Many of us have had someone tell us that they have both good news and bad news to tell us. Sometimes they will ask us which we want to hear first, the good news or the bad news. Our psalm for today contains both some good news in the form of praise to the Lord, and then some bad news in the form of a warning to us from the Lord. Let’s take a look at what God’s Word says to us today.
Psalm 95 can be divided into two very distinct parts. The first part, verses 1-7a are a joyful and reverent call to worship the Lord. The second part, verses 7b-11 is a solemn warning from the Lord for us to not harden our hearts against Him.
As we begin our look at the psalm, we are called to come and worship the Lord God, singing with joy, thanksgiving, and praise to Him (vs. 1-2), for He is the Rock of our salvation. Yahweh is not an actual rock, of course, but He is like a rock. A large rock is secure, and not likely to move, and similarly God is an unshakeable foundation for us. One can find shelter from a storm behind a large rock, and also safety from attack. God is our source of strength, refuge, and shelter in times of trouble. He is constant, dependable, and will never fail.
We are called to actively direct our worship to the Lord, not to ourselves or to our emotions. Joyful worship should not be irreverent, nor entertainment-driven, but instead be God-centered. We are called to shout joyfully to the Lord. This should not be done chaotically, but instead when we come into the Lord’s presence we should prepare our hearts to bring sincere and genuine praise rooted in truth. Worship should not be casual. It is holy and should be done with a reverent heart.
As we continue, we see that we should worship the Lord because of who He is (vs. 3-5). He is great, far greater and above any of the false, so-called pagan gods. He is the Creator of all, from the depths of the sea to the highest of mountains on dry land. Yahweh is sovereign. Everything belongs to Him for He created it all, and He rules over all. God’s creation should stir our hearts with awe to praise and trust Him.
The next couple of verses call upon us to reverently submit to the Lord (vs. 6-7a). Worship involves humility, which here is shown by bowing and kneeling before Yahweh. This is a physical act, but it is more importantly a reverent heart attitude before Him. True worship is not merely emotional expression. It is submission to God’s authority. We should bow our will, not just our knees.
Throughout Scripture God is frequently referred to as our Shepherd, and here in Psalm 95 we see one such reference (vs. 7a). He is our Shepherd, and we are His sheep. This is covenant language, as He cares, guides, protects, and disciplines us, just as a shepherd does his sheep. This is imagery that foreshadows the Lord Jesus, who is our Good Shepherd (John 10:11-16).
Now we come to the solemn warning from God to not harden our hearts against Him (vs. 7b-11). This sudden shift is intentional, as worship without obedience is hypocrisy. The rebellion, the trial in the wilderness that is referenced here, is the event that took place at Meribah and Massah in Exodus 17:1-7, where the people complained against God because of lack of water, where they had no faith in God or His goodness. The Israelites tested God there, and refused to believe His promises. God was grieved with that generation, and because of their unbelief, they were kept from entering into His “rest”, into the Promised Land.
This warning applies to us believers today, as we read in Hebrews 3:7 - 4:11. Hardening of one’s heart is a progressive spiritual danger. It doesn’t usually happen overnight, but happens gradually as we lose our spirit of thankfulness, trust, and faith in God. The Lord takes unbelief seriously, even among His children.
An important word in our Scripture is the word “today”. We need to respond to God’s Word today, not someday. Don’t put off turning to the Lord for another day, because that day may never come. We are never guaranteed tomorrow. We must also make a concerted effort to guard against complaining, being spiritually apathetic, and delaying our obedience to the Lord. Don’t harden your heart. Instead, keep a soft heart, for a soft heart is a worshiping heart.
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