When sin changed all of that, I can also imagine that the worship after the Fall was similarly the recitation of the promise of God, in particular the promise of the One who was to come who would have His heal bruised but who would crush the serpent's head. There was no Temple of the Tree of Life where this took place that but that does not mean that the worship which they had known was entirely forgotten. The words of warning and promise were replaced by the words of promise that the son of the woman would become their redeemer.
Later, after the giving of the Law, Israel gathered still around the Word of the Lord. The words of the Law were repeated ritually in the same way the warning issued in the Garden was repeated while still in Eden. And, of course, after the fulfillment of that promise in the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ, the words of the Lord continues to be repeated in worship, telling again the story of Him who died and rose never to die again. It is something to ponder.
Of course, Norman Nagel already knew that long before I ever did and it came from him. Saying back to God what He has first said to us we repeat what is most certain and true and this is the shape of worship. Still. Worship is not telling God what we think or feel but repeating back to Him what He has said, words which are borne from faith in His Word. In this way we own the promises and so demonstrate that we are His and do not belong to the world but to Him.
The form of the Mass is really an outline of words of God set in paraphrase or literally from the Scriptures in speech or song. The Divine Service is and should be almost completely made up of God's Word in our mouths, saying back to Him what He has first said to us. That is not to say this is the sole content of worship but it always was and always will be the primary content of worship (this side of glory, anyway). By the way, that also includes the visible Word of the Sacraments. They are not reenactments of anything but the anamnesis or remembrance which He has commanded in which His Word is attached to baptismal water, bread, and wine. These are not dramas or play acting but doing what the Word tells us to do and so are just like repeating what He has said. God is glorified. Even better, we are served with His grace and gifts. Thanks be to God!
