Worship Leadership

Elisabeth Schneider

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My mom always told me that I started to sing before I could talk. That excitement for music has stayed with me my whole life, along with a passion to cultivate a healthy family.

I attended Excel College from 2020 to 2023 where I received a holistic education that equipped me to collaborate, create, and problem solve not only in a classroom setting, but also in multiple community contexts. My time there challenged me to grow in confidence and leadership by learning to disciple my peers, lead corporate worship, and maintain flexibility in tending to the daily practicalities of life. My hope is to use these skills and insight to develop creativity and flourishing in any community I have the opportunity to be a part of.

The following pages document my experiences and achievements.

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EDUCATION

Excel College, Black Mountain, NC

BA in Religious Studies, Integrated Economy, & Critical Thinking

Emphasis: Worship Leadership

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RELEVANT EXPERIENCE & APPRENTICESHIPS

WORSHIP LEADING APPRENTICESHIP — Excel Creative: January 2022 - April 2023

Weekly mentorship with a seasoned worship leader
Lead worship sets independently; Co-lead worship sets with a band
Discern the flow of the Holy Spirit in the room
Organize setlists, team members, and chord charts using Planning Center Online
Determine what songs are suitable for corporate worship
Write and co-write original music
Record and produce demo of a cover song and an original song
Document experiences and revelations in weekly journal entries (for excerpts see Appendix 1, 2 and 3)

BETHEL MUSIC WORSHIP SCHOOL — Bethel Music: July 2022

Improve vocal health and technique and examine the effects belief has on physiology
Problem solving team and interpersonal relationship conflicts
Writing lyrics that are theologically sound and reflect God’s character with accuracy
Receive tools to cultivate habits that lead to a lifestyle of growth and maturity
Experience different atmosphere of worship

RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY COORDINATOR — Excel College: January 2022 - Present

Cultivate community between 15 young adult women through interpersonal relationships, programming, and events
Organize household functioning by leading and delegating weekly cleaning, house meetings, food organization, etc.
Disciple, challenge, and encourage students to set and attain practical, professional, and personal goals
Communicate home and student needs with Excel College staff, regularly utilizing work management software
Develop and practice leadership skills by means of team meetings and trainings

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INDEPENDENT STUDIES

WORSHIPU — Bethel Music Online Courses: January 2022 - June 2022

Learn biblical worship fundamentals, practical team leading tools, and writing and producing songs
Receive insight and wisdom from experienced worship leaders and other seasoned teachers in ministry

CREATR — Online Courses: July 2022 - September 2022

Learn tools and practices for leading from a place of authenticity
Hone in on personal creative processes
Understand what it looks like to lead from longevity
Collaborate with other songwriters and creatives with confidence
Identify 3 different roles in songwriting

CULTIVATE — Devotional Series: January 2022 - April 2023

Complete all prompts in volumes I and IV
Practice journaling God’s voice
Cultivate rhythms of personal reflection and dialogue with the Lord

HEBREW WORD STUDY — July 2022 - September 2022 — (see Appendix 5)

Identify and define the 7 Hebrew words translated into praise
Compile multiple usages in Scripture
Research the different contexts and uses for each instance

BOOK STUDIES — January 2022 - April 2023

Glean leadership tools and attitudes, creative rhythms, and a greater understanding of music and quality from an assortment of books
Communicate takeaways through essays, reflections, teachings, and discussions

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Excel College

Bachelor Degree in Religious Studies, Integrated Economy, and Critical Thinking

— Description of Excel College’s Degree Program —

By Economy (not Economics), we’re using one of the oldest and original meanings of the term derived from the Greek term oikonomia: stewardship, management of household affairs. Specifically, we are drawing from the theological concept of stewardship, leading to what the Greeks referred to as the Good Life — a virtuous life that fulfills our divinely created human nature. Using this definition of economy, our Bachelor degree has opened a pathway for students to integrate their faith into a customized emphasis.

Not confined to the classroom alone, our students are challenged and encouraged in 5 holistic pursuits (intellectual, spiritual, missional, practical, and professional) to become men and women who excel everywhere — in the classroom, home, church, work, community, and in their lives individually.

During the Practicum phase of Excel College, students continue to develop holistically, while concentrating on an emphasis that interests them personally. With the support and accountability of mentors and coaches, students design a customized learning experience that develops not only one-dimensional skills and experience according to set and relevant outcomes, but virtuous habits that lead them to become honest workers, family members, and citizens. In our model, we let the experts train our students on a basic skills level, while we equip them for a life of holistic flourishing.

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A Reflection on Identity

The first two semesters of my practicum I spent a lot of time pouring a foundation of identity, because it is fundamental to being able to enter into a heart posture of worship. When you don’t know who God is as a Father, and consequently who you are as a daughter or son, you have no reason to want to worship Him or give Him praise. We have to recognize love and own it before we can give it away.

