Is it OK to clap hands during the worship to God?

1. Hand Clapping
Trending Today –
Hand Clapping in Worship
What does the Bible teach?

2. Trending Today

With each decade there are things that lose
popularity / others that become popular

More and more congregations are including
applause into the worship

After a baptism

After a sermon

When a guest speaker is introduced

During a song – with the tempo of the music

Does the Bible approve?

3. Psalm 47:1

Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to
God with the voice of triumph!

Clap – 6 times in the Old Testament

None in the New Testament

3 times – in bad sense – clap and hiss at evil

2 times – figurative – water and trees clap

4. Psalm 47:1

Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to
God with the voice of triumph!

Notice that this verse also says “Shout”

And vs. 5 - God has gone up with a shout, The
Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

Vs. 5 includes “a shout” and “the sound of a
trumpet.”

Adam Clarke suggests that this psalm says all
(Jew and Gentile) should magnify God.

5. Terms

Applause, Clap hands

Approval

Accompaniment with music

Worship

To show reverence, deep respect, attribute worth to
God

Worship must always be toward God

6. Terms

God Prescribed Worship

What – sing, pray, communion, study, give

When – Sunday, Lord's day, 1st day of week

Why – God is worthy of our praise

How – As commanded in the New Testament

John 4:23-24 23 But the hour is coming, and
now is, when the true worshipers will worship
the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is
seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit,
and those who worship Him must worship in
spirit and truth."

7. Arguments for Hand Clapping

It is a matter of
culture

8. Arguments for Hand Clapping

It is a matter of
culture

What would it
hurt?

9. Arguments for Hand Clapping

It is a matter of
culture

What would it hurt?

Unavoidable
celebration

10. Arguments for Hand Clapping

It is a matter of
culture

What would it hurt?

Unavoidable
celebration

It is not
instrumental
music

11. Arguments for Hand Clapping

It is a matter of 
It is OK in the
culture
OT

What would it hurt?

Unavoidable
celebration

It is not instrumental
music

12. Arguments for Hand Clapping

It is a matter of 
It is OK in the OT
culture 
The same as

What would it hurt?
saying, “Amen”

Unavoidable
celebration

It is not instrumental
music

13. Arguments for Hand Clapping

It is a matter of 
It is OK in the OT
culture 
The same as saying,

What would it hurt? “Amen”

Unavoidable 
It is not
celebration
forbidden

It is not instrumental
music

14. Arguments for Hand Clapping

It is a matter of 
It is OK in the OT
culture 
The same as saying,

What would it hurt? “Amen”

Unavoidable 
It is not forbidden
celebration 
It is appropriate

It is not instrumental
music
at a baptism

15. Conclusions

Hand clapping is not Biblical for New
Testament Christians

Worship must be directed toward God

Worship is not about men,

Worship should not honor men

Most of the arguments for hand clapping are
the same arguments made to add instrumental
music to the worship