Worship by Peter Tan [Summary] 

Main Summary: Worship by Peter Tan explores the depths of biblical worship—from its true meaning as humble surrender to its highest expressions in spirit and truth. It reveals worship as both a personal encounter and a prophetic declaration, teaching believers how to progress through increasingly deeper dimensions of God’s presence.

Lessons You’ll Learn From This Post 

• The Meaning of Worship
• Building an Altar
• The Depths of Worship
• Degrees of Worship
• Four Dimensions of Worship
• Reaching the Highest Praise in Worship
• The Five Trumpets of Praise
• Worshipping in Spiritual Songs
• Moving in New Psalms and Hymns
• Three Realms of Singing in the Spirit
• The Last Day Move of Worship
• Seeing Through the Eyes of God

Also read Effects of Praise by Andrew Wommack [Summary]

Worship is all that we are responding to all that He is.

The Meaning of Worship

• Worship is central to God’s heart – The Father actively seeks true worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4).
• The Hebrew word “shachah” means to bow down yourself – Unlike “segad” (outward bowing under compulsion), shachah involves genuine humility of heart, not just physical posture.
• Worship is not external performance – God rejects worship that is merely segad (forced bowing), atsab (giving things), abad (mere service), eusebeo (fear-based), therapeuo (selfish gain), or threskeia (empty ritual).
• The essence of worship is a humble heart – True worship is an inward condition where we humble ourselves before God, not just outward acts or religious routines.
• Pride is the opposite of worship – God actively resists the proud because pride leads to self-worship, while He looks to those who are poor and contrite in spirit.
• Proskuneo (Greek) means to kiss toward – This implies lying at Jesus’ feet in complete humility, recognizing our unworthiness before Him.
• Worship is all that we are responding to all that He is – It encompasses our entire being responding to God’s worthiness, not just singing or giving.

If the devil can’t steal your joy, he can’t steal your goods. If the devil can’t steal your song, he can’t steal your kingdom.

Building an Altar

• Altars are initiated by man, not commanded by God – Noah, Abraham, and others built altars as spontaneous expressions of thanksgiving and worship, not because God demanded it.
• Worship determines success in every area of life – David succeeded because he was a worshipper first; Saul failed because he only worshipped when circumstances compelled him.
• The three altars of Abraham represent spiritual progression – Bethel (separation from sin), Hebron (separation from worldliness), and Moriah (separation from self).
• The first altar (Bethel) represents breaking free from the law of sin and death – You cannot worship God with unconfessed sin; the blood of Jesus must cleanse your conscience first.
• The second altar (Hebron) represents dying to the spirit of the world – Worldliness—anxiety over possessions, career, and temporal concerns—blocks deeper worship.
• The third altar (Moriah) represents absolute surrender of self. This is the highest realm where you become a bond slave to God, giving Him everything without reservation.
• David’s altar cost him something – He refused to offer to God that which cost him nothing, understanding that sacrifice is essential to true worship.

Also read The Law of Faith by David Oyedepo [Summary] 

Your worship when you are in the midst of difficulties touches Him even more than all of the worship of heaven.

The Depths of Worship

• The highest worship comes from the deepest experiences – The 144,000 in Revelation could sing a new song that no one else could learn because no one else went through what they experienced.
• God created humans to bring forth worship that angels cannot offer – Angels can never sing “Amazing Grace” because they have never been lost and redeemed.
• The most important times to worship are when we most easily forget – Peak moments of joy and valley moments of deepest adversity produce the purest, highest worship.
• Mary’s Magnificat emerged from her unique position – Carrying the Messiah in her womb, she released worship so powerful it became Scripture.
• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego worshipped even when death threatened – Their commitment was not conditional on deliverance; they would worship God whether He saved them or not.
• Worship moves God’s heart – Rick Joyner’s vision reveals that humble worship from earth during dark times touches the Father more than all the worship of heaven.
• David worshipped at his lowest points – Whether fleeing from Absalom or pretending madness before enemies, he never lost his song; Psalms 3 and 34 were written in such depths.
• Four dimensions stabilize worship – Width (personal experience), Length (relationships with others), Depth (Word foundation), and Height (heavenly melody).

