Posture is important. A soldier stands to attention. A sprinter crouches, primed for the gun to fire. A boyfriend bends down on one knee. A mother supports her newborn’s head in the crook of her arm. We recognise that there are a multitude of different postures our bodies can take.
Some postures are used for practical reasons. The mother cradles her baby’s neck because it isn’t strong enough to support its head. The sprinter takes up his starting position to enable him to make an explosive start.
However, the purpose of some postures is to visibly show something. The soldier who stands at attention is showing respect to his superior, as well as readiness for action. The man proposing wants his girlfriend to know he thinks so highly of her that he is willing to physically lower himself.
Multiple studies have shown that upwards of two thirds of communication is non-verbal. When you are in a room with other people, you can tell very quickly who wants to be there and who doesn’t. Our posture reveals shyness, excitement, reluctance, boredom, and more.
Our posture is important in all parts of life. And so it follows that posture is important in worship. Of course, worship is not limited to a few hours in a church building each week. Romans 12:1 calls us to offer our whole lives in worship:
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
Romans 12:1
For this article, I want to focus on our posture in corporate worship. Why does posture in corporate worship matter? It matters because God’s Word gives instruction on what posture to take in worship.
The book of Psalms was compiled as the people of God’s prayer and song book. Take a look at some instructions relating to posture:
- Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
- Psalm 47:1: “Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!”
- Psalm 95:6: “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!”
- Psalm 134:1-2: “Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD! Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD!”
- Psalm 149:3: “Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!”
Posture was important to the writers of the Psalms. It was also important to other famous figures in the Old Testament, like Moses, who “bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped” (Exodus 34:8), and Daniel, who “got down on his knees and prayed three times a day and gave thanks before his God” (Daniel 6:10).
We also see the significance of posture in the New Testament. Paul tells Timothy, “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling” (1 Timothy 2:8). The Lord Jesus Himself “fell on his face and prayed” (Matthew 26:39) in Gethsemane.
So we know that posture is important because it is mentioned throughout God’s Word. But specifically, why? Firstly, because God created us to have bodies. This might sound like an odd comment, but consider Genesis:
“Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”
Genesis 2:7
God created us, not as spirits, but as beings with physical bodies. It is natural, then, that we would worship God with our bodies—not just our minds.
In a practical sense, our posture matters for worship because it’s how God designed our bodies to work. Just as the sprinter carefully considers what posture is needed to spring into action and run fast and strong, we need to consider how we use our bodies to sing well. Standing up straight with our shoulders back and chin raised allows us to breathe in more oxygen and use our diaphragm to sing in a way that could not be physically achieved by slouching with our hands in our pockets.
Posture also matters for what we can visibly signify. When we clap our hands, we visibly show our joy in Jesus in a way that words alone cannot. When we bow our heads, we display reverence toward our Father. Our posture doesn’t replace our words; it accentuates them.
Because of how God has beautifully designed us, we have many forms of posture to express a plethora of emotions. We can stand still, bow down, jump and leap, clap our hands, and raise our arms. We can show reverence, exude joy, confess our sins, stand in wonder, and declare thankfulness—all with the bodies God has given us. What a wonderful Creator who enables us to both speak and show, to declare and display.
So what then is the controversy with posture in worship? If you have ever worshipped with other believers, you will know that there’s a broad spectrum in how we worship. One reason is that the world is made up of many different cultures, so what is normal for one person may be viewed as odd by another. Indeed, some Christians believe that while the book of Psalms is God’s Word, this does not mean that the form and structure of worship detailed there must be followed today, three thousand years later.
Another reason posture in worship can differ so much is cultural associations. In the West, expressive postures such as clapping hands and lifting hands during worship are often associated with certain churches whose teaching is viewed as weak or fluffy. Reserved postures, such as standing still with hands by your side, are often associated with churches viewed as old-fashioned or out of touch. In these cases, disagreements over posture may not be about the posture itself, but what it is seen to represent.
Perhaps the most common controversy comes down to authenticity. A more posturally reserved worshipper may feel someone who is expressive is inauthentic or self-indulgent. The expressive worshipper may feel the reserved worshipper is a hypocrite, singing words of joy with a face like flint. So which posture is authentic? And which is just posturing?
Our bodies are important. Our posture is important. But first, we must look at our hearts.
“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.’”
1 Samuel 16:7
We may be tempted to judge the sincerity of someone’s faith based on their posture. Maybe we think we can fool others by our posture on Sunday mornings. But God’s Word teaches that He alone knows if we are authentic in our praying, singing, and posture.
We should carefully examine our hearts each day as we come to worship God. Whether we stand still or lift our hands, God knows our innermost thoughts. We might fool others, and we might even fool ourselves, but God knows our hearts. We must meditate on His Word and ask Him to reveal any insincerity in our actions so that we might worship in a way that honors Him.
What then is the right posture for worship? The correct posture is the one that is both sincere and heartfelt and appropriate for the moment. In other words, there is no one “right posture.” Just as our posture at a wedding is different from our posture at a funeral, our postures in worship will vary. Sometimes it is right to be still; sometimes it is right to dance. Sometimes we should bow our heads; sometimes we should clap our hands. Sometimes we will lift our hands to the Lord; sometimes we will be on our knees.
Rather, we should ask ourselves: are we using our bodies to worship the Lord? It is just as possible to be irreverent standing still as it is when clapping our hands. It is also just as possible to worship with sincere joy sitting down as it is when waving our hands in the air. Whatever our posture, we must ask: is it intentional or habitual? And if intentional, what are our intentions? (Hebrews 4:12)
A massive part of corporate worship is that it’s not about the individual; it’s about the collective—the body of Christ. On any given Sunday morning, there will be brothers feeling spiritually cold who are there in body but not in spirit. There will be sisters struggling to even murmur the words. Do not underestimate the impact on their souls of witnessing others rejoicing with loud clapping, lifting hands, or standing still with heads bowed in awe of the Lord.
Posture matters when it truly reflects our hearts. God has given you a body to worship Him with. Be intentional with your posture—whatever type of person you are, whatever situation you are going through—glorify the Lord through your body. Be discerning of your heart’s motives. Be mindful of others—you have the ability to distract and to build up. Pray for proper posture. Pray against posturing.
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23