The moment I remember this seed being planted was when I started going through Cultivate: Volume I. In the prompt I was reading, JD Gravitt wrote, “Genuine love and worship for God comes from the overflow of being loved by Him. We can’t give God love when we haven’t first received the love He is giving us.” All worship starts with being rooted in your identity as a beloved child of the king. This love isn’t a shallow kind, it’s the sacrificial kind. Jesus’ love is so great for us that He gave His life so we could have eternal life by knowing Him! If you’ve ever stepped inside a church you’ve heard this message, but it’s so important to not just hear it and know it in your head, but to also let it sink into your heart so you can live out of it. This is all of our identities: we were loved, approved, and paid for before we ever had a conscious thought.

When you use anything else as the foundation of your identity, whether your giftings, skills, or position, you will always be met with disappointment, because you’ll never reach the level of perfection required to earn the title of son or daughter. It must be received as a gift because it’s only possible through the grace of God.

In the past, perfection has paralyzed my ability to grow. I saw my imperfections as shortcomings that needed to be hidden rather than opportunities where I could invite the Holy Spirit in to be my strength. It caused me to keep God at an arm's length because I didn’t trust that His love could fill in the gaps. The revelation that my identity is secured outside of my own actions has opened the door for me to be able to make mistakes which I can then learn from. My Father is innately impressed with me and He’s given me gifts so I can simply enjoy using them with and for Him!

Ultimately, what I’ve learned is that pure worship is the response to accepting His view of me. Owning my identity is what fills up my heart, and all of that overflow is what I get to give back to the Father.

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Bethel Music Worship School

In July of 2022, I had the opportunity to attend Bethel Music Worship School, a week-long intensive where worship leaders from around the world come to further their skills, training, and capacities as both musicians and leaders. While there, I heard seasoned leaders of the Bethel Music Collective, along with other guest speakers, teach on a range of topics from practical tools for leading teams, to theology and lyric writing, to stewarding a lasting relationship with God, and many things in between. The Lord really used this time to secure my calling as a worship leader and what it looks like to be committed to the long run, as well as bring to light some areas of unbelief which I have since been able to uproot and learn from. While it’s difficult to narrow down my many takeaways and revelations, there were three points that have had a significant impact on how I live and lead.

Melissa Helser taught me the first: to mature you must ground yourself through discipline. I went through a bit of a honeymoon phase when I first stepped into the realm of leading worship. At first, all I felt was pure joy and excitement getting to do something that brought me so much life. I thought that it wouldn’t be long before I’d become totally comfortable and adept in this role. There were a few times when reality caught up because imperfections are inevitable and learning how to do a new thing is messy, but overall I was unabashedly enthusiastic about where I was at and the potential for me to grow into a capable leader. However, I overlooked a key element of growth—time. On the second night of worship school, Melissa took the stage to emphasize the importance of maturity, which is reaching a low but stable growth rate. It requires consistency and discipline through the mundane and perseverance in the trials and pruning seasons of life. Growth is the little steps while maturity is commitment to keep walking down a path that necessitates delayed gratification and doing things that won’t be our preference in the moment. This is how to attain sustainability: Say yes to the practices and habits that will benefit you down the road. Melissa gave the example of fig trees which take 10 years to produce fruit, but when they’re pruned properly they can produce for 200 years. Becoming skilled is going to be a hard process in any craft, but it is worth the harvest that will yield in the years to come. I want to lead and mature with longevity in mind by staying faithful in the small things so I’ll be prepared to be faithful in the big things.

I realized another key during my time there through the vocal track taught by Jeff Mathena. He approached building a vocal foundation by reexamining your beliefs first because they affect your physical voice. It’s imperative that we align what we believe about how we were made to function with the truth of God’s design for our bodies. The purpose of practical exercises is to discipline your voice so it can operate the way it was intended to. Jeff also helped shift my perspective on what healthy expectations look like when it comes to how I sound. I used to want my voice to sound like other ones that I had heard, which diluted my idea of improvement down to trying to replicate other singers. However, this idea was challenged with the reminder that God made each of us unique so that we can reflect different aspects of Himself. What brings Him the most joy is when I seek after and discover the specific voice He made for me to express. The goal isn’t to make my voice sound like someone else’s, rather it’s to unlock the full potential of my own. Understanding this with my musical voice paved the way for me to take a hold of the authority I’ve been given in other areas of leadership in my life.

Finally, the last thing I gained from my time at Bethel would be getting to experience a church community that operates out of their spiritual anointings and gifts with total freedom. Coming from a conservative church background, my original impression of Bethel and their charismatic leaning was apprehensive. The Lord changed a lot in my heart before I was able to agree to going to their worship school as a part of my practicum. I’m so thankful He did because what I witnessed was a body of believers confident and full of life. I’ve never been more encouraged and edified. I was given so many words and unlocked my gift of tongues in that atmosphere. It was so clear that they had their strength rooted in God’s character and were able to walk fully in faith. The week of the school also happened to be the week that head pastor, Bill Johnson, lost his wife to her battle with cancer. The whole leadership team, as well as the family, never wavered in their trust in God’s goodness and exhibited incredible vulnerability and hope throughout the entire situation. It blew me away to not only see grief handled in such an honoring and kingdom way, but to also be invited into the process. The fruit of the values they’ve cultivated couldn’t be more apparent.

