Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship

by Chris Tomlin, Darren Whitehead

What does it mean to praise God?
In the ancient world something extraordinary happened when God s people gathered to worship him. It was more than just singing; it was a declaration, a proclamation, a time to fully embody praise to God for who he is and what he has done. In fact, in the Psalms, there are seven Hebrew words that are translated into the English word praise each of which represents a different aspect of what it means to truly praise God. In Holy Roar , Chris Tomlin and Darren Whitehead share a fresh perspective from the worship practices of the ancient world. Grow in your understanding of praise as Darren offers unique insights. Be inspired as Chris shares how those insights take shape in the stories behind some of your favorite worship songs, including How Great Is Our God, We Fall Down, and Good Good Father . Whether for your own personal use or for use in your church small group, Holy Roar provides insight and encouragement to deepen your practice of praise. Follow along as Chris and Darren lead you to the throne room of God. Join their invitation. Become a part of the Holy Roar .

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Faith, Religion, Christian Living, Self Help, Christian Non Fiction

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

With 12 albums, 16 #1 radio singles, a Grammy Award, 21 Dove Awards, and two platinum and five gold albums to his credit, Chris Tomlin is among the most well-known and influential artists in music. His songs include “How Great Is Our God,” “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone),” “Our God,” and most recently, “Good Good Father,” to name a few. It is estimated that each week 20–30 million people sing one of Tomlin’s songs in worship. He also cowrote the bestselling children’s book, Good Good Father. More than anything, Chris loves being a husband to Lauren and a daddy to Ashlyn and Madison.

Reviews

[Milina Kazlouski · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short, fast, straightforward read. Tomlin and Whitehead give perspective on the 7 Hebrew words that are translated into the word "praise" in the Bible. Each word gives us an understanding of different types of praise and what happens when God's people gather together to declare and proclaim his goodness. Whitehead gives personal examples of the application of the Hebrew word in his life and where it's seen in the Bible. Tomlin then gives a short insight to how many of his songs were birthed through these different definitions of praise. I found this book beneficial as the idea of 7 different Hebrew words for "praise" was new to me. I also think this is helpful for those who lead the congregation in worship as it lays a foundation to biblical praise found in scriptures.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book from the library after hearing Darren speak a message about the seven words of worship during Chris Tomlin's recent concert stop in Baltimore. The book is a good introduction to this concept, especially if you have never heard of the different Hebrew words for praise before. I thought it might be a stretch for small groups to get a full study out of the discussion questions that are included after each chapter, but it is nice if you want to take time a dig a little deeper into each word. That being said, I am really spoiled to have gotten the message from its originator first, so the book didn't give me much more than I'd already heard. Darren's presentation was outstanding and gave me chills - when he talked about the final word, shabach, and then showed a clip of Chicago's raw reaction to the Cubs' World Series victory in 2016, it was so viscerally perfect. The book felt incomplete after getting the impact of that in person.

[rachel ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read this in about 90 minutes, but i’ll for sure be coming back to it more in depth. a staff member at my church bought it for me at a conference (i serve as a worship leader and she thought of me) and i’m so grateful she did because this book was literally insane.

each beautiful hebrew word had so many nuances and carried a different shade of praise. spiritual freedom is expressed through the way we worship! praise is not a complex act — it’s very pure, very straightforward, from the depths of the heart. chris tomlin especially did a good job in how he illustrated gleaning lyrics directly from scripture, stripping down the songs so they could shine raw praise.

oh, and as a musician, i loved the ratio of song-related anecdotes to theology. and getting to see how some of these incredible, famous worship songs were created was super cool. (:

[Sharon Mariampillai · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible read. This book is an inspiring, insightful book based on the seven Hebrews words of praise. It is basically a textbook about Praise and Worship. As a Christian, I am glad that I bought this book after watching Chris Tomlin on his Holy Roar tour when he came to Abbotsford, British Columbia. I loved the writing and seeing the experiences between Darren and Chris. It gave me a glimpse into what true worship requires, and how there are different words for praise means. I loved this book. Overall, an amazing read.

[✧*̥˚ Jordyn *˚✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

₊˚｡₊⋆ Definitely a must read for Christians who want to know the deeper historical aspect of praise and worship, and for anyone who finds themselves in worship today ✨
This book takes you through ancient Hebrew words and ties it in with today's Churches (good and bad) through personal stories of the writers and you end up with a book that brings so much more meaning and thoughtful passion into everyday worship.