Don’t be satisfied with the first glory. Enter deeper. There are more of the depths of God’s glory.

Degrees of Worship

• The Tabernacle reveals progressive levels of worship – The Outer Court, Holy Place, and Most Holy Place represent increasing degrees of intimacy with God.
• Each piece of furniture represents Jesus – Brazen altar (Lamb of God), Laver (the Word), Candlestick (Holy Spirit), Table of Showbread (King of Kings), Altar of Incense (High Priest), Ark (fullness of God’s presence).
• The blood is the only entrance – In 2 Chronicles 5, the glory of God came only after they first entered by the blood through countless sacrifices.
• Obedience to God’s pattern precedes His presence – David learned this when the ark was mishandled; worship must follow God’s revealed order, not human innovation.
• Three groups of musicians prophesied differently – Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun each moved in distinct realms of the Spirit, demonstrating that worship expressions vary.
• Oneness in sound, not just unity, released the glory – When trumpeters and singers became one sound, the cloud of God’s glory filled the temple.
• There are multiple waves of glory – Do not stop at the first manifestation; press deeper into covenant, prayer, and greater dimensions of His presence.
• Fire came after covenant was established – In 2 Chronicles 7, after Solomon’s prayer of dedication, fire came down—a deeper glory than the first manifestation.

Also readThe Anointing of the Holy Spirit by Peter Tan Pt1 [Summary] 

If your song doesn’t have height, it doesn’t have heaven. And if your song doesn’t have heaven, it doesn’t have God’s presence.

Four Dimensions of Worship

• Width (Thickness/Fatness) refers to personal experience – You cannot give worship beyond what you have experienced; songs flow from the richness of your journey with God.
• David’s greatest psalms emerged from his deepest pits – Whether fleeing Absalom or pretending madness before enemies, his sorrow produced lasting worship.
• Hannah’s song came from years of barrenness and tears – Her Magnificat in 1 Samuel 2 carries theological depth because it emerged from profound personal trial.
• Length speaks of relationship and fellowship – Worship gains outreach when we learn to relate across generations, cultures, and musical styles.
• Symphoneo (agreement) requires submission and teamwork – Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun submitted to the king’s order; musicians must learn to support rather than compete.
• Depth relates to the Word of God – Worship without a biblical foundation lacks eternity; songs with theological content endure through generations.
• · Height speaks of heavenly melody Some tunes carry an eternal quality that lifts worshippers into God’s presence, fresh as manna from heaven.
• Four dimensions must work together – Experience (width), relationship (length), Word (depth), and heaven’s melody (height) combine for complete worship.

When you stand there to play an instrument or to lead worship or to sing a song your prayer life comes out. If there is no prayer life there is no second level.

Reaching the Highest Praise in Worship

• Psalm 149 reveals there is high praise – This implies lower levels of praise exist; we must understand the progression to reach the highest realm.
• The Tabernacle’s three sections correspond to three levels of worship – Outer Court, Holy Place, and Most Holy Place, each of which represents different dimensions of encountering God.
• First Level: The Law of Sacrifice – David refused to offer to God that which cost him nothing; true worship requires personal cost—time, sleep, finances, or comfort.
• Paul and Silas exemplified sacrificial worship – Beaten and chained in prison, they prayed and sang hymns at midnight, releasing earthquake power.
• Second Level: The Law of Prayer – Prayer life determines worship depth; the intimacy you cultivate with God flows out in your praise and touches others.
• Third Level: The Law of Synchrony – In 2 Chronicles 5, when trumpeters and singers became one sound, the glory fell; this requires skill, coordination, and harmony.
• High praise combines zamar (instruments) with human voices – Psalm 149 shows progression from halal to tehillah as instruments and voices unite.
• Jericho fell through synchronized sound – Six days of silence followed by one coordinated shout released God’s presence to bring down walls.