This trip was one of the highlights of my time in the practicum. I’m still going back to what I learned at Bethel and gleaning wisdom and truth from this experience. Overall, I learned how to stay grounded on the path of maturity, realign my beliefs with God’s truth in a practical way, and was awakened to another depth of the goodness of God and how the Holy Spirit moves. These are lessons that I’ll continue to carry and reap from.

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Writing and Recording Music

Having worked on a handful of songs and musical projects in my teen years, I knew I wanted to spend a portion of the practicum learning to write and record music. Austin and I set one of my outcomes to record and produce a demo of an original song.

The process began by learning from many experienced and successful songwriters through multiple courses from WorshipU and Creatr. I listened to Brandon Lake, Amanda Cook, Jonathan and Melissa Helser, and Brooke Ligertwood describe their creative processes, where they get inspiration from, and how they steward their own lives so the music they create can produce good fruit. They stirred my creativity in both spiritual and practical ways.

I also went through several exercises, given to me by Austin, that challenged me to take some time daily over the course of a month and a half to practice writing about different subjects. This really pushed me to choose to be inspired instead of waiting for inspiration to come my way. Out of that time is when I birthed the song we would eventually record.

Something I highly value is authenticity and giving people the space to go through their wrestles. Unfortunately, I think many Christian songwriters tend to gloss over the struggle and overshadow it with God’s goodness. While I was at Bethel Music’s Worship School, I heard Melissa Helser talk about how God’s goodness doesn’t negate the fact that life is really hard sometimes. Instead of saying, life is hard but God is good, we should be saying, life is hard and God is good. They can both exist at the same time. I don’t want to prematurely push someone into trying to see God’s goodness if they haven’t dealt with the questions, doubts, and pain we’re all certain to experience, because paving over those kinds of seeds, instead of taking the time to uproot them, will result in a mess later down the road.

All that to say, my heart for writing music is to create space for the wrestles that also point in the direction of hope. The best way I know how to do that is to write out of my own experiences, so that’s what I did. Going back to a journal entry, I pulled on pieces of my heart that had doubts about the security of my identity as a beloved daughter. I let the questions compile and put them to a melody. At the time, the Lord was teaching me how freedom is a choice; it’s usually a belief you have to partner with, even if your feelings aren’t corresponding with it. I took that truth and wove it into the bridge of my song, crafting an anthem of true identity. It surprised me that I had finished the whole of a song in the course of several days, but that’s what happens when you learn to discipline yourself. I took what I had and presented it to Austin. He gave me his feedback which I used to reword a few things and write an instrumental melody line on the piano.

A few weeks later, we started the recording process and I learned how to track vocals, acoustic guitar, and piano using a MIDI. Austin worked on building out the rest of the instrumentation before I recorded my final vocals. This was all a totally new experience for me, and while I’m far from being an audio engineer or mixer I was able to get a better understanding of all of the production that goes into finishing a recording. I also learned that I have a lot of room for growth when it comes to being the architect or visionary of a song. I’m more of a detail person, so perfecting lyrics and melodies comes more naturally. Austin is more of a visionary and has a gift for seeing the big picture. He has an ear for all the working parts and he was able to help me figure out what kind of sound I wanted for my song.

Getting to write and share my own music has been a dream of mine since I was child but it was always one I thought would never be realized. At the end of my practicum, during my Capstone Showcase, I had the opportunity to feature our completed demo. I was blown away by the support and excitement I received. There was a common response of relatability which fueled my hunger to continue pursuing this avenue of artistic expression. Cultivating this passion, my hope is to write, record, and release an EP in 2024 centered around encouraging those in the midst of life’s wrestles to press into the questions so they can strengthen their identity and relationship with the Lord on the other side.

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See Appendix 4 for the completed song.

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Appendix 1

Excerpt: Journal of Practicum Experience

Elisabeth Schneider

Marketplace Workmanship III

8 August 2022

Semester Outcomes:

Word Study on 7 Hebrew words for worship/praise
Read Addicted to Mediocrity and complete subsequent assignments
CreatR Courses
Read The Artisan Soul and complete subsequent assignments
Record original song with Austin Smith and continue learning basics of recording
Learn Planning Center Online (Church/Worship Management System)

Journal Prompt Choice: Given the last week of your Practicum, what advice would you have for someone of the next cohort who is looking to pursue an emphasis in the same field as you.

Always take the opportunity to do something that seems scary or is new. Be willing to step out of your comfort zone.

Several weeks ago Austin told me about a small church up the road that was in need of someone to help lead worship for a few Sundays while their worship leader was unable to. I was immediately a little nervous to say yes because it was something I’d never done before, but I was open to the idea. Earlier this week he reminded me of the situation and asked me if I was up for it. This was also when I realized that it would be just me and not the both of us doing it. I was honestly a little scared. I’m not confident when it comes to leading by myself with just a piano or keyboard. It’s a lot to think about at once and I’d only ever done it one time before, and that was with a really small group of people I know well. Doing it alone for a group of strangers was not something that I really wanted to do.

My heart wanted to say yes, to serve this church that had a need I could fill, to do something that I knew would push me, but at the same time there was a lot of fear and insecurity. That’s what I told Austin the Saturday before. He gave me some encouragement and told me I could bring a friend for support. After telling Rebekah the situation and asking her if she would go with me, she also encouraged me and told me a lot of the things I was already thinking. I agreed to do it and figured out a small setlist of familiar songs.

