JOYFUL WORSHIP

Psalm 95:1-11

August 13, 2023, Sunday a.m. - MBC

Introduction:

Believers joyful worshipping of God’s glorious and holy name is incomparable and in the eyes of God nothing is more than that. If we notice, the content of the Scripture from the opening stanzas of book of Genesis up to the closing chapters of the book of Revelation focus on the pattern, on the purpose, on the proper time and on the place the faithful believers worship God. In other words, the Scripture focuses on how, why, when and where the faithful believers of God worships.

Worship is not only limited to the believers of God but worship while the believers are on this earth. What the believers are doing on this earth, whether they are worshipping, praising or rendering service unto God, is patterned to what happens in heaven where all created beings gathered together to give gladly praise, obedient service to the Almighty God because of who God is and what God has done for Christ glorious name and for the sake of the Christ glorious gospel. Before starting our message, let us take a look at the incomparable, immeasurable, scene of gladness by praising, worshipping filled with joyful worship to the One who sat at His throne.

Take a look at what John heard regarding the five glorious visions given unto him:

The gladly worship and sounds of worship in heaven:

1. The living creatures give glory and honor, thanksgiving, and the elders fell down and worship to the Lord who sat on the throne that lives forever and ever. – Revelation 4:6-11

Revelation 4:6-11 “And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. ⁷And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. ⁸And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. ⁹And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, ¹⁰The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ¹¹Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

2. The Living creatures sang, every redeemed creature praise and the Elders fell down and Worship unto the Lamb that lives forever and ever. – Revelation 5:9-14

Revelation 5:9-14 “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; ¹⁰And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. ¹¹And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; ¹²Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. ¹³And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. ¹⁴And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.”

3. The Elders fell down and worship and give thanks to the Judge and rewarder of all servants, saints and them that fear His Name – Revelation 11:16-18

Revelation 11:16-18 “And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, ¹⁷Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. ¹⁸And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.”

4. The overcomers who refuse to worship the Antichrist (the beast) refuse to worship his image (false prophet), refuse the mark (mark of the beast) and refuse the number of the name of the beast. The song of Moses and song of the Lamb were sung. All nations who fear the Lord and glorify His name worship God. – Revelation 15:2-4

Revelation 15:2-4 “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. ³And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. ⁴Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.”

5. The voice of the Great multitudes in heaven come out from the Great tribulation attributed salvation of all creation and especially the eart(broader than personal redemption) from the corrupting influence of the Harlot (city). Attributed to both God and the Lamb singing Praises (The four Great Hallelujahs). The Elders (representatives of the Church) and the living creatures (high angelic order, cherubim), fell down and worship God. The time has arrived for Christ to marry His bride (Church, all baptized into His body by the Spirit) has the gladness and rejoicing for the marriage of the Lamb– Revelation 19:1-10

Revelation 19:1-10 “And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: ²For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. ³And again they said, Alleluia And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. ⁴And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. ⁵And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. ⁶And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. ⁷Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. ⁸And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. ⁹And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. ¹⁰And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

This is description of the scene of activities in heaven and this is as well what we should be doing during our time living on this earth while loving and serving the same God of heaven.

The truth is in Matthew 6:9-10, we learned that God wants Christians to worship Him joyfully as stated in the prayer that Christ taught to His disciples.

Matthew 6:9-10 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. ¹⁰Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Here we see the exaltation of His glorious Name; The experience of His glorious kingdom; and His glorious will that must be done on earth as it is being done in heaven.

Therefore, worship is very important to God on which all missions and all of life in this earth are purposely to render joyful worship of the God’s name.

