Our second Hebrew word for worship is Strong's Number H6087.
It is a verb that is used to mean grieve (10x), displeased (1x), hurt (1x), made (1x), sorry (1x), vexed (1x), worship (1x), wrest (1x).
Overall, this word means to hurt, to be in pain, be pained, be grieved, to vex, to torture, to cause pain, to feel grieved, be vexed. Yet it can also mean to shape, fashion, make, form, stretch into shape, or worship.
Out of the 17 times this word is used in the Old Testament, it is only translated as worship 1 time: Jeremiah 44:19. Furthermore, that one time describes worshipping the queen of heaven, not God.
So our second worship word has more negative connotations. There aren't any positive examples or descriptions to emulate.
In the wider context of Jeremiah 44:15-19, the people are rejecting what Jeremiah said to them. They are choosing to burn incense and pour out drink offerings, and make cakes to worship the queen of heaven. They think turning away from the queen of heaven has brought disaster on them.
The commentary by David Guzik sends some additional light here. He notes that the women played a large part in worshipping the queen of heaven and other idols. The women noted that they acted with their husbands' permission. It's unclear if the husbands commanded their idolatry or permitted it, but they could have chosen to follow God and his commands instead of their husbands into sin and idolatry.
In churches today, we view worship as a positive activity, but the definitions of this of this word gets me thinking about how our actions might grieve the Holy Spirit. When we worship the wrong thing or person, worship becomes a negative thing that vexes God.
Challenge of the Week:
Take some time to consider how your actions, allegiances, and attitudes might be displeasing to the Holy Spirit.
Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of your life that grieve or vex God.
Consider how you might rid yourselves of these hinderances.
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