The next morning Rebekah dropped me off early for a sound check where I met Christine, who was the church’s worship leader. She got me set up and comfortable, and then as we started talking I learned that she was battling cancer and about to start chemotherapy. Just talking with her made my “yes” worth it. I could tell she was going through a lot, but she still had so much hope which was spurred by the songs I had chosen for the morning. She was so thankful for me being there and kept the invitation open to come back in the coming weeks if I was available. After just hearing me warm up by playing through a song she told me that I could tell this was something I loved to do, which shocked me because I felt so out of my element in a totally different environment than I’m used to. It was such a lifegiving interaction.

The time came and the service started with Christine introducing me and I did my thing. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t even anything exceptional, but it was what I had and I gave it to the Lord. It taught me that the worship itself isn’t always the point, sometimes it’s the people you meet simply because you took a chance to let the Father lead you along an unfamiliar path.

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Appendix 2

Excerpt: Journal of Practicum Experience

Elisabeth Schneider

Marketplace Fellowship I

14 November 2022

Semester Outcomes:

Continue recording and producing cover and original song with Austin Smith
Learn basics of audio hardware through set up and tear down
Songwriting Exercises and Co-writing Sessions
Read Musicking: The Meanings of Performing and Listening by Christopher Small and complete subsequent assignments
Read The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader by John Maxwell and complete subsequent assignments
Complete first 16 prompts of Cultivate: Vol IV
Facilitate discussion for The Artisan Soul

Journal Prompt Choice: What knowledge, skills, connections and/or experiences have you gained in the last week of your Practicum? Describe and explain.

Wow. My whole life has kind of felt like it’s been in a pressure cooker the past few weeks. From navigating shifts and situations in personal relationships, to schedule changes outside of my control, and even physical tension and stress in my neck and shoulders. To be totally honest, it’s been a really difficult season. I’ve felt like I’ve dropped so many balls, and in that, have picked up a lot of shame. As someone who has struggled with people-pleasing and perfectionism, these past few weeks with curveball after curveball has made me feel like a failure.

I brought some of this up to Austin on Wednesday and we had a conversation about what it really looks like to be a worship leader in every area of your life, not just when you’re leading songs in front of a crowd. He reminded me that though all the assignments can provide knowledge and even revelation, that’s not what this emphasis is about. The long term goal is to learn how to live a full life out of the heart posture of worship—a life where you dedicate deriving your worth from the Father, regardless of the circumstances around you. In the midst of what feels like a storm with wave after wave coming to push me down, I get to choose to keep my focus on the storm or set my eyes on and lean into what the Father has for me in this season. I get to lead worship with my whole life by choosing to lift up thanksgiving to the Lord rather than wallow in whatever hard thing I had to walk through today. I get to live in His new mercies every morning instead of worrying about the troubles of tomorrow.

Though I know the context is different, I’m reminded of 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” This is hard, but not impossible, and the gem that all this pressure is creating is only possible through God’s grace, His divine sufficiency.

Austin’s told me this before, but he also mentioned how he sees my growing exponentially. It’s a little too blurry to see it while I’m in the midst of it, but it is reassuring to know that those who are outside of it are able to see the fruit already. Each day is a choice to either overcome or to be overtaken; there’s no neutrality. I’m committed to grabbing hold of the gift of grace He’s given me in this season.

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Appendix 3

Excerpt: Journal of Practicum Experience

Elisabeth Schneider

Marketplace Stewardship II

20 March 2023

Semester Outcomes:

Finish recording and producing cover and original song with Austin Smith
Songwriting Exercises and Co-writing Sessions
Complete essay on Musicking: The Meanings of Performing and Listening by Christopher Small
Read How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie and complete subsequent assignments
Complete last 16 prompts of Cultivate: Vol IV
Take lead during rehearsals and All Team worship sets
Reorganize Planning Center Online
Creative Capstone

Journal Prompt Choice: What knowledge, skills, connections and/or experiences have you gained in the last week of your Practicum? Describe and explain.

The Lord has just been so gentle and a good friend to me recently.

One of the prompts I did this past week in Cultivate IV was a reminder to slow down and listen to what God is saying at any moment. The art of waiting is not something our culture is well versed in, in fact it doesn’t even seem to be a value for most people. To our busy schedules and constant plans, stopping what we are doing seems like a waste of time. I know I often feel guilt in the slow moments as all the responsibilities and things I should be doing bombard my mind. But this is how we connect with the Father. We can only commune with Him if we’re aware of His presence and what He’s saying. It takes practice and intentionality, and the consistency, even if it’s only for a few minutes, will grow into a habit which grows into a lifestyle.

