Acceptable Worship Psalm 95:1-11 - Bible Study … Worship Psalm 95:1-11 ... let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the ... strate the homage which man needs to give to his

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Commentary by Clyde M. Miller Questions by John C. Sewell

Acceptable Worship

Psalm 95:1-11

Landmark Publications, Inc., 1045 Maynor Street, Nashville, TN 37216, U.S.A., John C. Sewell, Ph.D., Editor.


Acceptable Worship

Commentary

by

Clyde M. Miller Text: Psalm 95:1-11, 1. Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. 3. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; 7. for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, 8. do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, 9. where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did. 10. For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways." 11. So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest." NIV



Introduction: I. Two essential elements of acceptable worship are here combined.

A. Gratitude and humility must characterize those who Worship God acceptably (Psalm 95:1-7), and obedient lives demon-strate the homage which man needs to give to his maker and provider (Psalm 95:7-11).

1. Psalm 95:1-7, Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our sal-vation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel be-fore the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, NIV

2. Psalm 95:7-11, for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. To-day, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did. For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways." So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest." NIV



B. In this respect, Psalm 50 follows the same general pattern, looking first at the sin of ingratitude (Psalm 95:7-15) and then at the sin of disobedience (Psalm 95:16-21).

1. Psalm 50:1-23, The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages. He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: "Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice." And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah "Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will tes-tify against you: I am God, your God. I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every ani-mal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." But to the wicked, God says: "What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. You speak con-tinually against your brother and slander your own mother's son. These things you have done and I kept



silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face. "Con-sider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue: He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." NIV

2. Psalm 50:7-15, "Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God. I do not rebuke you for your sacri-fices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." NIV 3. Psalm 50:16-21, But to the wicked, God says: "What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother's son. These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was alto-gether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face. NIV



II. In the hymnic portion of the psalm, there is a double summons to worship, the first (Psalm 95:1-5) calling the worshipers into the pres-ence of God, and the second enjoining them to manifest the proper spiritual posture as the worship actually begins (Psalm 95:6-7).

A. Psalm 95:1-5, Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come be-fore him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. NIV B. Psalm 95:6-7, Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, NIV

III. The third and final stanza (Psalm 95:7-11) extends the concept of submission to daily life.

A. Psalm 95:7-11, for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fa-thers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did. For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways." So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest." NIV



Commentary:

Summons to Enter God's Presence Psalm 95:1-5, Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. NIV Note: This stanza strikes a familiar theme in the praise hymns of Is-rael. Psalm 95:1-2, Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. NIV I. Israel is to enter into God's presence with joyful songs of praise and happy songs of “thanksgiving”. II. “The rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95:1) suggests the constancy of God's saving acts on behalf of Israel.

A. Psalm 95:1, Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. NIV

Psalm 95:3-5, For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. NIV I. God is the King of kings who providentially watches over His crea-tion.



A. There is no acceptance of a multiplicity of gods in the phra-seology used here (cf. Psalm 96:4-5). 1. Psalm 96:4-5, In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. NIV

Summons to Prostration (Psalm 95:6-7)

Psalm 95:6-7, Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel be-fore the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the peo-ple of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, NIV Psalm 95:6, Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; NIV I. The word translated “worship” so frequently in the Old Testament means to prostrate oneself.

A. The word is often accompanied by one or both of the other two words used here: to “bow down” and to “kneel”. B. All three words signify the willing humiliation of body and soul that must characterize sinful man's approach to the holy God.

Psalm 95:7, for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, NIV I. God is both Israel's Maker (Psalm 95:6) and her shepherd (Psalm 95:7).

A. Psalm 95:6-7, Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and



we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, NIV

B. Doubtless, the close connection attained by the use of the word for (Psalm 95:7) indicates that in this context the major thought focuses on the new creation of Israel as God's covenant people (cf. Psalm 51:10; Isa. 43:1,7).

1. Psalm 95:7, for he is our God and we are the peo-ple of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, NIV

2. Psalm 51:10, Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. NIV

3. Isaiah 43:1, 7, But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. NIV

Exhortation to Obedience (Psalm 95:7d-11)

Psalm 95:7-11, for he is our God and we are the people of his pas-ture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did. For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways." So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest." NIV Psalm 95:7, for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice,



I. The focal point of interest in this stanza focuses on the word “to-day”.

A. The author of the book of Hebrews in the New Testament quotes Psalm 95:7d-11 (Heb. 3:7-11) and interprets the word “today” in terms of the days of Moses, the days of David, and the Christian era (cf. Heb. 3:12-4:13).

