A long worshipping obedience in the same direction...

Worship is more than music, but worship in song is a biblical and integral part of private, family and corporate worship.  While the songs we sing should primarily be seen as an offering which we lift up to God (not to commend ourselves to him but to glorify him and magnify all he is and does for us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit), there are other ways worship works in the Church.  One such way is that biblically faithful and theologically rich worship helps us to hide God's Word and doctrinal truths in our hearts.  It should not surprise us that Godward worship sincerely, reverently and joyfully offered would be a blessing to the worshipper as well.  Worship is a conversation between God and his people, after all.  We speak to God in our songs and prayers, we speak to each other also in Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, and God speaks to us through the Scriptures read, sung and faithfully preached.  What is more, as we do this together as the church, we grow not only closer to God but to each other.

Matthew Westerholm at Desiring God has some good thoughts about the common and misdirected desire for immediate and emotionally powerful effects of and responses to worship music.  He advocates trading this mindset for a longer, steadier, more "ordinary" vision of the transformative power of worship for God's people.  His reflection is not only for worship leaders but for every Christian and every church.  It can be found here.