A few days after reading this prompt I sat down at the dining table to eat some food and noticed that a pack of colored pencils and several sheets of paper had been left there. After finishing my meal, I grabbed the primary colors and began sketching. I marked three overlapping spheres and slowly began building their color. Layering is a tedious and time consuming process and after several minutes the guilt began to creep in that there was something more important I could be spending my time on instead of coloring on a piece of paper that would most likely end up in the trash. I almost put the pencils away but something in my spirit whispered “no.” Recognizing that I was about to listen to a voice of condemnation and give up a small thing that was creating beauty and joy, I resolved to keep going, asking the Father what He wanted to teach me through this. He reminded me of a repeating theme He’s been showing me of going deeper; there’s more layers to dive into. I could’ve been satisfied with just two or three rounds of building color, but I knew if I spent the time and pressed in, I would be able to add more depth and create something more vibrant. The potential was always there but wouldn’t have been realized if I had deemed it “good enough.”

There’s more to be unpacked there, but it was just touching to me how the simple discipline of being still and steering your thoughts toward heaven can turn a seemingly ordinary or even childish moment into an interaction with the Creator of the world. He’s always speaking, it’s just a matter of if we’re listening or not.

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Appendix 4

Chords and Lyrics to Original Song

Faith to Fathom

Written by Elisabeth Schneider

Original Key: G │ BPM: 112 │ Time: 4/4

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Verse 1:

6m 4 1

Can I assure my heart that my feelings don’t know it all?

6m 4 1

And can I teach my mind that my thoughts aren’t always yours?

6m 4 1

I know I won’t be perfect but I’ve still set it as my goal

6m 4 1

My soul is not convinced that you call me your Holy One

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Chorus:

6m 4 1 5

Sometimes believing that you love me is harder than believing that you raised the dead

6m 4 1 5

And I’m cornered by emotions that seem bigger than the person who I’m told I am

6m 4 1 5

Is it true that your view is higher than mine?

6m 4 1

I need faith for me to fathom you willingly paid my price

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Verse 2:

6m 4 1

How can I comprehend that your love isn’t earned?

6m 4 1

Denial storms my mind when you give what I don’t deserve

6m 4 1

There’s a head to heart detachment, thoughts alone won’t heal what’s hurt

6m 4 1

Only trust can bridge the gap between truth and what I’ve inferred

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Bridge:

4 1 6m 5

But the smile of my Father defines me, it’s your voice that gives me life

6m 4 1 5

In the midst of confusion I choose to agree that I’m a daughter in your sight

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Final Chorus:

6m 4 1 5

So when believing that you love me is harder than believing that you raised the dead

6m 4 1 5

And I’m cornered by emotions that seem bigger than the person who I know I am

6m 4 1 5

It’s still true that your view is higher than mine

6m 4 1

I need faith for me to fathom you willingly paid my price

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Appendix 5

Hebrew Word Study

The 7 Hebrew Words for Praise

Praise is a physical act and extremely demonstrative. Biblical evidence suggests that it’s not often stoic and serious in the way most people have encountered it in American churches. The different meanings of praise are meant to create a lifestyle of praise with different responses to the goodness of God. It’s an invitation to rave and boast, or bless and kneel, or lift your hands up, or sing and make music. The door to freedom is opened when we choose to be aware of how we praise Him. There’s different responses to celebrate who He is, what He’s done, and what He’ll do in the future.

Yadah or yada (yaw-daw) - To extend or shoot out the hand, connected to surrender, exchange, and thanksgiving. Like a child lifting up their hands to their parent. This praise comes from knowing who He is. It’s often used in the context of choosing to praise the good and just character of God in the midst of adversity, and shifting the perspective from defeat and oppression to hope in the Lord who is our rescuer and strength (Psalm 43 demonstrates this perspective change beautifully).

Genesis 29:35 “And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘Now I will praise the LORD.’ Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing.”

Leah names Judah, which is the first use of “praise” in the Bible. There’s a childlikeness and birth that comes from it.

Psalm 7:17 “I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness, And will sing praise (zamar) to the name of the LORD Most High.”

In this psalm, David is praising the Lord for His just character when it comes to judging the wicked. David sees and knows who the Lord is, and that’s why his praise here is yadah.

Psalm 9:1 “I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.”

Yadah is praising Him with your whole heart from knowing what He’s done.

Psalm 28:7 “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.”

Both this psalm and Psalm 9 are praising the Lord for caring for the oppressed while they’re facing the deeds of the wicked. This yadah praise is coming out of a heart posture of surrendering to the just timing of the Lord and thanking Him for being a refuge for the righteous.

Psalm 43:4-5 “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”

This short psalm exhibits how yadah is the perspective shifting kind of praise. In verse 2, David asks why he’s mourning his oppression, and then in the next verse, cries out for God’s light and truth to be the things leading him. He falls back on his knowledge and experiences of who God has been to him and chooses to give his attention to praising Him, instead of focusing on his trials.

Psalm 54:6 “I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it is good.”

Once again, it’s a chosen action to praise God because of His goodness in the midst of hardship.

Psalm 67:3 “Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.” (These exact lines are repeated in verse 5)

This psalm is praising the Lord for His righteousness.

Psalm 100:4 “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving (towdah), and into His courts with praise (tehillah). Be thankful to Him, and bless (barak) His name.”

See my translation of Psalm 100 below.

Psalm 109:30 “I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.”

Once again, the decision to exchange fear of man for trust in the Lord’s faithful righteousness.

