Psalms 95

1 Come, let us praise the Lord! Let us sing for joy to God, who protects us!

2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and sing joyful songs of praise.

3 For the Lord is a mighty God, a mighty king over all the gods.

4 He rules over the whole earth, from the deepest caves to the highest hills.

5 He rules over the sea, which he made; the land also, which he himself formed.

6 Come, let us bow down and worship him; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

7 He is our God; ¹ we are the people he cares for, the flock for which he provides. Listen today to what he says:

8 "Don't be stubborn, as your ancestors were at Meribah, ² as they were that day in the desert at Massah.

9 There they put me to the test and tried me, although they had seen what I did for them.

10 For forty years I was disgusted with those people. I said, "How disloyal they are! They refuse to obey my commands.'

11 I was angry and made a solemn promise: ³ "You will never enter the land where I would have given you rest.' "

Psalms 95 Commentary

Chapter 95

part. An exhortation to praise God. (1-7) A warning not to tempt Him. (7-11)

Verses 1-7 Whenever we come into God's presence, we must come with thanksgiving. The Lord is to be praised; we do not want matter, it were well if we did not want a heart. How great is that God, whose the whole earth is, and the fulness thereof; who directs and disposes of all!, The Lord Jesus, whom we are here taught to praise, is a great God; the mighty God is one of his titles, and God over all, blessed for evermore. To him all power is given, both in heaven and earth. He is our God, and we should praise him. He is our Saviour, and the Author of our blessedness. The gospel church is his flock, Christ is the great and good Shepherd of believers; he sought them when lost, and brought them to his fold.

Verses 7-11 Christ calls upon his people to hear his voice. You call him Master, or Lord; then be his willing, obedient people. Hear the voice of his doctrine, of his law, and in both, of his Spirit: hear and heed; hear and yield. Christ's voice must be heard to-day. This day of opportunity will not last always; improve it while it is called to-day. Hearing the voice of Christ is the same with believing. Hardness of heart is at the bottom of all distrust of the Lord. The sins of others ought to be warnings to us not to tread in their steps. The murmurings of Israel were written for our admonition. God is not subject to such passions as we are; but he is very angry at sin and sinners. That certainly is evil, which deserves such a recompence; and his threatenings are as sure as his promises. Let us be aware of the evils of our hearts, which lead us to wander from the Lord. There is a rest ordained for believers, the rest of everlasting refreshment, begun in this life, and perfected in the life to come. This is the rest which God calls his rest.

Cross References

• 1. 95.7-11Hebrews 3.7-11.+O+N95.7, 8Hebrews 3.15; 4.7.
• 2. 95.8, 9Exodus 17.1-7;Numbers 20.2-13.
• 3. 95.11 aNumbers 14.20-23;Deuteronomy 1.34-36;Hebrews 4.3, 5; bDeuteronomy 12.9, 10.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 95

This psalm, though without a title, was written by David, as appears from Heb 4:7, and to him the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions ascribe it. It belongs to the times of the Messiah, as Kimchi observes; the apostle applies it to the Jews of his time, and bespeaks them in the language of it, Heb 3:7-11, and in which time Israelites, believers in Christ, are called upon to serve and worship him, in consideration of his greatness in himself, and his goodness to them. Theodoret thinks that David spoke prophetically of King Josiah and his times; and wrote it in the person of him, and the priests of God.