Psalm 95:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

NIV: Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;

NASB: Come, let’s worship and bow down, Let’s kneel before the Lord our Maker.

CSB: Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

NLT: Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,

KJV: O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

NKJV: Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

The Bible does not require believers to take any physical posture when worshipping or praying. The inner attitude matters most (1 Samuel 16:7). The realization that God created all human beings, and everything that exists (John 1:1–3; Colossians 1:16–17), should lead to humble worship. True worship does not perceive God to be on the same level as human beings; it perceives Him as far above human beings. He is the Creator who is worthy of worship. Bowing and kneeling are signs of reverence and humility. These are appropriate when praising God (Psalm 95:2) since He is the Creator of all things (Psalm 95:3–5). Those postures suggest the kind of humility which is essential to proper worship.

This passage goes on to describe the Lord as a shepherd who watches over His people, who are like sheep (Psalm 95:7). Sheep who listen to the guidance of their shepherd find blessing (Psalm 23:1–3). Those who resist or refuse cannot expect those benefits. An example of these consequences was Israel's stubbornness and lack of faith after leaving Egypt (Psalm 95:7–11).

Psalm 95:6–7 transitions from an emphasis on worshipping the Lord to a warning about defying Him. The last phrases of verse 7 tie more closely to those of verse 8. There, the psalmist mentions how Israel refused to trust God during their time in the wilderness. As a result, the Lord denied them His "rest" and barred that entire generation from entering the Promised Land.

The psalm begins with a call to worship, gratitude, and celebration of the Lord. God is great and a great King above all gods. He rules over the oceans and lands, which He created. The psalmist then turns to a warning about a time when Israel resisted the Lord's leadership. That entire generation was denied God's "rest," including being barred from entering the Promised Land.

"Enthronement" psalms make up this portion of Scripture. Because they speak of God's rule, they are also labelled "theocratic." Psalms 24, 27, 93, and 96—99 have similar themes. These songs anticipate the Lord God ruling over the entire world. This perspective often aims at the future when the Messiah Jesus will personally oversee earth for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4). The last portion of the song is quoted in the New Testament book of Hebrews (Hebrews 3:7–11, 15, 4:3–7).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 12/18/2024 12:36:33 PM