Psalm 95:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice,

NIV: for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice,

NASB: For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice,

CSB: For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep under his care. Today, if you hear his voice:

NLT: for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!

KJV: For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

NKJV: For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice:

When the Bible was originally written, it was not divided into chapters or verses. Those were added much later, to make it easier to locate certain statements. Here, the last phrase of this verse is more connected to what comes after than to what comes before.

The psalmist has been describing reasons to worship the Lord (Psalm 95:2–6). This includes the imagery of a shepherd and a flock of sheep. David used the same analogy in his writing (Psalm 23:1). According to David, trusting obedience to God resulted in blessing (Psalm 23:2–3). This also eased fear and anxiety (Psalm 23:4). In John 10, Jesus echoed many of these ideas. He assured His followers about His love, protection, and guidance.

Next, the psalm transitions into a warning. Those who hear the voice of the Lord should respond immediately, not delaying their obedience (Psalm 119:60). Ignoring the message of God means missing His blessings, or worse. An example of this was Israel's faithlessness and disobedience after leaving Egypt (Exodus 17:7; Numbers 20:13). The book of Hebrews cites this psalm to make these same points (Hebrews 3:7–11, 15, 4:3–7).

God "speaks" to people in various ways, depending on the timeline of His plans (Hebrews 1:1). Some heard from the Lord in very overt ways. For others, it was more subtle. For the modern believer, God speaks through His written Word (2 Timothy 3:16) and the Holy Spirit (John 14:26), which point to the Lord's ultimate message in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1–2).

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.