When worship does not exist, missions exist. How? God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for the sins of the whole world to make worship possible because God is so eager to receive joyful worship from those who believes in Christ as their Savior. Also, God sends those who are saved in Christ to surrendered their lives and bring others souls to Christ so that those who got saved may join with them in giving God joyful worship. So, since God has strong desire for worship, we must also have also enthusiasm, eagerness, excitement, to express our thirst and hunger in our joyful worship because of what Christ has done for us. As we gathered together singing praises to God for His victorious redemption, sharing our testimony about God’s everlasting faithfulness, listening to spiritual nourishment of the Word of God that strengthen our soul and satisfy our heart, also in our congregational prayer time we see the blessed presence of God moved in our midst, even in our benediction in closing our service we see the comfort, protection and promises that we assuredly depend on God’s power. Indeed, God’s worship can transform our heart, our lives, every time we worship there was the transformative experience we feel. God wants us to experience the joy in God more than our circumstances or even more than our feelings.

What makes worship so powerful? What is it that every time we gather for corporate worship it has a life-giving force and such transformative power? Let us find the answer in the Bible about God’s design in corporate worship.

Purpose of our study about corporate worship:

1. Corporate worship of God stimulates us to obey and serve God with gladness.

2. Corporate worship of God designed by the Scripture not by our personal preference or human tradition.

3. Corporate and personal worship of God is the highest goal to glorify and revere God everywhere around the world.

4. Corporate worship of God is transformative as it reflects who God is, acknowledge who we are and what we have.

5. Corporate and personal Worship of God is worthy of our focus, and involvement (grow in desire, commitment).

Why Joyful worship is really important:

Worship is the most important thing we can give ourselves to as believers.

God has given us specific instruction about important things related to worship.

Psalm 95 covers one of the darkest and most difficult days in the life of God’s chosen people, the Israelites as they express in their lives the greatest and joyful expressions of personal and corporate worship to God.

I – THE GOD’S CALL TO CORPORATE JOYFUL WORSHIP (vv. 1-2)

Psalm 95:1-2 “O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. ²Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.”

The Psalmist David wrote about the corporate worship of Israel because the LORD (Psalm 95:1) or Yahweh was the King of Israel (Psalm 93:1; Psalm 96:10; Psalm 97:1; Psalm 99:1).

David originally composed this Psalm 95 for celebration of the nation Israel because David brought the Ark of the Covenant up to Jerusalem, there is a procession, and David led the full celebration (I Chronicles 13-16).

Psalm 95 is interesting because of the fact that David who leads the celebration has just been crowned the king over all of the tribes of Israel during that great national celebration of the nation Israel (I Chronicles 12:38-40).

David who is a great king leads the greater and more joyful celebration to announce to all people of Israel that LORD, Yahweh was Israel’s King greater than himself.

All of the tribes of Israel is grateful because of great victory that David had fought and won for the nation of Israel against their enemies and they were so glad for having David as their king, however, there was a King worthy of much greater honor and glory and praise of thanksgiving than they render to David because He was a King much greater than the great king David, He won more greater victories than David accomplished victories, that Greatest King is Jehovah, their LORD.

Because Jehovah is the Greatest King of all and all their victories in their battle performed by Jehovah, so Israel is called to enter into the court of this Great King in order to express their joyful worship with grateful praise to the LORD Jehovah.

Three facts about God’s call to Israel to worship Jehovah:

1. It is a call for Corporate Worship (not private worship) – v.1a

Psalm 95:1a “O come, let us sing unto the Lord:”

a. Call to assemble themselves and worship God as their true and great King being testimony to other nations

b. Call to assemble themselves and worship God obediently and publicly praise their true King being Israel’s responsibility as a nation. (Although they practice private worship and important for individual Israelite but it does not substitute or replace corporate worship – Psalm 1:1-3

c. Call to assemble themselves consistently and continually in ways patterned by God and prescribed in His Scripture.

2. It is a call to come with grateful, zeal, eager and joyful worship. – v.1b

Psalm 95:1b “let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation,”

a. Call of exhortation to literally shout aloud enthusiastically.

Psalm 95:1b “Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.” NASB

Psalm 95:1b “Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.” NKJV

The words “shout joyfully” or “joyful noise” in Hebrew (nā·rî·‘āh), a verb that is imperfect cohortative – first person common plural. These are active verbs not passive verbs and they are filled with energetic joy.

