Psalm 95

Order a Free Bible Here from - Bibles4Free.com - a - USBibleSociety.com - Ministry

Dave Burnette's Commentary

Psalm Chapter 95

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: David, Asaph, Solomon, Heman, Ethan, Moses, and the Sons of Korah

Date Penned: (1440-586 BC)

Overview: Poetry for the Expression of Praise and Worship to God (c 1-150)

Theme: The Fourth Book of Psalms (c 90-106)

Message: An Invitation to Worship God (v 1-11)

Psalms 95 Commentary

(95:1-4) Expressions of Worship - Songs, shouts, gratitude, and praise erupted from those gathered to worship the Lord. While Scripture gives many examples of stillness and silence in God's presence, it also gives many examples of raucous worship. Both peaceful silence and enthusiastic praise are appropriate expressions of worship to our great God.

(95:7-8) Listening to God - What can soften our hard hearts and help us listen to God? The first step involves our minds. Remember that he is our rock, our king, our creator, and our shepherd (95:1-7). We have nothing to fear and nothing to lose by following him. The second step involves our hearts. God desires to speak to us through his Word and by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Spiritually, we should open our hearts to him. Will you listen? Make your morning prayer each day, Lord, teach me to listen to you

(95:8) A Hardened Heart - A hardened heart is as useless as a hardened lump of clay or a hardened loaf of bread. Nothing except the intervention of God himself can restore it and make it useful again. The writer warns against hardening our hearts as Israel did in the wilderness by continuing to resist God's will (Exodus 17:7). What causes a hard heart? It may come from doubt of God's love, disappointment over an unanswered prayer, or resentment about a painful situation God did not take away. We may cut God off because we want to live on our own, pursuing sinful pleasures, pastimes, or addictions. The Israelites had been so convinced that God couldn't deliver them that they simply lost their faith in him. When someone's heart becomes hardened over time, that person may lose the ability to turn to God. This does not happen all at once; it builds upon a series of choices to disregard God's will. If you resist God long enough, he may toss you aside like hardened bread, useless and worthless.

(95:8) Provocation - The word provocation could be translated as a place name Meribah. The word temptation could be translated as a place name--Massah. The psalm writer was referring to the incident at Rephidim (Exodus 1711-7) when the Istaelites complained to Moses because they had no water (see also Numbers 20:1-13). Their complaining went beyond being thirsty; they were challenging Moses' leadership and doubting God's provision.

(95:11) Ungrateful Hearts - What keeps us from God's ultimate blessings (entering his "rest")? Having ungrateful hearts (952), not worshiping or submitting to him (95:6), hardening our hearts (95:8), and testing God's patience because of stubborn doubts (95:9).

Dave Burnette's Life Application

Worthy of Worship

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today, we continue in the Book of Psalms with Chapter 95. In our text today, we see a theme of an Invitation to Worship God, to lift Him up because He is Worthy of Worship. In making an application, we see the same invitation to Worship today. When we Worship, we lift Him up, and others are drawn to Him for they see Him as He is. We Worship Him simply because He is Worthy. How about you? Do you Worship the Lord? Let us learn from our text today and the invitation from David to Worship the Lord simply because He is Worthy of Worship.

Psalm 95

Previous Chapter | Index | Next Chapter

Psalm 95

¹O 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.

³For 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.

⁶O 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,

⁸Harden 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.

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.

Language Translator (Click on Tab to Translate Page)

Scripture Application (Click on Box to View Application)

Bible Search (Search Bible By Word or Verse)

Take Notes on Your Bible Studies (Using our Padlet)

Listen to the Bible (By Talking Bibles)

Try Our Free Daily Devotion Email

For Email Newsletters you can trust