My favorite quote:

"Sometimes I wonder if God looks down on North America, if he see our carefully orchestrated worship experiences, and wishes we'd cut loose. I wonder if he wishes we'd celebrate him the way those two Jewish gentleman celebrated at that wedding I attended. I wonder if he wishes we'd join the party, that we'd step out unto his great dance floor and risk being undignified"

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very short and concise. I listened to the entire thing (at 1.5 speed) in one longish car trip. It is something between a book about what worship is and a memoir - Whitehead's chapters each take on a different Hebrew word for worship, bringing out the meaning, giving Bible verses, and relating examples, while Tomlin's parts are more short memoirs about writing individual songs that relate to each Hebrew word. The writing is good and engaging. Overall, it's a very enjoyable book about worship.

By the way, if you've read this book and haven't heard Carman's song 7 Ways 2 Praise, go give it a listen. Fun stuff.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great short read on seven Holy words of worship. Darren Whitehead and Chris Tomlin do a fantastic job in looking at these words and discussing briefly how they can be incorporated into your worship. Chris then looks at several of his songs and discusses how they also incorporate these holy words. Short but enlightening read

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was assigned for worship team members at my church, including the tech team (like me). According to this book, there is only one way to truly praise the Lord: with your hands in the air and at the top of your lungs. I disagree. This should be an interesting discussion.

[Tiffany Elaine Conn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been familiar with the 7 Hebrew words of praise for close to 15 years, but it was refreshing to read these examples. Educational and still a fast read, and something I feel confident in recommending to my fellow church members.

[Peter Waefler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the connection from the explanation of what each word meant and Chris's inspiration then for a song.

[Ron Scheese · Rating 5 out of 5]

High Praise for Holy Roar

My good friend Steve asked Katherine and I to join him to hear Chris Tomlin in concert this past Fall. During the worship performance, as a sort of intermission for the band, Chris introduced his Pastor Darren Whitehead. The result was my introduction to the book Holy Roar.

A powerful message is now a powerful book. In the Hebrew language, there are seven different words which mean Praise. Pastor Whitehead examines each and unpacks the Scriptures in a way which I had never heard before. Each definition challenges the believer to engage in worship on a deeper level. Combined with some background stories behind Chris Tomlin's biggest impact songs and the scripture and music come alive for the reader.

Personal, funny and spiritually meaningful, I have nothing but high praise for "Holy Roar" for individual growth or to be used in a Sunday School setting or with a Bible Study group. Definitely worth checking out.

[A.C. Cuddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“What does it mean to praise God? In the ancient world something extraordinary happened when God’s people gathered to worship him. It was more than just singing; it was a declaration, a proclamation, a time to fully embody praise to God for who he is, and what he has done. In fact, in the Psalms, there are seven Hebrew words that are translated into the English word “praise,” each of which represents a different aspect of what it means to truly praise God.

In Holy Roar, Chris Tomlin and Darren Whitehead share a fresh perspective from the worship practices of the ancient world. Grow in your understanding of praise as Darren offers unique insights. Be inspired as Chris shares how those insights take shape in the stories behind some of your favorite worship songs, including “How Great is Our God,” “We Fall Down,” and “Good Good Father.”

Whether for your own personal use or for use in your church small group, Holy Roar provides insight and encouragement to deepen your practice of praise. Follow along as Chris and Darren lead you to the throne room of God. Join their invitation. Become a part of the Holy Roar.”

Holy Roar by Chris Tomlin and Darren Whitehead a certainly an eye opening book about the ‘7 words that will change the way you worship”. I had the privilege of hearing Pastor Darren Whitehead teach about these 7 words at a recent Chris Tomlin concert in my area. This was a marvelous teaching that gave me new insight about the Word of God…. Not just the 7 definitions of Praise - though it will certainly change how you praise God - but about digging deeper into the original Hebrew language used in scripture.

I would encourage you to pick up the book for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.

View the book trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH8MH...

*Disclaimer: I did not receive a copy of this book from the author or the publisher. I purchased this book for myself. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.