The phrase “let us shout” or “Let us make a …noise” in Hebrew means to shout, raise a sound, cry out, give a blast. To shout a war cry or alarm of battle, to sound a signal for war or mark, to shout in triumph, to shout in applause.

b. Call of exhortation to joyful praise to the Lord.

Psalm 95:1b “let us make a joyful noise,”

3. It is a call to come with thanksgiving being people of covenant. – v.3

Psalm 95:3 “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.”

a. Come to the Lord using the covenant name of God. – v.2 “the Rock”

The term or phrase “the rock’ is more than just a word that describes an earthly element. It is typically about a Person and more often than not, it describes Jesus Christ and you see this symbolism in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament when referring to either Jesus Christ or God in general.

The word “rock” is used 142 times in the Bible but it is more often a reference to God than any other instance. For example, in 1st Corinthians 10:1-4 Paul writes about the rock in relation to Jesus Christ in referring to an Old Testament experience where he writes referring to the occasion when Israel was grumbling about a lack of water and God give instruction to Moses. (Numbers 20:8-9).

b. Come to the Lord being God’s chosen, redeemed, delivered and protected by the Rock of their salvation. – v.2 “their salvation”

II – THE GLORIOUS CONTEXT OF JOYFUL WORHIP

In the book of Psalms, we can find the story regarding an ancient promise made to our first parents (Adam and Eve) at the Garden of Eden on the day they were expelled by God.

God made an ancient promise to Adam and Eve when they were expelled by God at the Garden of Adam according to that story in the book of Psalms.

What is that promise in Psalms? The promise that God would send an anointed, appointed Savior who would redeem the fallen race, reverse fatal curse, and remove the fierce and fraudulent enemy in order for all the descendants of Adam who worshipped God not worshipping the old serpent could have an access to return to and enjoy the bountifulness and gloriousness of the garden of God forever and ever.

The Israelites as chosen people of God disobeyed God like our first parents, so they were expelled from the land with flowing of milk and honey that God had promised to them through Abraham and his descendants.

The Israelites, people of God after experiencing 70 long years of exile and captivity of other nations, their remnant just returned from the exile, that time the book of Psalms serves as a compilation to remind them that God is faithful and never forgot His promises to the nation of Israel. That beautiful story of God promises to His chosen nation still alive and going.

Context of Joyful worship in Psalms

1. Psalms 1-2, the prologue or foreword that introduce us to the divine and worldwide mission of the Savior.

2. Psalms 3-41, This is book 1, introduces us to king David, one who founds the dynasty from which the Savior will come out.

3. Psalms 42-72, This is book 2, contains the celebration of enthronement and coronation of the son of David Solomon, whose name meaning “shalom” and whose wisdom was known in all the earth. These Psalms records the establishment of David’s dynasty.

4. Psalms 73-89, This is book 3, features one of the servants of God struggles in confusion about the wicked prosperity.

This Psalms covered to what happened to Solomon the kings of Judah who were descendants of David who done more wickedness and thus lead the people to much greater wickedness until there was no more reason and desire left from the Lord to heal them.

5. Psalms 90-106, This is book 4, song written to nation that is in exile. It features the empty throne of David, the destroyed temple, the burned Jerusalem God’s city, the Babylonian captive of Israelites, the people of God.

However, the LORD God, Jehovah their God is still sitting on His throne, reigning over all the earthly kings and earthly kingdoms of this world in which these Israelites live. Jehovah is the rock of their salvation stated in Psalm 95:1 and the good shepherd who sustain their soul in Psalm 95:7 who answered their cry of prayers by healing them who are afflicted and rescued or gathered them from being scattered among heathen captivity mentioned in Psalm 106:47 “Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.”

6. Psalm 107-145, This is book 5, started with Israel grateful praise for God’s unchanging, steadfast love and enduring goodness and everlasting faithfulness by which He delivered His chosen people from all of their trouble that they encountered and experiences.

Psalm 106:2-3 “Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can shew forth all his praise? ³Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.”