1. Psalm 95:7-11, for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did. For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways." So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest." NIV

2. Hebrews 3:7-11, So, as the Holy Spirit says: "To-day, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'" NIV

3. Hebrews 3:12-19, See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end



the confidence we had at first. As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he an-gry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

4. Hebrews 4:1-13, Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.' "And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the sev-enth day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work." And again in the pas-sage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest." It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. There-fore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the peo-ple of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also



rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and ac-tive. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pene-trates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. NIV

B. Since Psalm 95:8-11 in our psalm are put in the form of an exhortation, the lesson to be learned can be applied to every age.

1. Psalm 95:8-11, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did. For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways." So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest." NIV

Psalm 95:8, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, NIV I. The historical allusions to “Meribah” (contention) and “Massah” (testing) would be readily understood by Israel (cf. Ex. 17:1-7; Num. 20:1-13).

A. Exodus 17:1-7, The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled



with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses re-plied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?" But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our chil-dren and livestock die of thirst?" Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me." The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" NIV

B. Numbers 20:1-13, In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried. Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in op-position to Moses and Aaron. They quarreled with Moses and said, "If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD! Why did you bring the LORD's commu-nity into this desert, that we and our livestock should die here? Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!" Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. The LORD said to Moses, "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the commu-



nity so they and their livestock can drink." So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Wa-ter gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them." These were the waters of Meri-bah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD and where he showed himself holy among them. NIV

C. On these two occasions, Israel contended with Moses be-cause of a lack of water in the wilderness journey and so they tried sorely the patience of God.

Psalm 95:9, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did. NIV I. Both psalmists (cf. Psalm 78; Psalm 106) and prophets (cf. Amos 3:1-2) point out the grave duty of Israel to assume the responsibilities that accompany the special privileges of those who had seen the works of God in a special way.

A. Psalm 78:1-72, O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old- what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next gen-eration the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation



would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. They would not be like their forefa-thers— a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him. The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; they did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by his law. They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them. He did miracles in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand firm like a wall. He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night. He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas; he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers. But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High. They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, "Can God spread a table in the desert? When he struck the rock, wa-ter gushed out, and streams flowed abundantly. But can he also give us food? Can he supply meat for his people?" When the LORD heard them, he was very angry; his fire broke out against Jacob, and his wrath rose against Israel, for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance. Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. Men ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat. He let loose the east wind from the heavens and led forth the south wind by his power. He rained meat down on them like dust, flying birds like sand on the seashore. He made them come down inside their camp, all around their tents. They ate till they had more than enough, for he had given them what



they craved. But before they turned from the food they craved, even while it was still in their mouths, God's anger rose against them; he put to death the sturdiest among them, cutting down the young men of Israel. In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe. So he ended their days in futility and their years in terror. Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Re-deemer. But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant. Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return. How often they rebelled against him in the desert and grieved him in the wasteland! Again and again they put God to the test; they vexed the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember his power— the day he redeemed them from the oppressor, the day he displayed his miraculous signs in Egypt, his wonders in the region of Zoan. He turned their rivers to blood; they could not drink from their streams. He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them. He gave their crops to the grasshopper, their produce to the lo-cust. He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore-figs with sleet. He gave over their cattle to the hail, their livestock to bolts of lightning. He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility— a band of destroying angels. He prepared a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death but gave them over to the plague. He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham. But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the desert. He guided them safely, so they were unafraid;



but the sea engulfed their enemies. Thus he brought them to the border of his holy land, to the hill country his right hand had taken. He drove out nations before them and al-lotted their lands to them as an inheritance; he settled the tribes of Israel in their homes. But they put God to the test and rebelled against the Most High; they did not keep his statutes. Like their fathers they were disloyal and faithless, as unreliable as a faulty bow. They angered him with their high places; they aroused his jealousy with their idols. When God heard them, he was very angry; he rejected Is-rael completely. He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent he had set up among men. He sent the ark of his might into captivity, his splendor into the hands of the enemy. He gave his people over to the sword; he was very angry with his inheritance. Fire consumed their young men, and their maidens had no wedding songs; their priests were put to the sword, and their widows could not weep. Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, as a man wakes from the stupor of wine. He beat back his enemies; he put them to everlasting shame. Then he rejected the tents of Joseph, he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim; but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved. He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth that he established forever. He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them. NIV

