True Praise and Worship

What is the Difference between Praise and Worship? 

I found the following explanation in this article, What is the Difference Between Praise and Worship? by Michael S. Houdmann.

"Praise is the joyful recounting of all God has done for us. It is closely intertwined with thanksgiving as we offer back to God appreciation for his mighty works on our behalf. 

Praise is universal and can be applied to other relationships as well. We can praise our family, friends, boss or paperboy. Praise does not require anything of us. It is merely the truthful acknowledgment of the righteous acts of another. Since God has done many wonderful deeds He is worthy of praise (Psalm 18:3).

Worship however comes from a different place within our spirits. Worship should be reserved for God alone (Luke 4:8). Worship is the art of losing one's self in the adoration of another. Praise can be a part of worship but worship goes beyond praise. 

Praise is easy; worship is not. Worship gets to the heart of who we are. To truly worship God, we must let go of our self-worship. We must be willing to humble ourselves before God, surrender every part of our lives to His control, and adore Him for who He is, not just what He has done. Worship is a lifestyle, not just an occasional activity. Jesus said the Father is seeking those who will worship Him "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23).

In scripture praise is usually presented as boisterous joyful and uninhibited. God invites praise of all kinds from His creation. When the Bible mentions worship however the tone changes. Often worship is coupled with the act of bowing or kneeling which shows humility and contrition (2 Chronicles 29:28; Hebrews 11:21; Revelation 19:10). It is through true worship that we invite the Holy Spirit to speak to us, convict us and comfort us. Through worship we realign our priorities with God and acknowledge him once more as the rightful Lord of our lives.

Just as praise is intertwined with thanksgiving, worship is intertwined with surrender. It is impossible to worship God and anything else at the same time. Wise worship leaders know how to structure a worship service to allow participants to both praise and worship the Lord. Often services begin with joyous praise songs and transition to a quieter, more introspective opportunity for worship.

Worship is an attitude of the heart. A person can go through the outward motions and not be worshiping. God sees the heart and He desires and deserves sincere, heartfelt praise and worship."


The reason I searched for this article is because these questions have been on my heart:

How often do you hear Jesus' name in your praise and worship? 
How often is Jesus exalted, instead of only  "feeling Him near us" or "being thankful for the beautiful things around us to enjoy" or "how WE feel" or "WE are with Him"? 
When is our praise and worship glorifying and worshiping Him, acknowledging His holiness and focusing on Him and not us?

Is our contemporary worship directed more at being popular with people? 
Is there a push to get more people to come to church by making the music more enjoyable? 
Are we truly worshiping Jesus or are we just enjoying a performance?

I believe true worship prepares our hearts and spirit to really listen to God and to receive from Him.