Before we reach to the end of Book 5, we see God’s faithfulness, greatness and power because Jerusalem has been rebuilt, the kings of Judah who were descendants of David has been reseated once again on the throne of David (Psalm 110), and the good news is that the people of God are return again in going up to Mount Zion to worship in the newly rebuilt glorious temple of God (called the Psalms of ascent, Psalms 120-134).

7. Psalms 146-150, call for excitement of praise (hallelujah) to God. A praise that starts personally (Psalm 146:1) and the praise ends with everything that was created that has breadth to celebrate the accomplished mission rendered by the Lord Savior (Psalm 150).

III – THE GRACIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES OF JOYFUL WORSHIP

We can find our text Psalm 95 in the middle of book 4 which covers from Psalm 90-106 which contained what happened to God’s people when they have been carried away into exile, this book 4 also includes, they were captives in Babylon, the throne of David was empty, the Jerusalem city of God has been burned, and the glorious temple of the Jews was destroyed that not one stone remains.

These are depressing, difficulties, dangerous, and darkened days for Israelites, the people of God.

God called His people to live faithfully and patiently but how can they live in this hard and difficult place to live.

God’s plan is to sustain God’s people so they can endure His chastening, to encourage them in midst of their difficult moments, and giving them reasons to remain hopeful as they serve God and be a living testimony as people who had a true Living God before the eyes of these heathen nations. Here comes the book 4 from Psalm 90-106 that full of exhorting words, God-centered reasons and Scriptural reminders from God who is faithful and powerful over all kings and kingdoms.

In order for these people of God to be encouraged, sustained and strengthened, God calls them to corporate joyful worship so they will remain hopeful and focus on Jehovah, LORD rather than focusing on the hardship and difficulties of their circumstances. That is Psalm 95 message, God calls them to enter into His presence with joy filled worship.

Now we get the point we want to drive out in Psalm 95. Worship gathering is intended to do for us when the journey of life we are traveling is so difficult, seems so dark, slippery, thorny, and dangerous road. Joyful worship helps.

When we come together in the church as redeemed people of God and celebrate the goodness and faithfulness of God, and focusing how God truly overcomes victoriously and reigns over all our enemies that attack us, then the result will be the revival of our melting heart, the healing of our wounded souls, the renewal of our strength.

IV – THE GOADING CAUSE FOR JOYFUL WORSHIP – 3-7

God’s people are commanded to worship Him. It says in verse 6 “O Come, let us worship”

A. Recognizing the Glorious identity of God cause us to Worship God – v.3-5

Psalms 95:3-5 “For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. ⁴In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. ⁵The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.”

Look at verse 3 “For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.” We need to acknowledge God’s glorious identity and recognize that He is a great God and a great King. We need to recognize that God is supreme and above all various deities and greater than all human rulers in this earth. No human person who has been elected, richest, most popular, and most powerful is higher in authority or greater than Jehovah. Imagine we are worshipping the glorious almighty who can command nature, controls the time and giveth breadth to all living. It is so great to think to worship incomparable, immeasurable, unexplainable, unfathomable, no beginning no ending, self-existent, and the all-powerful God. God’s glory cannot be shared with anyone. We Worship God because of who He is. Recognize His glorious identity.

Look at verse 4 “the strength of the hill is his also.” The Bible says nothing is too hard for God for He is a strong God.

Look at verse 4 “In his hand are the deep places of the earth:” God controls every rotation and condition of all planets and even the sun, moon, stars of the galaxies. Imagine what a privilege to worship our creator to whom all things is made by Him, though Him and for Him.

God made a covenant with us that He is so gracious invited us to have a free access to enter into His Holy presence. It is amazing to imagine how God allows us to worship Him in the beauty of His holiness in spite that we are in our sinful flesh.

B. Realizing the Gracious Redemption of God cause us to Worship God – v.6-7

Psalms 95:6-7 “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. ⁷For 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,”

1. God called Israel out of Egypt, redeemed Israel and made Israel a nation.

In verse 5, “The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.” The God who made and owns the sea and through His hand formed the dry land is the same God who made these Israelites into a nation that belong to God and the same God who gave them covenants that would guide these people and sustain them in their journey to a land of promise.