In heaven, we will always be falling under the power. So if you are not used to getting it down here on earth, start getting use to it.

The Five Trumpets of Praise

• The twenty-four elders fall before the throne five times in Revelation – Each occurrence represents a distinct dimension of worship triggered by specific heavenly events.
• Trumpets are central to worship throughout Scripture – From Exodus 19 to Numbers 10 to Joshua 6, trumpets announce God’s presence, gather His people, and signal war.
• First Trumpet: Gathering and Completion – Like the feast of trumpets calling Israel together, this worship celebrates beginnings, endings, and God’s creative acts (Revelation 4).
• Second Trumpet: Advance – Corresponds to Numbers 10:5-6; worship that accompanies new moves of God, releasing fresh songs for fresh seasons (Revelation 5).
• Third Trumpet: War – Warfare worship releases judgment on enemies; the 144,000 in Revelation 7 were sealed for battle against the Antichrist.
• Fourth Trumpet: Reward – When the seventh trumpet sounds in Revelation 11, worship focuses on God rewarding His servants and pouring out gifts.
• Fifth Trumpet: Marriage of the Lamb – Reserved for the New Testament church, this worship celebrates intimate union with Christ (Revelation 19).
• Each trumpet corresponds to a biblical leader – Moses (gathering), Joshua (advance), David (war), Solomon (reward), and Christ (marriage).

Every time you have a spiritual experience a song is waiting to come out.

Worshipping in Spiritual Songs

• The seven feasts of Israel align with the Tabernacle furniture – Passover/Unleavened Bread (Outer Court), Firstfruits/Pentecost (Holy Place), Trumpets/Atonement/Tabernacles (Most Holy Place).
• Three major waves of revival in church history – Reformation (Word restored), Pentecostal (Spirit outpoured), and the coming third wave (Glory and manifestation).
• The tabernacle of David is being rebuilt – Acts 15 promises restoration of David’s worship pattern, releasing continuous praise and prophetic song.
• Every believer is called to sing spiritual songs – Ephesians 5:18-19 commands all Spirit-filled Christians to speak in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, not just musicians.
• Three classifications of worship music – Psalms (soul expression with melody), Hymns (theological/Word content), Spiritual songs (spiritual experience).
• Songs flow from three depths – Spiritual experience (how deep you’ve gone with God), Soul release (how freely you express), and Word understanding (theological foundation).
• Every spiritual experience carries a song – God gives melodies to help us relive and build upon each encounter with Him.
• Spiritual songs become ladders to higher levels – Each new song is a rung that helps you climb to the next dimension of worship.

When the composer is both filled with the Word and with the Holy Spirit, he or she will be able to bring forth songs that will bless the Body of Christ tremendously.

Moving in New Psalms and Hymns

• Being filled with the Spirit releases melody – Ephesians 5 emphasizes making melody in your heart, connecting Spirit-filled living to musical expression.
• Being filled with the Word releases grace in song – Colossians 3 focuses on Word-rich songs that teach and admonish, imparting grace to listeners.
• Psalms carry melody and soul expression – This dimension requires yielding to the Spirit’s tune, allowing heavenly melodies to flow from within.
• Hymns carry theological and prophetic content – Songs with Word depth endure through generations; they teach doctrine and carry eternal truth.
• Moses spoke his song; David sang with instruments – Different expressions suit different callings; what matters is the content, not the musical complexity.
• Paul and Silas sang hymns in prison – Word-based songs release power to break chains and open prison doors.
• Mercy is the central theme of enduring worship – From David to Solomon to Jehoshaphat, “His mercy endures forever” became Israel’s refrain because mercy is God’s core nature.
• Composing new songs requires reference points – Building on existing melodies and themes helps release fresh expressions; creativity flows by building on what God has already given.

Very few people have experienced worship in tongues for one hour or two hours or three hours. That is even a more rare breed.

