Psalm 95
Worship and Warning
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Intro:
Psalm 95 is a call to worship the Lord for His greatness and a caution against hardening our hearts to His voice. Through the lens of the New Covenant, this Psalm can be seen as an encouragement to continually honor Christ and a reminder to heed His teachings.
Section 1: Joyful Worship and Acknowledgment of God's Sovereignty (Verses 1-5)
"O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it, and His hands formed the dry land."
Harmony
This section mirrors the sentiment of Philippians 2:10-11, where every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, glorifying God the Father.
Talking Points:
The expression of joy and thanksgiving in worship.
The recognition of God's sovereignty over all creation.
The creative power of God.
Questions:
How does expressing joy and thanksgiving in worship enrich our relationship with God?
How does recognizing God's sovereignty over all creation shape our understanding of His character?
How does acknowledging God's creative power inspire awe and reverence in us?
Section 2: Worship and Submission (Verses 6-7)
"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. Today, if you would hear His voice,"
Harmony
The call to worship and submission is in harmony with James 4:7-8, where believers are urged to submit to God, draw near to Him, and He will draw near to them.
Talking Points:
The call to humble submission in worship.
The relationship between God and His people represented as a shepherd and His sheep.
The importance of hearing and responding to God's voice.
Questions:
Why is humble submission a vital aspect of our worship?
How does understanding our relationship with God as a shepherd and His sheep affect our trust in His guidance?
How can we better hear and respond to God's voice in our daily lives?
Section 3: A Caution Against Hardening Our Hearts (Verses 8-11)
"Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers tested Me, they tried Me, though they had seen My work. For forty years I loathed that generation, and said they are a people who err in their heart, and they do not know My ways. Therefore I swore in My anger, truly they shall not enter into My rest."
Harmony
The warning against hardening our hearts aligns with Hebrews 3:7-8, where the author quotes this very Psalm as a warning to believers not to harden their hearts against Christ.
Talking Points:
The danger of hardening our hearts and testing God.
The consequences of failing to understand God's ways.
The promise of God's rest and the conditions to enter into it.
Questions:
How can we guard against hardening our hearts towards God's voice?
How can we learn to understand and follow God's ways more fully?
What does "entering into God's rest" mean, and how can we strive to attain it?
Summary:
Psalm 95:1-11 is a balanced message of worshipful adoration of God and a serious caution against disobedience. This passage, through the lens of the New Covenant, encourages us to honor Christ as Lord (Philippians 2:10-11), submit to Him (James 4:7-8), and avoid hardening our hearts against His teachings (Hebrews 3:7-8).Â
This Psalm serves as a reminder that our worship should be joyful, submissive, and responsive to the voice of God, with a conscious effort to avoid the pitfalls of rebellion and a hardened heart. The promise of God's rest awaits those who follow His ways in faith and obedience.