The God who made and owns the sea formed the dry land through His hand in verse 5 and the Lord our maker in verse 6 “let us kneel before the Lord our maker”, is the same God who called us in one body as His church through Christ and given us a greater and more gracious covenant than all those covenants given to Israelites, and that is none other than the new covenant given unto us through the redemption of the blood of Christ and sacrificial offerings at the cross by His death and resurrection. Again, in verse 6 “let us worship and bow down: let us kneel” We owe our life, our existence to God.

That is why the Lord God Jehovah is our God and we believers of Christ are His people, we are His body the Church.

The way Psalm 95 instructs Israel in David’s day, is the same way this Psalm 95 should instructs and exhorts us evey time we assembled together to worship weekly.

2. God’s people Israel are God’s pasture and sheep of God’s hand

There are some important things what Christ has done for Israel and for us in verse 6-7

a. The Lord is Israel maker -v.6

b. The Lord is Israel God – v.7

c. People of Israel are the Lord’s pasture – v.7

d. People of Israel are the Lord’s sheep – v.7

There are lot of good things that God had done to Israel, not only they are redeemed by God and chosen them as God’s people but God promised the Israelites to be their Shepherd that would protect, preserve and provide for them, that sustain and satisfy these chosen nation Israel.

All these things that God had done for Israel, are all the same things that God promised to do for us. Christ is our good Shepherd and we are also the people of God’s pasture and the sheep of God’s hand. Oh God is worthy of our worship.

God demands our joyful worship, and He shows to Israel and to us how the Lord Jehovah is chief, great and good shepherd for both Israel and all the believers in Christ, the body of Christ, the church. There is no one reason not to worship the Lord joyfully.

Christ is the shepherd both of Israel in the Old Testament and the Believers of Christ in the New Testament:

Christ, the Shepherd foretold:

Christ, the Shepherd of Israel as foretold (Genesis 49:24; Isaiah 40:11)

Through using God’s servant David, Christ Shepherds Israel (Ezekiel 34:23; Ezekiel 37:24)

Christ, the shepherd protects and preserves His sheep:

Protects and preserves Israel (Jeremiah 31:10); Prophecy against the shepherds of Israel and God delivered His flock (Ezekiel 34:10); Prophecy against the neighboring nations of Israel and save His flock His own chosen people; (Zechariah 9:16)

Protects and preserves the Believers of Christ that they will never perish and secured in His hand (John 10:26, 27-28)

Christ, the shepherd gathers His sheep:

The greatness of God to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah like a shepherd that gathers and carry lambs (Isaiah 40:11).

The good shepherd Jesus Christ will gather His believers as sheep that they become one flock of God with one Shepherd (John 10:16)

Christ, the great shepherd

The Shepherd that stands and feeds as the great ruler shall be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:4); The Great ruler humbly sacrifices His life and sheds His blood and risen again for the sheep that pleases God. (Hebrews 13:20).

Christ, the shepherd guides His sheep.

The Lord, the shepherd of the Psalmist David and Israel (Psalm 23:3).

The good Shepherd leads and His sheep (the believers who have eternal life) so they knew and followed Him (John 10:3-4).

Christ, the shepherd knows His sheep.

The good shepherd knows the true believers and know His own sheep and who are not His (John 10:14,27).

Christ, the good shepherd

Christ is the good shepherd who cares and knows who the real sheep or genuine believer who have eternal life (John 10:11, 14)

Christ, the shepherd lay down His life for His sheep.

The good shepherd lay down His life and gave His life for the believers who are His sheep (John 10:11, 15)

Christ, the shepherd cherishes His sheep tenderly.

The greatness of God to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah like a shepherd taking care gently as a nurse and lead his flock (Isaiah 40:11)

Christ, the shepherd feeds His sheep.

The Lord, the shepherd of Psalmist David, King of Israel, leads His sheep into green pastures (Psalm 23:1-2)

Christ, the chief shepherd is coming again.

