O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
Psalms 95 is a powerful psalm that combines a joyous call to worship with a solemn warning against the dangers of disobedience. Often categorized as an "enthronement" psalm, it emphasizes God's sovereign rule over all creation, echoing similar themes found in Psalms 24, 27, 93, and 96-99. These psalms anticipate a time when the Lord God will reign over the entire world, a perspective that often points towards the future millennial reign of the Messiah, Jesus (Revelation 20:4). This psalm also carries significant weight in the New Testament, as its latter portion is quoted in Hebrews (Hebrews 3:7-11, 15; 4:3-7), adding further depth to its meaning. Let's delve into the richness of this chapter.
A Joyful Summons to Praise (Psalms 95:1-5)
The psalm opens with an enthusiastic invitation: "Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation!" (Psalms 95:1). This isn't a quiet, reserved suggestion; it's a boisterous, communal call to celebrate God. Our praise, as Tony Evans points out, is rooted in God's power to save us.
The psalmist urges us to approach God with thanksgiving, bringing the gift of our gratitude (Psalms 95:2). This gratitude should stem from a deep recognition of who God is, what He has already accomplished, and what we trust Him to do in the future. In the ancient world, subjects would bring gifts when entering the presence of their king. When we enter our King’s presence, thanksgiving is our appropriate offering.
Why such exuberant praise? Because "the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods" (Psalms 95:3). This doesn't imply the existence of other real deities. Rather, it underscores the incomparable supremacy of the God of Israel. The "other gods" of false religions are mere figments of imagination (Deuteronomy 4:35; Isaiah 45:21; John 1:1–2). He alone is the true God, the one who "made the mountains; the sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land" (Psalms 95:4-5). Everything that exists owes its creation to Him. He alone forms, sustains, and rules over all creation.
Worship and Obedience (Psalms 95:6-7a)
The call to worship continues, but now with a shift in focus: "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand" (Psalms 95:6-7a).
Here, the psalmist highlights God's role not only as Creator but also as our guiding Shepherd. This echoes the familiar themes explored by David in Psalms 23:1-3. Jesus, too, used shepherding imagery to describe His relationship with His followers (John 10:7-9, 11, 14, 16). As sheep, we are wise to follow the Shepherd's lead, trusting in His provision and guidance.
A Warning from the Past (Psalms 95:7b-11)
The tone shifts dramatically in the latter half of the psalm. The psalmist issues a stark warning: "Today, if you will hear His voice: Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness" (Psalms 95:7b-8).
This warning draws on the historical example of Israel's rebellion in the wilderness. Despite witnessing God's miraculous interventions, including the plagues in Egypt (Exodus 3:20; 12:41), the parting of the Red Sea, and the provision of manna and water (Exodus 15:22–26; 16:2–3, 12–14; 17:1–7), the Israelites repeatedly doubted and disobeyed God. In one infamous incident, they complained of thirst, ignoring all the wonders they had already witnessed. Later, they refused to enter the Promised Land as God had commanded (Numbers 14:1-4).
The consequences were severe. The Lord barred that generation from entering Canaan, forcing them to wander in the wilderness for forty years until the next generation was ready to move forward (Numbers 14:28-32). The psalmist reminds us that God said, "For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, 'It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways.' So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest'" (Psalms 95:10-11).
The book of Hebrews uses this very passage to warn believers against a similar fate (Hebrews 3:7-11, 15; 4:3-7). Trusting faith is demonstrated through obedience. Fear and stubbornness hinder us from experiencing the "rest" of fulfilling God's plans for our lives. Resisting His will can lead to a loss of rewards or the painful consequences of our own mistakes.
Psalms 95 is a timeless reminder that worship is more than just singing praises. It's about a heart fully surrendered to God, trusting in His goodness and obeying His commands. Let us heed the warning of the past, lest we too forfeit the "rest" that God has promised to those who walk in faith and obedience.