Psalm 118:29 “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

Yadah is used four other times throughout this psalm, all in the context of exalting His goodness over the depravity of man.

Towdah or toda (toe-dah) - Stems from yadah. Also means to extend the hand, but specifically in adoration or thanksgiving. It can be confession—aligning with the truth. Thanking God for his future faithfulness and things not yet received. Is also used in the context of a thanksgiving offering.

Psalm 26:7 “That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works.”

This is David’s petition to the Lord for vindication and to be seen as separate from the unrighteous. This is a good example of how towdah is in the context of thanking Him for things yet to come.

Psalm 42:4 “When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.”

This seems to be a reminder of having a previous heart posture of praise, a helpful thing to revive within your soul when you’re in distress like this author is. This is a contemplation and prompting to hold onto the hope you once had so you can look for God’s faithfulness now.

Psalm 50:14 “Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.”

This is said in the context of God wanting the praises and hearts of His people rather than burnt offerings. All of the tangible things of the earth are already His, so He wants what only each individual can give Him: their adoration from their own hearts.

Psalm 50:23 “Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.”

This echoes the previous example and also adds that our praise should precede and produce attitudes and behavior that reflect a heart posture of sacrifice.

Psalm 56:12-13 “Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God; I will render praises to You, for You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?”

David wrote this psalm after being captured by the Philistines. After crying out for the Lord to take down his enemies he commits to keeping his trust in the Lord and thanks Him for keeping him alive, even though he isn’t free yet.

Psalm 95:2 “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.”

This isn’t the first time scripture prompts us to come into his presence with thanksgiving, specifically towdah. Confession and reminding ourselves of who He is and has been is necessary to be able to see Him rightly.

Psalm 100:4 “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise (tehillah). Be thankful (yadah) to Him, and bless (barak) His name.”

A psalm of towdah. Praise for the Lord’s faithfulness to His people. See my translation of Psalm 100 below.

Psalm 116:17 “I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.”

This is in the context of offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord for being saved from death.

Psalm 147:7 “Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praises (zamar) on the harp to our God.”

This verse is followed with extolling the Lord for sustaining the earth and all that’s in it. It’s thanking Him for his enduring faithfulness.

Jeremiah 30:19 “Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of those who make merry; I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.”

This passage prophesies the restoration of Judah and not only speaks of how there will be great thanksgiving to come, but I also see it encouraging the original reader to express it even then.

Barak (buh-ra[ck]) - To kneel down, to bless God as an act of adoration, to salute, to give honor. It’s often an act of recognition of a victory won or a response to a good work or deed.

Judges 5:2 “Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.” (KJV)

This is the beginning of Deborah’s song after Sisera and his army was defeated, as well as Jabin the king of Canaan. Here, she’s giving credit to the Lord, because He’s the one that revealed to her that it was time to come against their oppressors.

1 Samuel 8:10 “Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass.”

Here we see the word combined with a gift of thankfulness. We can barak others for their deeds.

Psalm 5:12 “For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.”

It’s pretty incredible that the Lord will bless the righteous the same way we are to bless Him. He recognizes those who seek Him.

Psalm 72:15 “And He shall live; and the gold of Sheba will be given to Him; prayer also will be made for Him continually, and daily He shall be praised.”

This is a psalm about the Messiah’s future reign, and this line describes how His just and flourishing rule will be honored and recognized daily.

Psalm 95:6 “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.”

This psalm begins with a call to worship and praise the Lord (words like towdah and zamar are used), but it’s not until after 3 verses that describe His great power and how He made the earth that barak is used. It’s a kind of praise that is attached to a great character or act.

Psalm 96:2 “Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.”

This psalm is a call to declare the Lord’s glory and His wonders because He is the creator of the earth. It’s honoring His role as maker over any other gods.

Psalm 103:2 “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”

This psalm begins and ends with charges to barak the Lord, and is a proclamation of His great mercy that should be recognized.

Psalm 106:48 “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ Praise (hallal) the LORD!”

This moves me whenever I read it because of how exceedingly merciful our God is. His chosen people forgot how He was their salvation to the point that they were sacrificing their own children to demons and idols (verses 37 and 38), yet He remembered His covenant and chose to lavish His grace on them. His loyal love is absolutely something we should fall on our knees for and honor.

Psalm 115:12-13 “The LORD has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless those who fear the LORD, both small and great.”

This psalm contrasts the dead nature of false gods and idols with the living power of the Lord. These verses are a reminder that He sees those who put their trust in Him and honors their faithfulness.

Psalm 134 “A Song of Ascents. Behold, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who by night stand in the house of the LORD! ²Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the LORD. ³The LORD who made heaven and earth bless you from Zion!”

This is a short psalm that is calling what I presume to be the Levites to not stand idle as they guard the sanctuary at night, but to use the time to honor and praise the Lord for what He’s done.

Shabach or sabah (sha-ba[h]ck) - To address in a loud tone, to shout, to roar. To commend, glory, triumph, or boast in. Expelling all your energy to acknowledge who He is. This is the least used translation of praise.

1 Chronicles 16:35 “And say, ‘Save us, O God of our salvation; gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles, to give thanks (yadah) to Your holy name, to triumph (or glory) in Your praise (tehillah).’”

