Advent - Week 2 (Psalm 95)
Psalm 95
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Worship Fit For A King
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Psalm 95 〰️ Worship Fit For A King 〰️
This past Sunday, Mike Shillinglaw, the pastor at Vintage Church Downtown, came and preached for us from Psalm 95. This week is part two of our Advent series, The King Has Come. Here, we’re exploring several angles to the Advent story, particularly in understanding the implications of Jesus’ first coming in our lives. With this in mind, we’re reading Psalm 95, where we come across this beautiful song of praise, worship, and thanksgiving to God.
When we read a psalm, it’s important and worthwhile to remember the origin and purpose of these passages. First and foremost, from a literary standpoint, they are poems, songs, and art. Many of the psalms are riddled with symbolism, not always literal in their choice of words. An example of this is found in verse 7, as we, God’s people, are not actually sheep, the animal. We are, however, under God’s care and watch as a sheep is under the watch and care of its shepherd.
As we read this passage, our people may have questions about this Psalm and others, so we want to keep at the forefront that the Psalms were pieces of art meant to convey the heart of God’s people and bring praise and glory to Him. There is much that we can glean from the passage, and we don’t want to get too lost in the weeds that we lose the exhortations and warnings of the passage.
Psalm 95 has a few layers to its construction, with three points of instruction. Verses 1-5 glorify God as the author of the world and creation, while verses 6-7 praise God as our King and Lord. We see this shift from a perspective of awe to honor. Verses 7b-11 warn those who rebel against God, hardening their hearts against Him, neglecting to remember His mercies and goodness.
Psalm 95 is also a stanza divided into five sections, separated into two halves. The first half (v1-7a) is the first four sections:
call to worship (v1-2)
reason for adoration (v3-5)
call to worship (v6)
reason for adoration (v7a)
Verses 1 and 2 call the reader to honor and praise the Lord, as we’re instructed to shout joyfully and triumphantly to him and enter his presence with thanksgiving. Verses 3-4 laud God for his splendor and greatness: a reason worthy of worship. Verse 6 returns to the call to worship, as the author writes, “Come, let’s worship and bow down; let’s kneel before the Lord our Maker.” Then the final shift is found in verse 7, as the reason for praise is given: “he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep under his care.” Verse 7 is a stark contrast and transition from the first half to the second (v7b-11).
This second half of the Psalm opens with a warning: do not harden your heart towards the Lord. The author of this Psalm is speaking specifically of Exodus 17:1-7 where the Israelite people forgot God’s faithfulness in the desert. This is why the author of this Psalm wrote, “Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on that day at Massah in the wilderness” (v8). This is a shift in voice from the author speaking to the audience to the author speaking on behalf of God. Verse 10 states, “for forty years I was disgusted with that generation.” This is referring to the forty years that the Israelite people wandered in the desert because of their lack of faith in the Lord despite His provision. Although it’s a little confusing to us, the Hebrew people would have known well the story of Moses and the Israelites at Meribah and Massah.
So this seems like an odd transition from speaking about God’s faithfulness to writing of His disgust with an unbelieving people, but Hebrews 3 can help us better understand the passage. This passage is also referenced in Hebrews 3:7-19. In Hebrews, this passage is both a warning for those who apostatize and a plea to believers to encourage one another in their faith. The author of Hebrews gives us a little more understanding and application for the passages in Exodus and Psalms. In Hebrews 3, the author instructs readers to “encourage each other daily…so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception” (Heb 3:13). Reading Psalm 95 from a New Testament, post-resurrection perspective, we can read this Psalm not out of fear, but out of love for the Lord and fellow believers.
There’s an often-asked question that I think is an appropriate response to this passage: “Are you motivated by fear or love?” As we read the first seven verses, we might say “love,” but after crossing the warning in verses 8-11, motivation by fear might be present. This passage is a plea to resist sin, as it hardens our hearts and fosters distrust and faithlessness. The remedy? Community and mutual encouragement between fellow believers and followers of the Lord.
As we go forward into discussion and time with our community groups, be on the lookout for opportunities to encourage your people. This passage in the Psalms is filled with so many truths about our Lord and is an excellent theological source for building faith and community in Christ.
Discussion Questions
What stood out to you from the passage?
What are some repeating words, phrases, or concepts in this passage?
Does anything in this passage remind you of another part of Scripture?
How does this passage tell us to glorify God? What worldly things are you tempted to worship in such a way?
Read Hebrews 3:7-19. How does this passage help us apply the warning in Psalm 95?
How might you encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ this week?
Verses 1-7 talk about the love we’re to have for the Lord, while verses 8-11 are a warning to the unbelieving. What is the source of your obedience toward the Lord? Are you motivated by fear or love?