The shepherd of the elders of the church that serve God willingly will return at the rapture (1 Peter 5:4)

Christ, the shepherd gives eternal life to His sheep.

The shepherd gave eternal security to the believers (John 10:28)

Christ, the shepherd calls His sheep.

Christ is the shepherd of the believers called His sheep, leads them and the sheep His voice (John 10:3)

For all these good things that Christ has done to Israel and even unto us believers of Christ (the church), it moves us and excite us with much eagerness to worship God joyfully.

V – THE GODLY CONTENT OF JOYFUL WORSHIP – v.1-2, 6-7

Psalms 95:1-2 “O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. ²Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.”

A. Grand celebration for identified worthiness of God – v.1

Psalm 95:1 “O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

God summoned Israel to have a joyful celebration due to who God is.

We have to gathered corporately to praise enthusiastically with joy having a great privilege because like the Israel they are informed that they belong to that rock of salvation because of the word “our”.

Like Israel, they have the Messiah, the anointed One, the Savior, we too we have the same Savior, Christ who redeemed us from our sins (I Peter 1:18-19), we belong to Him and forever we will never perish. We are saved and eternally secured in Christ (John 10:27-29).

The word “rock” is used 142 times in the Bible but it is more often a reference to God than any other instance. For example, in I Corinthians 10:1-4 Paul writes about the rock in relation to Jesus Christ in referring to an Old Testament experience where he writes referring to the occasion when Israel was grumbling about a lack of water and God give instruction to Moses. (Numbers 20:8-9).

B. Grateful commendation for incredible work of God – v.2

Psalm 95:2 “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.”

God summoned Israel to have a thanksgiving as expression of their gratitude for what God has done.

God is calling the Israelites to express their deep and heartfelt gratitude for the work of God in their lives as a nation, likewise, we are to worship God corporately expressing how thankful we are for the work of Christ in our lives by saving us though His Son redemptive work, saving our soul eternally and faithfully providing our needs in His amazing way, in His will.

C. Given compliance for inspired Word of God – v.6-7

Psalm 95:6-7 “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. ⁷For 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,”

God summoned Israel to exercise their careful and attentive obedience for what God has said.

Notice the in verses 6 the phrases “bow down” and “kneel before the Lord our Maker”. This signifies the wonderful adoration and humble submission that these people of God are required to do to their Maker contrary to the pagans and heathen idols that other nations have worship.

The content of joyful worship includes their celebration for who God is, their gratitude for what God has done and their practical obedience for what God had told them to do, and these are the Israelites attitudes that must be developed purposely and need be expressed in their corporate gathered worship to a great, strong, and incomparable God, King of kings, the creator and Savior.

The Psalmist in Psalm 95 calling us to come with joy and enthusiasm before the King Almighty. That is a great and privilege invitation of God with careful and clear instructions as to how we have to enter and how we have to behave and to present ourselves before God in the highest and holiest gathering. We are expected to have the content of our worship by being glad having grateful heart, bow down and kneel with humble, thoughtful and reverential attention to the Words that God has said.

VI – THE GUIDING CONDITION FOR JOYFUL WORSHIP – v. 8-11

Psalm 95:8-11 “Harden not your heart, as in the provation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: ⁹When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. ¹⁰Forty 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: ¹¹Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.”

In order to endure and be encouraged in spite of depressing and darkened moments in Israel because of empty throne of David, destroyed temple, Jerusalem city burned and they were captives by heathen nation, there are condition that will guide them to have joyful worship by remaining focus on the strength, power and faithfulness of their One and True God. How can they focus on God?...

A. Submissive Hearers of the Word of God – v.8-9

Psalm 95:8-9 “Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: ⁹When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.”

We must have a strong desire to hear God’s Word with submissive heart. Submit to what you heard.

Notice in verse 8 “Harden not your heart as in the provation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness;”

God is instructing Israelites not to harden their hearts as at Meribah (the original words - Exodus 17:7; Numbers 20:13) The word “contention” rendered here “provocation” as they provoked God and like on the day at Massah (Deuteronomy 33:8) rendered here “temptation”, are retained in the translation, in the day they tempted God in the wilderness.

