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Commentary on Psalms 95 verses 1–6
The psalmist here, as often elsewhere, stirs up himself and others to praise God; for it is a duty which ought to be performed with the most lively affections, and which we have great need to be excited to, being very often backward to it and cold in it. Observe,
I. How God is to be praised. 1. With holy joy and delight in him. The praising song must be a joyful noise, Psa 95:1 and again Psa 95:2. Spiritual joy is the heart and soul of thankful praise. It is the will of God (such is the condescension of his grace) that when we give glory to him as a being infinitely perfect and blessed we should, at the same time, rejoice in him as our Father and King, and a God in covenant with us. 2. With humble reverence, and a holy awe of him (Psa 95:6): "Let us worship, and bow down, and kneel before him, as becomes those who know what an infinite distance there is between us and God, how much we are in danger of his wrath and in need of his mercy." Though bodily exercise, alone, profits little, yet certainly it is our duty to glorify God with our bodies by the outward expressions of reverence, seriousness, and humility, in the duties of religious worship. 3. We must praise God with our voice; we must speak forth, sing forth, his praises out of the abundance of a heart filled with love, and joy, and thankfulness - Sing to the Lord; make a noise, a joyful noise to him, with psalms - as those who are ourselves much affected with his greatness and goodness, are forward to own ourselves so, are desirous to be more and more affected therewith, and would willingly be instrumental to kindle and inflame the same pious and devout affection in others also. 4. We must praise God in concert, in the solemn assemblies: "Come, let us sing; let us join in singing to the Lord; not others without me, nor I alone, but others with me. Let us come together before his presence, in the courts of his house, where his people are wont to attend him and to expect his manifestations of himself." Whenever we come into God's presence we must come with thanksgiving that we are admitted to such a favour; and, whenever we have thanks to give, we must come before God's presence, set ourselves before him, and present ourselves to him in the ordinances which he has appointed.
II. Why God is to be praised and what must be the matter of our praise. We do not want matter; it were well if we did not want a heart. We must praise God,
1.Because he is a great God, and sovereign Lord of all, Psa 95:3. He is great, and therefore greatly to be praised. He is infinite and immense, and has all perfection in himself. (1.) He has great power: He is a great King above all gods, above all deputed deities, all magistrates, to whom he said, You are gods (he manages them all, and serves his own purposes by them, and to him they are all accountable), above all counterfeit deities, all pretenders, all usurpers; he can do that which none of them can do; he can, and will, famish and vanquish them all. (2.) He has great possessions. This lower world is here particularly specified. We reckon those great men who have large territories, which they call their own against all the world, which yet are a very inconsiderable part of the universe: how great then is that God whose the whole earth is, and the fulness thereof, not only under whose feet it is, as he has an incontestable dominion over all the creatures and a propriety in them, but in whose hand it is, as he has the actual directing and disposing of all (Psa 95:4); even the deep places of the earth, which are out of our sight, subterraneous springs and mines, are in his hand; and the height of the hills which are out of our reach, whatever grows or feeds upon them, is his also. This may be taken figuratively: the meanest of the children of men, who are as the low places of the earth, are not beneath his cognizance; and the greatest, who are as the strength of the hills, are not above his control. Whatever strength is in any creature it is derived from God and employed for him (Psa 95:5): The sea is his, and all that is in it (the waves fulfil his word); it is his, for he made it, gathered its waters and fixed its shores; the dry land, though given to the children of men, is his too, for he still reserved the property to himself; it is his, for his hands formed it, when his word made the dry land appear. His being the Creator of all makes him, without dispute, the owner of all. This being a gospel psalm, we may very well suppose that it is the Lord Jesus whom we are here taught to praise. He is a great God; the mighty God is one of his titles, and God over all, blessed for evermore. As Mediator, he is a great King above all gods; by him kings reign; and angels, principalities, and powers, are subject to him; by him, as the eternal Word, all things were made (Joh 1:3), and it was fit he should be the restorer and reconciler of all who was the Creator of all, Col 1:16, Col 1:20. To him all power is given both in heaven and in earth, and into his hand all things are delivered. It is he that sets one foot on the sea and the other on the earth, as sovereign Lord of both (Rev 10:2), and therefore to him we must sing our songs of praise, and before him we must worship and bow down.