This is the end of David’s psalm of declaration after bringing home the Ark of the Covenant. He compels Judah to yadah, zamar, and hallal the Lord before recounting the covenant He made with Abraham and His great mercy that allowed Him to keep it. He rightfully ends with a call to glory in God’s victory over evil.

Psalm 63:3 “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.”

Shout out how good His loyal love is! It will give you hope like it did for David when he was in the wilderness writing this psalm.

Psalm 106:47 “Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the Gentiles, to give thanks (yadah) to Your holy name, to triumph in Your praise (tehillah).”

The Lord's great mercy and faithfulness to His faithless people is something to shout about!

Psalm 117:1 “Praise (hallal) the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!”

This two-verse-long psalm is prophetic as it calls all people to praise and glory in the Lord, including the Gentiles. It is a great triumph that both Jews and non-Jews are now able to know and praise the Lord on a personal level!

Psalm 145:4 “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.”

Woah. This psalm is all about God’ great character and great deeds. It’s so amazing here that we are to literally shout what God’s done to the next generation! Don’t let what He’s done be forgotten!

Psalm 147:12 “Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise (hallal) your God, O Zion!”

This verse is in the middle of a psalm that lists the Lord’s character and how He’s blessed His people. From healing the broken hearted to knowing the number of every star, all that He’s done is worthy of shouting and raving about!

Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 “Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, but they have no comforter—On the side of their oppressors there is power, but they have no comforter. Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead, more than the living who are still alive. Yet, better than both is he who has never existed, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.”

Here, the word is used in a different context where the author of Ecclesiastes considers that it’s better to be dead than alive in the context of having to work for your oppressors when they will gain from your labor and you will receive no comfort.

Ecclesiastes 8:15 “So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.”

This is said in the context that death will come to the wicked and the righteous, as well as there will always be some tension or conflict between them, so the author is praising those who enjoy what time they can while on earth.

These are all the examples in the Bible where shabach is used as praise or commend, however there are a few other examples in Psalms and Proverbs where it’s used as to still or to keep (Psalm 65:7, 89:9 and Proverbs 29:11).

Tehillah or tehilla (teh-hee-law) - Stems from hallal. A song or hymn of praise, spurred by qualities, deeds, or acts of God. Public praise of one to be gloried. Your spirit’s spontaneous song; a raw expression of the heart. Tehillah is often attached to a person, as it can also mean the noun of fame, glory, or renown. It comes from a specific person/people, and/or is directed at a specific person. Often used with the idea of having praise in your mouth. This praise is personal.

Psalm 22:3 “But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.”

It’s interesting to note that it’s the heart praise of singing out that the Lord actually sits on, dwells in, and inhabits. When we come together to corporately sing, he abides in our songs about Him!

Psalm 35:28 “And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.”

This is the last verse of a psalm where David is asking the Lord to avenge and vindicate him from his oppressors. His hope is driven by God’s known righteousness, so he will keep it on his lips.

Psalm 48:10 “According to Your name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness.”

This psalm is really just marveling at the fact that God’s presence would dwell in Zion. This verse follows one that speaks of His lovingkindness and goes into delight that their God is known for His righteousness.

Psalm 51:15 “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise.”

This verse is found in the psalm David wrote as repentance after sleeping with Bathsheba. There’s a lot to unpack, but it seems as though David is trusting that God will remain faithful to His character and forgive him of the great wrong he did.

Psalm 66:2 “Sing out (zamar) the honor of His name; make His praise glorious.”

This psalm’s focus is God’s awesome works, so it begins with a call to make the songs about His deed glorious to reflect His glory.

Psalm 78:4 “We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.”

This verse reminds me of the use of Shabach in Psalm 145 where there’s a call to pass the glorious works to the next generation. This psalm goes on to say how the testimonies that God gave to Jacob and his descendants as the Lord rescued them from Egypt are actually to never be forgotten because they’re how the new generations will know Him. They will put their hope in Him after hearing of His renown.

Psalm 100:4 “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving (towdah), and into His courts with praise. Be thankful (yadah) to Him, and bless (barak) His name.”

See my translation of Psalm 100 below.

Psalm 145:21 “My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD, and all flesh shall bless (barak) His holy name forever and ever.”

This psalm is really all about the Lord’s tehillah (it’s actually titled “A Tehillah of David) and recounts His great mercy and lovingkindness. This last verse is David’s declaration to keep His praise and fame always on his lips.

Psalm 147:1 “Praise (hallal) the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to (zamar) our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.”

The public act of singing of God’s glory is a beautiful thing!

Isaiah 61:3 “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

This chapter in Isaiah is one that Jesus will eventually read the beginning of in the synagogue (Luke 4) as a declaration that He is the Messiah. This verse is so beautiful though because it reveals that singing of God’s glory out of your heart is actually a garment you get to wear and carry with you rather than a spirit of heaviness. It’s a tool to keep you from living hopelessness.

Jeremiah 17:14 “Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for You are my praise.”

Jeremiah is appealing to God’s power. He knows that the Lord is his source of deliverance so he puts Him in the position of his hope.