*Reviews of this book were posted at the following locations:
Amazon, Christian Book, and to be featured on my blog at www.titus345.com

[Dr. David Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris Tomlin has become somewhat of a household name in recent years. His worship songs have circled the globe and are songs in languages from every tribe and nation. I will never forget sitting with a group of college students in an Eastern block country. I was the only participant that did not speak a lick of Russian. These students belted out song after song in their heart language – and I didn’t understand a thing. But twenty minutes into the service, this group of joyful worshippers began to sing “How Great is Our God” – in Russian. It was a moment of sheer delight as I hummed the well-known words in English and worshipped with my Russian comrades, brothers and sisters in Christ.

Holy Roar is the collaborative work of Chris Tomlin and his pastor, Darren Whitehead. In each chapter Pastor Whitehead unpacks the seven Hebrew words of praise and invites readers to join in each of the respective aspects of God-centered worship. Each of the words is summarized below:

Yada (ידה) – The hands of praise
Halal (הלל)- The fools of praise
Zamar (זמר) – The music of praise
Towdah (תּוֹדָה) – The expectation of praise
Barak (ברך) – The posture of praise
Tehillah (תְּהִלָּה) – The songs of praise
Shabach (שׁבח) – The shout of praise
Whitehead briefly defines each Hebrew word and makes direct application that can be immediately implemented in the Christian life.

Tomlin concludes each chapter with a personal story about a song he’s penned or recorded and how that song relates to the Hebrew word for praise in the chapter.

Holy Roar is a short and readable book. It may be used as a devotional or may be utilized by small groups of Christ-followers who are seeking the face of God. The authors invite readers to join them on “this unifying journey of praise.” Each participant, then, will join the heavenly throng (as I joined with my Russian friends) in the collective holy roar.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Uplifting and Inspiring Read

Chris was very insightful in this book, Holy Roar. He related worship today with worship in the OT Jewish people and NT Church, as well as relating it to the future worship we will experience in heaven. I agree wholeheartedly that worship has come to be very stilted and too quiet in the past century and probably longer. I believe that when the Bible speaks of “David dancing before the Lord” and “the people’s shouts of praise” and “lifting holy hands to the Lord,” that the writers were telling the way people actually worshipped then. Yes, it is awkward the first time you raise your hand in praise to the Lord in public and it feels fake and almost hypocritical because it is something you weren’t raised to do. But, is it wrong? For me … no. I feel such a closeness to God in worship time now because I have become used to it by practicing it even in my private worship time. It is literally impossible for me when led by His Holy Spirit, as I am singing a song of praise to the Lord, to stand there stoically and not raise a hand or two and even pray to Him when not singing. The crescendo that should happen in a song, comes naturally when I am in the midst of praising my Father God. Be open to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit in your life during your times of worship and praise … because you may just experience a revolutionary change in your heart when you allow yourself to be free and experience God’s Holy Roar!

[Crystal Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge Chris Tomlin fan! When I seen he had a book coming out about worship I knew I needed to get this book. Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change the Way You Worship is a great book, Chris and Darren take seven Hebrew words that mean some form of worship and goes into details about each word, the meaning, how to pronounce the words, and how they were used in the Bible. These seven words are found in the Psalms!

When I first started reading the book, I knew I had heard these words before and it took me back about 18-20 years when we were huge Carmen fans. Carmen had a song title Seven Ways to Praise and in this song he gives us each word and how its used to praise God. I was excited that I shared it with my husband and he immediately went to YouTube and searched for the video. This was great because it really helped me to understand what I was reading.

I'm not going to share these seven words because I want you to get the book and see for yourself what these seven words are! Believe me when I tell you, you will not be disappointed with this book! A lot of time, a lot of reading and studying went into this book!


Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. A favorable review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Dave MacPhee · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a fun and devotionally inspiring book, filled with great stories and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the formation of modern worship songs. At first, I was genuinely moved by its reflections and found myself excited by the fresh meanings it claimed to uncover in the biblical word “praise.”

However, as someone trained in pastoral ministry, I know to pause when encountering new or unconventional interpretations. How did the authors arrive at these conclusions? Why have I never heard this before? When I began to check various sources—including Andrew Court’s excellent review—a clear pattern emerged: much of the supposed “biblical insight” into Hebrew words is simply over-interpretation based on exaggerated word studies.

For example, the Hebrew word halal can mean to praise, boast, exalt, and in some contexts even act foolishly. Holy Roar elevates the “acting foolishly” nuance as the primary and most important meaning, even though it is only one possible nuance and a very uncommon one. Likewise, the word yadah means to give thanks, praise, or confess. Although its root may be related to throwing or casting and possibly to hand movement, it is not inherently a command to raise hands. Holy Roar takes this possible etymological connection and presents it as the definitive meaning. The book repeatedly follows this same pattern.

