strengthens us to face another week (Nehemiah 8:10).

The Bible gives specific instruction on how to cultivate his presence: Psalm 100:4 says we should “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise.” We thank Him and we praise Him—we direct our expression upward. What is worship but “the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity” (noun). The verb: “To show reverence and adoration for (a deity): honor with religious rites.”

It’s all about acknowledging and revering Him.

When we focus on ourselves instead Him, his presence does not manifest. Without his fullness of presence in the service we are not spiritually energized; we are not changed. We leave church in the same condition we arrived. Who needs that? Why even attend? There are so many other things to do on a lovely Sunday morning. Do we even understand why we assemble in a big building once a week? It’s not about fellowship. There are opportunities throughout the week for that. It’s not even about the pastor’s message. It’s about corporate worship. It’s about giving God our time and attention, though briefly, and sacrificially setting aside our burdens and concerns to focus on his goodness (attributes) and all he has done for us (mighty acts).

Last Sunday in the church I visited the morning service started with “Freedom” by Jesus Culture. Here’s a sample of the lengthy, repetitive lyrics:

Step out of the shadows, step out of the grave
Break into the wild and don't be afraid
Run into wide open spaces, grace is waiting for you
Dance like the weight has been lifted, grace is waiting
Where the Spirit of the Lord is
There is freedom, there is freedom
Step out of the shadows, step out of the grave
Break into the wild and don't be afraid
Run into wide open spaces, grace is waiting for you
Dance like the weight has been lifted, grace is waiting.

Nice sounding words, but not once do they direct the singer to speak directly to God (to praise his holy attributes and recount his mighty acts). This song is an attempt to encourage faith. It belongs on the car radio, not in a house of worship. Most of the assembly muddled through it with few hands raised. Their lack of excitement was obvious.

Then we sang “Jesus You Alone,” by Highlands Worship. A few lines:

Who is the great King of glory
Seated on high in the heavens?
Oh-oh-ohh, Jesus, You alone
You are the Lord God Almighty.
Strong in compassion and mercy (attribute)
Oh-oh-ohh, Jesus, You alone.
You set the stars in the heavens
You set the world into motion (mighty acts)
Oh-oh-ohh, Jesus, You alone.
You breathed Your life in creation
You walked among Your created (mighty acts)
Oh-oh-ohh, Jesus, You alone.

As believers sang I noticed hands begin to lift all around the sanctuary. The mood became reverent as the presence of God began to fall. I elbowed my husband, “See the difference in how people respond?” He saw it too.

The entire purpose of our worship is to glorify God. When Moses asked God to show him his glory, God passed by Moses and declared: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7). Note that God first spoke of his own attributes and then his mighty acts. It’s the same in Heaven. Isaiah speaks of a glimpse of eternity that God gave him. He saw the seraphim (type of angel) around the throne of God, calling to one another and saying “’Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory’” (Isaiah 6:3). The Psalms comprise 150 chapters wherein David extols the many attributes of God and records his mighty acts. Let this be a template for our own worship.

Outside of church we should be speaking to ourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19). This can include, if you like, the works of talented Lauren Daigle and other popular Christian artists. What matters is that we keep our minds on God and our hearts lifted to Him in praise.

But when we come together weekly on the Sabbath—commonly called the Lord’s Day—our focus should be on glorifying his name. It’s not about us. If you hear lyrics that are heavy with “I, me, my, mine,” these are red flags that you’re being led away from true biblical worship.