Come, Let Us Worship

Introduction:

A.     While the author of Psalm 95 is not explicitly stated in the introduction, we know that it is first and foremost the words of the Holy Spirit (Heb 3:7, 4:3).  But, we also find out from the Hebrew writer that it was written by King David (Heb 4:7).

B.     This Psalm originally served as a Hebrew Song of exhortation and warning to the people of Israel.

C.     Concerning this Psalm Charles Spurgeon says,

“It has about it a ring like that of the church bells, and like the bells it sounds both merrily and solemnly, at first ringing out a lively peal, and then dropping into a funeral knell as if tolling at the funeral of the generation which perished in the wilderness.” (Charles Spurgeon, Treasury of David,pg. 164)

D.     This psalm makes 3 calls to the child of God…

I.                  A call to worship (Vs. 1-2,6).

A.     In these verses David is giving an invitation for man to come worship God.  David invites us to worship God in three ways…

1.      By song (Vs. 1, 2b)

a.       Eph 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

b.      Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

c.       James 5:13 Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.

2.      By expressing our thanks to God (Vs. 2a)

a.       I Thes 5:18  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

b.      Lk 17:11-19 Where are the nine?

3.      By submitting to the will of God.

a.       James 4:7 Therefore submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

b.      Col 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

II.               A call for worship (Vs. 3-5, 6-7).

A.     In these verses, David lists 4 reasons why we should worship God…

1.      He is God above all gods (Vs. 3, 7a).

2.      He is the creator of the Earth (Vs. 4-5).

3.      He is the creator of mankind (Vs. 6b)

4.      He is the Great Shepherd (Vs. 7, Ps 23)

III.           A call against Self-Worship (Vs. 7b-11)

A.     In the last part of this Psalm David makes a plea for his brethren not to reject God.

B.     By way of reminder, David uses an example of Israelite History to prove stress his point.  Some have suggested that the event he is referring to could be 1 of the 2 following places:

1.      The most probably event is Ex 17:1ff, where the people accused Moses and God of bringing them out into the wilderness to die.  Notice especially that the same Hebrew words Moses used to describe the place of contention (Ex 17:7) are the exact same words the Holy Spirit used in Ps. 95:8.

2.      Another possible place where this event could have occurred was when Israel refused to trust God and enter the promise land (Num. 14).

C.  The great lesson that we can learn from this text is if we rebel against God and His will, we will not enter Heaven (Heb 3&4).