So, while Holy Roar begins as an inspiring and accessible read, it ultimately fails to deliver on its promises. On the positive side, it serves as a reminder that the translation committees behind our major modern Bible translations are composed of top-tier scholars who truly know what they are doing. We can trust that our English Bibles provide clear and reliable interpretations of Scripture’s original languages.

[Jessie Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a simple book about how God wants us to worship. It’s not at all what we want or our preferences. We need to learn what God wants and do that. This book helps every reader, the new Christian, the teenager or preteen, the seasoned Christian and everyone in between, understand the words for praise used in the Bible and what they tell us about how God desires to be worshipped. The simplicity of the book makes it powerful. It’s not super deeply theological. It’s easy to understand and super applicable. I learned so much reading this book. It’s a quick read too that packs a bit punch. I love the stories behind the songs that are included. It gives the songs so much more life to know where they came from. The scriptures are pointed and well chosen. The questions at the end of each chapter help the reader process the current state of their worship and help push them towards worshipping the way God calls us to.
I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers. This has in no way influenced my review. All thoughts are my own.

[Lisa Salinas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet, you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
Psalms 22:3 GW
https://bible.com/bible/70/psa.22.3.GW

The idea that God inhabits the praises of his people has been heavy on my mind. If this is true (it is), and I want to know him more (I do), then shouldn't praise be my holy obsession? Shouldn't I want to learn how to worship my Lord more fully? Then, as he inhabits my praise, I can experience him and come to know him more deeply.

This book is an excellent beginning on that journey of discovery. Short and simple, yet profound. I am challenged to incorporate these methods and postures of praise into my worship of the Creator.

Some are uncomfortable for me to think about; they are far outside my current practices. But as Pastor Whitehead says, it's not about the worship I want to give... it's about the worship God calls for.

I am excited for the benefits I will see as I deepen my worship with these new skills, thanks to the instruction found in this gem of a book. Hallelujah! All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.

[Matthew Gage · Rating 1 out of 5]

No Hebrew scholar will take the claims in this book seriously and neither should anyone else. This "study" of Hebrew words for worship has been floating around since it was put together by leaders of the Latter Rain movement in the 1940's. It began by looking up the Hebrew words translated as "praise" in the KJV in a Strong's Concordance and using the Strong's definitions. The problem is that the definitions in Strong's are overly simplistic and do not take into account many factors such as verb forms that can drastically alter the meaning. Some of the proof texts that are used to support thee authors' claims do not even contain the Hebrew words they base their arguments on. The author's include quotes by famous men (Luther, Calvin, Spurgeon, Tozer, Lloyd-Jones, etc.) to support the books' claims but these men would in no way endorse the teachings of this book.

In short, this book is charismatic propaganda that is built on flimsy and faulty interpretation of Scripture based on ignorance of the Hebrew language.

[Cori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our worship leader and myself went to Worship Together 2018 in Franklin, Tennessee. We had the opportunity to hear Pr. Whitehead speak on the seven words of praise. We then bought the book, brought it home, and went through it together as a worship team.

Similar to the word "love" having four different meanings in Hebrew, "praise" has seven meanings in the original Hebrew.

Understanding this has helped our worship team take our own personal worship experiences to a new level- I think, leading our church family to experience worship in new ways themselves. One of my favorite quotes from the book is, "We stopped asking each other 'How was the worship service today?' and started asking each other, 'How was your worship today?'" That caught my attention and has been challenging me ever since. I prompt anyone who is part of a church or worship group to encourage this book in their circle. It revolutionizes our perspective.

I'd rate this book a G rating.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a quick read. It does deal with Hebrew word translation but is in no way scholarly work. As a worship leader, I appreciated this book. There are essentially three parts to each chapter. You have the meat of the book- the seven words with descriptions and stories to bring that concept to life. Then you have a “behind the scenes” look into a Chris Tomlin song as it relates to the chapter subject. I found both of those aspects inspiring and interesting. Then you have a study guide section. I felt like those pieces were out of place for this book and it really felt like useless filler. It wouldn’t make for a good study at all. It doesn’t even make for a very good personal study. It is more of a “think on these things” type of inspirational book. I think the book is worth reading. But I wouldn’t think it would be a good small group or personal study.

