Psalm 95

Call to Worship the Lord

This is our 3rd of the Enthronement Psalms - does its title sound familiar?  When we open church services with singing, our Worship leader is "calling us to worship."  In Psalm 95, as often in others, the psalmist is stirring up himself and others to praise God. 

 How do you worship - do you sing loudly with a full heart, or do your lips barely move?  May we come before His presence with thanksgiving and shout joyfully to Him with song!

The latter part of Psalm 95 is an exhortation to those who sing gospel songs to live gospel lives.  In verses 8-11, we are reminded that worship must be more than vocal and formal - it must originate in our hearts. 

"Do not harden" = do not be disobedient

My Bible notes that we are reminded NOT to repeat the stubbornness and unbelief of Israel's fathers during their 40 years of wilderness wanderings.  There was no excuse for their disobedience & unbelief - God says, "They saw My work" (the miracles performed on Israel's behalf).  May we take heed and never "go astray in our hearts."

Today, if you will hear His voice:
Do not harden your hearts, as in rebellion.
~ Ps. 95:8

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• He is the Rock of our salvation
• He is the great God, the great King above all gods
• He is God the Creator of all things - He is the Lord, our Maker
• God is worthy of our praise and worship

 

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.  ~ Ps. 95:6-7

HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I praise the Lord that He is God, the great God, that there is no other
• I praise God that I am a sheep of His hand

PRAYER: a beautiful prayer of praise by Ruth Myers.  It speaks of many of the attributes of God that we have studied in the Psalms thus far, and is truly a call to worship the Lord:

     My heart rejoices in You, Lord, for You are my strong shelter in times of trouble and danger and stress, my hiding place to whom I may continually resort . . . my Father who lovingly provides for me . . . my Shepherd who guides and protects me . . . my Champion who upholds my cause as His child and defends my highest interests . . . .my Bridegroom who delights in me . . . my God who is mighty to save, who rests in His love for me and rejoices over me with singing, with shouts of joy.  You are my inheritance, my share in life, the One who satisfies my longing soul and fills my hungry soul with goodness.
     I praise You for Your love and Your wisdom.  You are too wise to ever make a mistake, too loving to ever do anything unkind.  You act on my behalf accomplishing what concerns me and fulfilling Your purpose for me as I call on You.  Thank You that You love me deeply and tenderly.  You are compassionate and gracious, full of lovingkindness, ready to forgive, patiently considerate, and generous beyond imagining.  You desire my love and rejoice to do good things for me.  You delight to give me the desires of my heart as I delight myself in You.  How precious is Your love to me, O God!  I sing for joy as I take refuge in the shadow of Your wings!  ~ Amen