Harden not your hearts. It means do not render the heart insensible to the divine voice and admonition. A hard heart is that where the conscience is seared and insensible, where the truth makes no impression, where no religious effect is produced by afflictions, where preaching is listened to without interest, and where the mind is unaffected by the appeals of friends. The idea here is that a refusal to receive or listen to the voice of God. To close your heart to the Words, wisdom or commands of God.

The terms “Meribah” which means to “to strive” and “Massah” which means “to test” refers to the discontent and rebellion of Israelites in the wilderness when they did not see how they would get water and food on which we read in the book of numbers.

These people of God fond of complaining concerning their circumstances they were experiencing that led them to grumble against Moses, until to the point that they become rebellious against God by not trusting God and constantly refusing to submit to the Word of God that they heard.

Notice the Psalmist reminders in verse 9, regarding the people of God in his day of their ongoing danger of repeating the sin of hardiness of heart of their fathers that tempted God.

Psalm 95:9 “When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.

Not only they repeat the hardiness of their fathers but repeatedly doing the sinful act of discontent with their encountered circumstances they faced according to verse 10.

Psalm 95:10a “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

This is true in our times, many times we have discontent with what our own circumstances that God allows us to experience and encounter, we refuse the instruction of God’s Word instead we tempted God and do not trust God in His Word. Another condition to have joyful worship by focusing on God beside being submissive to His Word is also by being…

B. Obedient doers of the Word of God – v.10 - 11

Psalm 95:10-11 “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: ¹¹Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.”

We must have a strong desire to be doers of God’s Word with obedient heart. Doers of the Word not hearers only.

These Israelites in verse 10, are people of God who do err or go astray in their heart and not known the ways of God.

What does it mean that God is saying that these people have not known the ways of God? In spite that the Israelites had witnessed in the wilderness how the power of God displayed over Pharaoh, when Israel had been rescued from the bondage of Egypt, they had received the law of God through Moses and, they had experienced the miraculous faithful sustaining grace of God with water from a rock and with bread from heaven, it sad to say these hard hearted people of Israel still refused to trust God, regarded not to follow God’s chosen servants or obey not God’s Word.

Notice in verse 10 God described these people constantly “do err in their heart”.

During the days of their father, and in their times even now in our days, the Psalmist who wrote Psalm 95 give us warning to all of us that whenever we enter the place of worship and assemble together to worship God, we must see to it that our hearts ready to hear and eager to obey what God had said in His Word. God always reminds us to check our hearts, examine our heart. God wants us to have soft hearts before the Lord and do not harden our hearts in our own ways.

What God wants us to do with Psalm 95?

A. Receiving this Psalm gratefully

B. Rejoicing in this Psalm personally and corporately

C. Responding to this Psalm thoughtfully and intentionally.

Notice in verse 7c to verse 8a “To day if ye will hear his voice, ⁸Harden not your heart,”

God is saying to us, “Today, since you are listening to my voice, do not harden your hearts, by responding to My Words.”

D. Resting to God’s promise confidently and follow God’s precepts faithfully.

Why we need to confidently rest in God’s promises and follow faithfully God’s Word:

1. The Lord our God is a great King – v.3 “For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”

2. The Lord is our God and we are God’s people – v.7 “For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture”

3. The Lord is a good and gracious Shepherd – v.7 “We are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.”

4. The Lord will strengthen us, sustain us, and satisfy us, as we enter into God’s rest – v.4 “the strength of the hills is his also”; v.11 “enter into my rest.”

In order to experience all of these promises of God, we need to come before the presence of God and gathered together as God’s people to give the right worship with our lips and joyful service with our lives– v.6 “let us worship and bow down.”; v.2 “make a joyful noise unto him with psalms”.

So, we now therefore, conclude that worship really is very important for God. Let us worship God joyfully as we focused on who He is, what He has done and what He said.