O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
Psalms 95 is a powerful psalm that combines a joyous call to worship with a solemn warning against the dangers of disobedience. Often categorized as an "enthronement" psalm, it emphasizes God's sovereign rule over all creation, echoing similar themes found in Psalms 24, 27, 93, and 96-99. These psalms anticipate a time when the Lord God will reign over the entire world, a perspective that often points towards the future millennial reign of the Messiah, Jesus (Revelation 20:4). This psalm also carries significant weight in the New Testament, as its latter portion is quoted in Hebrews (Hebrews 3:7-11, 15; 4:3-7), adding further depth to its meaning. Let's delve into the richness of this chapter.
A Joyful Summons to Praise (Psalms 95:1-5)
The psalm opens with an enthusiastic invitation: "Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation!" (Psalms 95:1). This isn't a quiet, reserved suggestion; it's a boisterous, communal call to celebrate God. Our praise, as Tony Evans points out, is rooted in God's power to save us.
The psalmist urges us to approach God with thanksgiving, bringing the gift of our gratitude (Psalms 95:2). This gratitude should stem from a deep recognition of who God is, what He has already accomplished, and what we trust Him to do in the future. In the ancient world, subjects would bring gifts when entering the presence of their king. When we enter our King’s presence, thanksgiving is our appropriate offering.
Why such exuberant praise? Because "the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods" (Psalms 95:3). This doesn't imply the existence of other real deities. Rather, it underscores the incomparable supremacy of the God of Israel. The "other gods" of false religions are mere figments of imagination (Deuteronomy 4:35; Isaiah 45:21; John 1:1–2). He alone is the true God, the one who "made the mountains; the sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land" (Psalms 95:4-5). Everything that exists owes its creation to Him. He alone forms, sustains, and rules over all creation.
Worship and Obedience (Psalms 95:6-7a)
The call to worship continues, but now with a shift in focus: "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand" (Psalms 95:6-7a).
Here, the psalmist highlights God's role not only as Creator but also as our guiding Shepherd. This echoes the familiar themes explored by David in Psalms 23:1-3. Jesus, too, used shepherding imagery to describe His relationship with His followers (John 10:7-9, 11, 14, 16). As sheep, we are wise to follow the Shepherd's lead, trusting in His provision and guidance.
A Warning from the Past (Psalms 95:7b-11)
The tone shifts dramatically in the latter half of the psalm. The psalmist issues a stark warning: "Today, if you will hear His voice: Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness" (Psalms 95:7b-8).
This warning draws on the historical example of Israel's rebellion in the wilderness. Despite witnessing God's miraculous interventions, including the plagues in Egypt (Exodus 3:20; 12:41), the parting of the Red Sea, and the provision of manna and water (Exodus 15:22–26; 16:2–3, 12–14; 17:1–7), the Israelites repeatedly doubted and disobeyed God. In one infamous incident, they complained of thirst, ignoring all the wonders they had already witnessed. Later, they refused to enter the Promised Land as God had commanded (Numbers 14:1-4).
The consequences were severe. The Lord barred that generation from entering Canaan, forcing them to wander in the wilderness for forty years until the next generation was ready to move forward (Numbers 14:28-32). The psalmist reminds us that God said, "For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, 'It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways.' So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest'" (Psalms 95:10-11).
The book of Hebrews uses this very passage to warn believers against a similar fate (Hebrews 3:7-11, 15; 4:3-7). Trusting faith is demonstrated through obedience. Fear and stubbornness hinder us from experiencing the "rest" of fulfilling God's plans for our lives. Resisting His will can lead to a loss of rewards or the painful consequences of our own mistakes.
Psalms 95 is a timeless reminder that worship is more than just singing praises. It's about a heart fully surrendered to God, trusting in His goodness and obeying His commands. Let us heed the warning of the past, lest we too forfeit the "rest" that God has promised to those who walk in faith and obedience.