Three Realms of Singing in the Spirit

• Twenty-four hours of praise requires moving beyond Sunday worship patterns – Extended worship allows entrance into purely spiritual realms that shorter services cannot reach.
• First stage: Building in the Spirit – Like warming up physically, the first hour of singing in tongues builds and charges your spirit man for a deeper encounter.
• Singing in the spirit differs from praying in tongues – Words are stretched and sustained, harmonizing your entire being with the melody the Spirit releases.
• Three elements of building – Releasing the spiritual words, making melody from within, and allowing your body to flow with the rhythm.
• First realm after building: Warfare – Combining ranan (loud shouting) with tehillah (high praise) releases an ambush against spiritual enemies as in Jehoshaphat’s day.
• Second realm: Prophetic – Like David and the sons of Asaph, deep worship releases prophecy through instruments and songs, speaking mysteries of God.
• Third realm: Worship/intoxication in the Spirit – Your whole being—spirit, soul, and body—flows freely in adoration, from lifted hands to dancing.
• Your melody reveals your spiritual level – As you grow in God, your spontaneous melodies change, serving as a thermometer of your intimacy with Him.

If you only know the depths of God, how He longs to reveal Himself, you would surely spend more time worshipping Him.

The Last Day Move of Worship

• A wave of worship accompanies every revival move – From Martin Luther to Charles Wesley to the Charismatic movement, new songs accompany fresh outpourings of God.
• The seven feasts of Israel prophesy church history – Passover/Unleavened Bread (Reformation/Word restored), Firstfruits/Pentecost (missions/Spirit outpouring), and Trumpets/Atonement/Tabernacles (end-time worship/glory).
• The feast of Trumpets represents the current move – It calls for gathering, advancing into battle positions, and preparing for the Day of Atonement (rapture) and Tabernacles (God dwelling with man).
• Four trumpet purposes in Numbers 10 – Gathering the assembly, directing movement, sounding alarm for war, and announcing feasts and new months.
• The fifth trumpet’s purpose is transition – Trumpets signal major shifts in dispensations, preparing God’s people for what He is about to do.
• One hundred twenty priests blew trumpets in 2 Chronicles 5 – This number (12 x 10) signifies completion of governmental order, marking transition into a new era.
• The Day of Atonement requires both blood and incense – The high priest entered the Holy of Holies under the cover of incense smoke (worship), protecting him from God’s consuming glory.
• God dwells in the praises of His people – Without the cloud of worship, even heaven could not contain His awesome presence; worship creates atmosphere for His manifest glory.

The most precious commodity or treasure that we bring back is the formation of our character while on this planet earth.

Seeing Through the Eyes of God

• Character is the most precious treasure we bring to heaven – Not wealth, possessions, or even works, but the formation of our inner being lasts for eternity.
• A heavenly vision reveals graded seating based on intimacy – Those closest to God on earth occupy the most beautiful seats near His throne in the banquet hall of heaven.
• Worship transforms character as powerfully as tribulation – Beholding God’s glory changes us from glory to glory, shaping our inner man.
• David maintained softness despite a warrior’s life – Constant bloodshed should have hardened him, but worship preserved his tenderness while developing toughness.
• Praise and worship kept David’s heart pliable – He strengthened himself in the Lord through songs, preventing the hardness that comes from prolonged exposure to violence and suffering.
• Thanksgiving for all men opens spiritual eyes – 1 Timothy 2:1 commands thanks for everyone, even those we struggle to love; this aligns our heart with God’s universal love.
• Seeing through God’s eyes releases His love and power – Kathryn Kuhlman’s supernatural love for people unlocked the gifts of the Spirit in her ministry.
• David set the Lord always before him through worship – Psalm 16:8 reveals how constant praise kept God in view, making him unshakable yet gentle.

Now that you understand worship’s true meaning, don’t just read about it—enter in. Let humility be your foundation, sacrifice your offering, and intimacy your goal. The Father is seeking you. Will you become the worshipper He’s looking for?

Finally, here is a question we’d love you to answer.

Have you ever wondered why your worship sometimes feels like it hits the ceiling and stops—and what it would take to break through into God’s manifest presence?

We would love to hear from you. Please leave your answer and comment in the comment box below.

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