2.Because he is our God, not only has a dominion over us, as he has over all the creatures, but stands in special relation to us (Psa 95:7): He is our God, and therefore it is expected we should praise him; who will, if we do not? What else did he make us for but that we should be to him for a name and a praise? (1.) He is our Creator, and the author of our being; we must kneel before the Lord our Maker, Psa 95:6. Idolaters kneel before gods which they themselves made; we kneel before a God who made us and all the world and who is therefore our rightful proprietor; for his we are, and not our own. (2.) He is our Saviour, and the author of our blessedness. He is here called the rock of our salvation (Psa 95:1), not only the founder, but the very foundation, of that work of wonder, on whom it is built. That rock is Christ; to him therefore we must sing our songs of praises, to him that sits upon the throne and to the Lamb. (3.) We are therefore his, under all possible obligations: We are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. All the children of men are so; they are fed and led by his Providence, which cares for them, and conducts them, as the shepherd the sheep. We must praise him, not only because he made us, but because he preserves and maintains us, and our breath and ways are in his hand. All the church's children are in a special manner so; Israel are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand; and therefore he demands their homage in a special manner. The gospel church is his flock. Christ is the great and good Shepherd of it. We, as Christians, are led by his hand into the green pastures, by him we are protected and well provided for, to his honour and service we are entirely devoted as a peculiar people, and therefore to him must be glory in the churches (whether it be in the world or no) throughout all ages, Eph 3:21.
"Let us prevent His face by confession" [Psalm 95:2]. Confession has a double meaning in Scripture. There is a confession of him who praises, there is that of him who groans. The confession of praise pertains to the honour of Him who is praised: the confession of groaning to the repentance of him who confesses. For men confess when they praise God: they confess when they accuse themselves; and the tongue has no more worthy use. Truly, I believe these to be the very vows, of which he speaks in another Psalm: "I will pay You my vows, which I distinguished with my lips." Nothing is more elevated than that distinguishing, nothing is so necessary both to understand and to do. How then do you distinguish the vows which you pay unto God? By praising Him, by accusing yourself; because it is His mercy, to forgive us our sins. For if He chose to deal with us after our deserts, He would find cause only to condemn. "O come," he said therefore, that we may at last go back from our sins, and that He may not cast up with us our accounts for the past; but that as it were a new account may be commenced, all the bonds of our debts having been burnt....The more therefore you despaired of yourself on account of your iniquities, do thou confess your sins; for so much greater is the praise of Him who forgives, as is the fullness of the penitent's confession more abundant. Let us not therefore imagine that we have receded from the song of praise, in understanding here that confession by which we acknowledge our transgressions: this is even a part of the song of praise; for when we confess our sins, we praise the glory of God.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 95:2 serves as a vibrant, communal summons to worship, urging God's people to approach His divine presence with a spirit of profound gratitude and uninhibited, joyful musical praise. This verse establishes the foundational posture for encountering the Almighty, emphasizing that thanksgiving and exuberant song are not merely optional expressions but essential, non-negotiable components of genuine adoration, setting the tone for the psalm's initial call to worship before its later shift to a solemn warning.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 95:2 employs several powerful literary devices. The most prominent is the Imperative Mood in "Let us come" and "make," which functions as a direct, communal Call to Worship, urging the assembly to actively participate. There is clear Parallelism between the two clauses, where "with thanksgiving" and "with psalms" serve as complementary expressions of the same underlying act of worship—one focusing on the internal attitude (gratitude) and the other on the external expression (joyful song). This is a form of Synthetic Parallelism, where the second line expands upon the first, adding a specific mode of expression. The phrase "before his presence" utilizes vivid Imagery, evoking the visual of standing directly before a majestic ruler, emphasizing the awe and privilege of drawing near to God. The entire verse is rich in Sensory Language, appealing to sound ("joyful noise," "psalms") and the implied experience of being in God's presence, making the call to worship vivid and inviting and underscoring the holistic engagement of the worshiper.