[Create With Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In their new book Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship, world renown worship leader Chris Tomlin and pastor Darren Whitehead expand our understanding of what it means to come into the presence of God with praise and thanksgiving by introducing us to 7 Hebrew words that are translated as "praise" in our English Bibles, but have a distinct meaning in the Hebrew language.

Through story-telling, the exploration of contemporary worship songs, Bible verses to explore, and questions to reflect on, Tomlin and Whitehead help us to explore the nuance of each of these aspects of worship!

Holy Roar is an easy book to read, but the concepts about worship that it presents are quite profound and have the potential to change how you approach our Holy God in praise and worship!

Recommended!

[Jane Riordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Life Group at church is following this book as our current study and, knowing that I would be going away on holiday, I bought the hard copy.


This isn't a long book, but packed with information and food for thought and, if you are reading solo - that is, not following the questions at the end of each chapter - you will get through it quickly; I read it from cover to cover on a short haul flight!

If, like me, your early experience of worship, was trying to 'chant' the psalms and singing dirgey hymns, half heartedly; then the authors will give you a new understanding of the meaning, the experience of Worship, through an explanation of the different words in the Hebrew language for it.

No spoilers, but if you want to step into worship and experience it on a deeper level, then this book is an ideal introduction.

[Robin Hatcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing little book. I will be revisiting the chapters and letting the seven Hebrew words for praise go deep into my heart and mind. Praise has always been a big part of my Christian walk, in some seasons more than others. But that shouldn't be the case. I want to participate in the Holy Roar in ALL seasons of my life. I'm grateful to Darren Whitehead and Chris Tomlin (one of my favorite worship artists) for writing this book. While reading and marking it on my Kindle, I listened to the audio version, read by the authors. That seemed to make the material even more intimate and encouraging. I highly recommend this book.

[Keri Zumbahlen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book for $1 at a resale shop and oh boy it was a huge blessing!! Very quick read but reading this felt a bit like school because I had a bunch of books open and I was taking notes and putting flash cards on my wall so I could learn more. Once again, the English language has fallen short with a lack of words, and learning 7 Hebrew words for praise and where and how they are used revealed a whole new level of depth. Experiencing the Spirit through all the ways of worship and praise is just way too exciting. And we’re invited into this! This is just the tip of the iceberg though and left me hungry for more!!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What holds me back from fully worshiping God with everything I am and have? I’ve never thought about it before. This book, looking at the seven Hebrew words for praise, has made me look at how I worship God. And some parts of it made me uncomfortable (spontaneous songs, for example) but I know I’ve grown in the way I worship my King. I grew up in a church that was very reserved, and now I will raise my hands while I worship (although not all the way!) I know, too, that Jesus will continue to work in me, so that one day nothing will hold me back. But, more than anything, I know that my praise is a beautiful sound in His ears.

[Jacob Sladen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book you will be inspired to praise God more and do it unashamed. The stories Darren tells about how he got to where he is are so compelling. For example he moved here from Australia, but they put on his green card that he was a pastor when he was just a radio show host. So he’s been preaching in fear of getting deported. Chris tells many stories of how he wrote his songs or how music changed his life. For example his wife told him to listen to this song Good Good Father, which is now one of his top songs. He did steal it, but it’s incredible.

[Andrew Micah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting thesis, wish it was more exegetical. Whitehead sort of leaves us to accept his understanding of the seven Hebrew words behind "praise" and "worship" without critical examination. I wish the book was longer and "showed its work." Be that as it may, it challenged and changed the way that I think about worship significantly. Especially the chapter where Tomlin discusses the writing of "God's Great Dance Floor." I had so much contempt for that song, but now that I understand the story, it's changed my life.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book on 7 Old Testament (Hebrew) words which were translated to “praise” in our English versions of the Bible. It explains what each of these words really means, and helps us to see how our praise for God can be a powerful expression. This is a short book and a quick read. But each page holds something special. Praise is something I have been focused on this year, so I felt I stumbled upon a hidden treasure when I discovered this book. I will be reading it again, and I highly recommend it to all.

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, but solid and meaningful

Holy Roar peels back the linguistic film to help us understand a little better the nuances of true praise and worship. It deals with some basic Hebrew words and serves as an encouragement to bring us back to the posture for which we were created - kneeling, transfixed (bârak), eyes on Jesus, offering our spontaneous hâlal to the One who deserves it.