Humility = The Posture of Worship
Humility is “a virtue that involves a modest self-perception. In this sense, it is the opposite of pride and arrogance” (Gleaves, 2014) and is one of the key requirements for worship. Since worship is not limited to one specific form, the posture of worship is not, either. However, the importance of posture is evident throughout the Bible text, most notably bowing, kneeling, and prostration.
BOWING
Bowing is one of the most common postures of worship. To bow low to the ground conveys submissiveness (Gleaves, 2014).
The psalms express this form of worship. One reads:
Let the rich of the earth feast and worship. Bow before him, all who are mortal, all whose lives will end as dust. ~Ps. 22:29 (NLT)
Another reads:
6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, 7 for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today! ~Ps. 95:6-7 (NLT)
In ancient times, bowing was done to show respect, such as when Abraham bowed before the Hittites (Gen. 23:7, 12) or when Moses bowed low to the ground when he was reunited with his father-in-law (Ex. 18:7). However, bowing to any other gods or idols was forbidden in the Mosaic Covenant (Ex. 20:5; Deut. 8:19). This is why the three Hebrew boys (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) refused to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue (Dan. 3) and why Mordecai refused to bow to Haman at King Xerxes’ command (Esther 3). Both men faced grave consequences, yet their loyalty to God kept them protected from harm.
This type of adoration, of course, was perfectly suited for Christ. After His birth, wise men brought Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and bowed down and worshipped Him (Matt. 2:11). The man who desired to be healed of leprosy also bowed before Him (Luke 5:12), as did the man who had been possessed with an evil spirit (Mk. 5:7). In the end, this is how all will worship Him (Phil. 2:9-10).
KNEELING
Kneeling is also a posture taken in worship, and it too denotes respect and submission to a superior (Elwell, 1988). People knelt before Joseph when he was placed in authority (Gen. 41:43; 42:6). King David and Elijah were also knelt before (1 Kings 1:16; 2 Kings 1:13).
This position is often taken in prayer as a physical display of reverence. Daniel kneeled when he prayed (Dan. 6:10), and so did King Solomon (1 Kings 8:54; 2 Chron. 6:13), Ezra (Ezr. 9:5), Paul (Eph. 3:14), Simon Peter (Acts 9:40), and Stephen (Acts 7:60). Jesus also prayed this way (Luke 22:41).
This type of reverence is due the Lord. Through Isaiah He declared:
I have sworn by my own name; I have spoken the truth, and I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.” ~Isaiah 45:23 (NLT)
Believers also knelt before Jesus during His earthly ministry. The rich man who wanted to inherit eternal life knelt before Him (Mk. 10:17), and Simon Peter did, too, when he became a disciple (Luke 5:8). The official whose daughter was brought back to life also knelt before Him (Matt. 9:18). Likewise, the known sinful woman knealt before the Lord as her tears fell on his feet and she wiped them with her hair (Luke 7:38).
Kneeling was what Satan wanted Jesus to do in worship when he tempted Him (Matt. 4:10-11). Jesus, however, subdued him with the word of God, declaring “Get out of here, Satan. For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’”
PROSTRATE
To lie prostrate means to fall with the face to the ground. This is done out of worship, reverence, fear, submission, or entreaty (Friedeman, 2016). Nebuchadnezzar honored Daniel this way (Dan. 2:46), as did Ruth before Boaz (Ruth 2:10).
This was often the way God was worshipped. Abram, for instance, fell prostrate when God promised him many descendants (Gen. 17:3). Moses and Aaron also fell facedown before the Lord while interceding for Israel (Num. 16:22), and Ezekiel fell facedown when he saw the glory of the Lord (Ezek. 1:28). Jesus was also revered this way, as the man with leprosy bowed facedown before him when asking to be healed (Luke 5:12)
As the Father and Jesus are deity, Scripture hinders believers from worshipping anyone else this way. When Peter, an apostle who was personally trained by Jesus, went to Cornelius’ home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him. Peter quickly pulled him up and reminded him they were both human (Acts 10:25-26). Angels are also not to be worshiped (Rev. 22:8-9).
In conclusion, the physical position someone takes in worship can be an outward expression of what is in the heart. There are no laws concerning which position a person has to take. The most important posture, therefore, is the position of a humbled heart.
REFERENCES
Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Kneeling. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 2, p. 1291). Baker Book House.
Friedeman, C. T. (2016). Postures of Worship. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.
Gleaves, G. S. (2014). Humility. In D. Mangum, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, & R. Hurst (Eds.), Lexham Theological Wordbook. Lexham Press.