B. Psalm 106:1-48, Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise? Blessed are they who maintain justice, who con-stantly do what is right. Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save



them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your in-heritance in giving praise. We have sinned, even as our fa-thers did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly. When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for his name's sake, to make his mighty power known. He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; he led them through the depths as through a desert. He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy he re-deemed them. The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them survived. Then they believed his promises and sang his praise. But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel. In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting dis-ease upon them. In the camp they grew envious of Moses and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the LORD. The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it buried the company of Abiram. Fire blazed among their followers; a flame con-sumed the wicked. At Horeb they made a calf and wor-shiped an idol cast from metal. They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt, miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. So he said he would destroy them— had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them. Then they despised the pleas-ant land; they did not believe his promise. They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the LORD. So he swore to them with uplifted hand that he would make them fall in the desert, make their descendants fall among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands. They yoked them-selves to the Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to life-



less gods; they provoked the LORD to anger by their wicked deeds, and a plague broke out among them. But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked. This was credited to him as righteousness for end-less generations to come. By the waters of Meribah they an-gered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them; for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses' lips. They did not destroy the peo-ples as the LORD had commanded them, but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. They wor-shiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sac-rificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood. They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves. Therefore the LORD was angry with his people and ab-horred his inheritance. He handed them over to the nations, and their foes ruled over them. Their enemies oppressed them and subjected them to their power. Many times he de-livered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin. But he took note of their distress when he heard their cry; for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented. He caused them to be pitied by all who held them captive. Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from ever-lasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD. NIV C. Amos 3:1, 2, Hear this word the LORD has spoken against you, O people of Israel—against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt: "You only have I chosen of all the



families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins." NIV

Psalm 95:10, For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways." NIV I. “That generation” was not allowed to enter the promised land be-cause of unbelief which led to disobedience (cf. Heb. 3:18-19).

A. Hebrews 3:18, 19, And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their un-belief.

Psalm 95:11, So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest." NIV

I. Even after the settlement in Canaan the people did not enjoy true rest because of divine discipline sent in response to their continued disobedience.

A. Though they lived in the place of rest, menuchah, 11b), they did not enjoy the favor of God during their times of apostasy.

B. Thus, the people in the days of the psalmist are exhorted to hearken to God today so as not to incur His disfavor.

C. This admonition is still applicable to us.

Application: I. Spiritual rest with God requires much more than material prosperity and beautiful residences.



A. Many persons who have these blessings in great abundance are living in misery because their hearts are not right with God.

B. Peace with God is the only condition of true spiritual rest (Isa. 28:11-12; 30:15; 32:18).

1. Isaiah 28:11-12, Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people, to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose"—but they would not listen. NIV

2. Isaiah 30:15, This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. NIV

3. Isaiah 32:18, My people will live in peaceful dwell-ing places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest. NIV

C. When this condition is met one will be able to truly enjoy the bless-ings that God sees fit to bestow upon us.



Questions

Psalm 95:1-11

(Questions based on NIV text.) 1. “Come, let us __________________ for ________________ to the _______________; let us _______________ _______________ to the _______________ of our _______________. Let us come before him with _____________, and _____________ him with _____________ and _____________. For the _____________ is the _____________ _______________, the _______________ _______________ above all _____________. In his _______________ are the _____________ of the _____________, and the _______________ _______________ belong to him. the _______________ is his, for he made it, and his __________________ __________________ the ________________ __________________.” 2. “_______________, let us _______________ _______________ in _____________, let us _____________ before the _______________ our _______________; for he is our _______________ and we are the _______________ of his _______________, the _______________ under his _______________.” 3. “_____________, if you _______________ his _______________, do not _______________ your _______________ as you did at _____________, as you did that _______________ at _____________ in the _____________, where your ______________ _____________ and _______________ me, though they had seen what I did. For _______________ _______________ I was _______________ with that _______________; I said, ‘They are a _______________ whose _______________ go _______________, and they have not known my ways.’ So I _______________ on _______________ in my ____________, “They shall never _____________ my __________.’”



4. _______________ and _______________ must characterize those who __________________ acceptably, and __________________ _______________ demonstrate the _______________ which man needs to give to his _______________ and _______________. 5. Psalm 50 looks first at the _______________ of _______________ and then at the _________________ of _______________. 6. By way of verses, specify the three stanzas of Psalm 95 and state the purpose of each. _______________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. What is suggested by the figure of “the rock of our salvation”? ___ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. What are other renderings of the word worship? _______________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. What is referenced by the word today in verse 7? ______________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. What is the purpose for the use of the words Meribah and Massah in verse 8? _______________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. Both _______________ and ________________ point out the _______________ _______________ of _______________ to assume the _________________ that accompany the _________________ _______________ of these who had seen the _______________ of _______________ in a _______________ _______________. 12. Even after Israel had settled in Canaan they did not enjoy true rest. Why not? ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 13. What do spiritual rest with God require? ____________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 14. Why do many people who have blessings in great abundance live in misery? _______________________________________________



________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15. _____________ with _____________ is the only _____________ of _______________ _______________ _______________!


Documents

Acceptable Worship Psalm 95:1-11 - Bible Study … Worship Psalm 95:1-11 ... let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the ... strate the homage which man needs to give to his