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 95:2 profoundly shapes our understanding of worship, asserting that it is an intentional, communal, and holistic act. It teaches that true worship begins not with what we demand, but with what we acknowledge: God's inherent goodness and His mighty deeds, expressed through thanksgiving. This gratitude then naturally overflows into exuberant, heartfelt praise, often channeled through song. The privilege of coming "before his presence" underscores the accessibility of God to His people, inviting them into intimate communion, yet always with the reverence due to the Creator and King. This verse sets a timeless paradigm for corporate worship, emphasizing that a spirit of gratitude and joyful expression are non-negotiable elements in approaching the divine.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 95:2 serves as a timeless blueprint for our approach to God, both individually and corporately. It challenges us to cultivate a heart saturated with gratitude, recognizing that thanksgiving is not merely a polite addition to prayer but the very foundation of genuine worship. In a world often consumed by complaint or self-focus, this verse calls us to intentionally shift our perspective to God's goodness and faithfulness. Furthermore, it encourages a vibrant, uninhibited expression of joy in our praise. Our worship should not be a somber duty but an overflowing response to the magnificent reality of who God is and what He has done. Whether in private devotion or communal gathering, we are invited to bring our whole selves—our voices, our hearts, and our instruments—into His glorious presence, making a "joyful noise" that truly reflects the awe and adoration we feel for our Creator and Redeemer.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is thanksgiving so important in approaching God?
Answer: Thanksgiving is crucial because it reorients our focus from ourselves and our needs to God's character and His past faithfulness. It acknowledges His sovereignty, goodness, and provision, establishing a posture of humility and dependence. As Psalm 100:4 states, we are to "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise." It's the proper entry point, recognizing that all we have and are comes from Him, and it opens our hearts to receive more of His grace and to engage in genuine adoration.
What does "make a joyful noise" truly mean, and does it imply loud worship?
Answer: "Make a joyful noise" (Hebrew: rûwaʻ) implies an enthusiastic, uninhibited, and often loud expression of praise. It's not about volume for its own sake, but about the overflowing, unreserved joy that erupts from a heart in awe of God. It can manifest as shouting, singing, clapping, or even instrumental acclamations. It contrasts with apathetic or reluctant worship, calling for a vibrant, wholehearted response to God's greatness, much like a triumphant shout of victory or a celebratory cheer. The emphasis is on the sincerity and exuberance of the expression rather than a prescribed decibel level.
Is musical worship mandatory for approaching God, given the mention of "psalms"?
Answer: While Psalms 95:2 highlights musical worship ("with psalms") as a key component of Israelite corporate praise, it doesn't exclusively limit how one approaches God. The essence is joyful expression and thanksgiving. Music is a powerful, God-given means to express these, and it has always played a central role in corporate worship throughout biblical history, as seen in the singing of the Israelites after crossing the Red Sea. However, God also welcomes prayer, quiet meditation, and acts of obedience as forms of worship. The verse emphasizes that when we do engage in communal praise, music is a divinely sanctioned and effective vehicle for expressing our "joyful noise" and thanksgiving, channeling our adoration in a structured and beautiful way.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 95:2, with its invitation to "come before his presence," finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in Jesus Christ. In the Old Covenant, access to God's immediate presence was restricted, often mediated through priests and limited to specific sacred spaces like the Tabernacle or Temple. However, Christ, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, has torn the veil (Matthew 27:51), granting believers direct, unhindered access to the Father's presence. He is "Immanuel," God with us, making God's presence tangible and accessible (Matthew 1:23). Through His atoning sacrifice, we are now invited to "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith" into the very throne room of grace. The "thanksgiving" and "joyful noise" of Psalms 95:2 are now offered not merely for creation and general providence, but specifically for the redemptive work of Christ—for our salvation, reconciliation, and adoption into God's family. Our "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs" (Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16) are sung to Him, through Him, and because of Him, as we worship in "spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24), recognizing that He is the ultimate object and enabler of our worship, the very means by which we enter God's presence with thanksgiving and joyful praise.