Zamar (zaw-mare) - To sing or make music. To strike with the hand. To pluck the strings of a musical instrument or play on a reed. To make music, accompanied by the voice, to celebrate with instruments. It’s quite significant that there’s a specific word for the kind of musical praise. It means that when praise is used in the Bible, there’s not always a musical aspect to it. This expands what it means to praise the Lord and makes space for anyone, not just those that are musically inclined, to give their praise.

Judges 5:3 “Hear, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, even I, will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.”

This is the opening to Deborah’s song of victory after Jabin, king of Canaan was defeated. The use of zamar here indicates the use of instruments to accompany her song.

1 Chronicles 16:9 “Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; talk of all His wondrous works!

I interpret this verse as David charging Israel to write songs of remembrance. Music is a way to keep track of history and story tell.

Psalm 7:17 “I will praise (yadah) the LORD according to His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.”

This is the last line of a song that David sang to commend the Lord for His righteousness and justice towards the wicked.

Psalm 21:13 “Be exalted, O LORD, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power.”

This psalm is praising God’s steadfast salvation and protection from those who come against His people and king. Sing of His power!

Psalm 30:11-12 “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You (yadah) forever.”

The theme of this psalm is that there may be dark days and hard times, but in the end the Lord is always victorious and the light will shine through. Here, David can’t help but sing of this great transformation.

Psalm 33:2 “Praise (yadah) the LORD with the harp; make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.”

In this psalm, God’s sovereignty is celebrated with music.

Psalm 47:6-7 “Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding.”

This psalm is about loudly voicing the rulership of God over all the earth. This verse is the middle and feels almost like a climax, especially with the repeated emphasis on lifting the name of God with music.

Psalm 66:4 “‘All the earth shall worship You and sing praises to You; they shall sing praises to Your name.’ Selah.”

The Lord’s power and great works will cause the whole earth to sing Him melodies of praise.

Psalm 98:4-5 “Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. Sing to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of a psalm…”

This psalm is a call for the whole earth, both people and creation, to make their own music to exalt the Lord’s righteousness and salvation.

Psalm 135:3 “Praise (hallal) the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant.”

Our melodies are a sweet sound to the Lord!

Psalm 147:1 “Praise (hallal) the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise (tehillah) is beautiful.” (Also verse 7: “Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praises on the harp to our God…”)

Raise music to the good Creator who pays mind and takes care of all His creation.

Hallal or halal (huh-laol) - To excessively boast in, to shine, to make a show, to be clamorously foolish, to rave, to celebrate. Think of being undignified before the Lord. This is often used in the context of recounting the past great deeds of the Lord and boasting in them and His great character. One generation’s hallaling benefits the next. (The most used translation of praise)

2 Samuel 22:4 “I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.”

This is part of David’s song he proclaimed after the Lord delivered him from Saul. In this verse, it’s notable that he mentions God’s worthiness to be boasted in before being saved from his enemies. David’s worship wasn’t dependent upon his circumstances.

1 Chronicles 16:10 “Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!”

This psalm was penned by David after the Ark of the Covenant was returned to the tabernacle. He urges the people of Judah to sing and proclaim his great deeds. Hallal is celebrating testimony of God’s good works.

Psalm 22:22 “I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You.”

The context of this psalm makes this declaration BOLD. In the first two thirds David expresses how worn and forsaken he feels in his present circumstances and is facing ridicule from those around him. Yet, he chooses to publicly affirm the goodness of God despite his seemingly conflicting state of affairs.

Psalm 44:8 “In God we boast all day long, and praise (yadah) Your name forever. Selah.”

Again, hallal here is used in the context of celebrating the Lord’s past victories and inspiring trust in His mighty works.

Psalm 102:18 “This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.”

This psalm begins with man’s affliction until the author shifts the subject to God’s great character (followed by this verse). He goes on to rave about the Lord’s mercy and kindness and how He hears the prayers of the oppressed. The purpose is mentioned here, that those who read it in the future will hallal the Lord! This is a kind of stone of remembrance to strengthen the next generation.

Psalm 106:1 “Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” (Bonus: this Psalm also ends with hallal. Psalm 106:48 “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ Praise the LORD!”

This psalm is framed with the use of hallal at the beginning and end. The middle contrasts Israel’s stunning abandonment of God in the wilderness with His relentless faithfulness despite their desertion. This kind of unconditional steadfastness is what makes the Lord someone to rave about!

Psalm 113:1-3 “Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD! Blessed (barak) be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its going down the LORD’s name is to be praised.”

Our hallaling of the Lord is to never cease!

Psalm 119:164 “Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments.”

David took worshiping the Lord seriously, and here we see how praise is an act of discipline. (It’s also interesting that David praised the Lord seven times a day and there’s 7 Hebrew words translated to praise.)

Psalm 145:3 “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.”

“Unsearchable” here means to be so numerous you cannot search or find it all. We get to abundantly boast in a God who’s greatness exceeds our ability to comprehend!

Psalm 147:1 “Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to (zamar) our God; for it is pleasant, and praise (tehillah) is beautiful.”

This psalm also ends with a petition to hallal the Lord. Its purpose is to spotlight His word and kindness in how he protects and pays attention to every detail.