Prostrate—Reverent and Relaxed Praise

2 P&P Blog for 8 - 14 March 2025

I loved finding Tilly on the stairs, just so. If you look closely, her front paw is touching the edge of the carpet, and her tail is touching the opposite edge of the step. She is wholly sprawled out over the entire expanse. She sure looks relaxed, doesn’t she? You could say she is lying prostrate, so complete is her respite.  

Tiger Lily - reclining prostrate on the stairs

To lie prostrate in the Bible means to bow down, to fall on your face, to pay homage, or to worship God with your whole being. So let’s look at a few places in Scripture where the Lord was revered and honored in these ways. 

I Chronicles  29:20 (NASB) tells us, “Then David said to all the assembly, 'Now bless the Lord your God.’ And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed low and did homage to the Lord and to the king.”

King David encourages the people—to bless the Lord—give Him praise and exult His name at the offerings given for the building of the Temple. 

Psalm 95:6 (ESV) “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!”

Here, all of mankind is given the invitation and the instruction to bring our worship, adoration, and praise to the Lord. 

Matthew 2:11 (THNT) says, “And coming into the house, they found the infant with Mary his mother, and falling prostrate, they paid their homage to him. And opening their treasures, they made their offerings to him, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”

As a Babe, Jesus was worshiped by the Wisemen who followed the star and traveled to His birthplace to bring gifts and their acts of love to the Christ-child.

Matthew 26:39 (AMP): “And after going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible [that is, consistent with Your will], let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.’” 

Here, Jesus Himself bows before the Father in order to surrender His life and His Will to God’s ultimate purpose. 

Revelation 7:11-12 (NLT) gives us an image of a future day’s praise: “And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. 12 They sang, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.’”

What a blessing to be a witness and part of heaven’s praise, to fall on our faces with love and adoration. Can you imagine the sound of heaven’s celestial beings proclaiming Christ as King? 

In my mind, I like to picture scenes like this—where revering God meets being as comfortable and relaxed as Tilly with our Savior and Abba Daddy. Here, we’ll undoubtedly fall on our faces—lie prostrate before Him—but we’ll also be met with His arms wide open, His eternal company, and no more pain or tears. Maybe that’s why today, I love sitting at His feet, reading His Word, drawing near—to experience a little of that bliss. Every moment we invest in study, prayer, and worship brings us into closer fellowship with Jesus. It also brings us a greater understanding and obedience to God’s Will. And it fills us with gratitude, which propels our hearts to praise Him daily! 

To lie prostrate—means taking the action of bowing, giving God reverence and praise, and exulting Him. What do we gain? Peace and the pleasure of His company—today and eternally. 

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