TRUE WORSHIP (Psalm 95)

There is a great deal of talk today about worship, and yet I wonder how much actual worship is being done.

Jesus once said that the Father was seeking “true worshippers” who would worship Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). Much of what is called worship today is anything but worship; in fact, it may be the exact opposite of worship because it leads us not to God, but to man.

Anything that lifts up man is not worship at all or is the wrong kind of worship, even idolatry. True worship always exalts God alone.

That is the message of Psalm 95, and the key to its message is in verse 6. “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.”

This is not just about the posture of your body. It is about the attitude of your soul. This verse is a reminder that true worship brings us low and lifts God high.

The irony is that the lower we go, the higher we go. The more we lower ourselves, the more the Lord lifts us up. If you want to ascend with Him and live in heavenly places, you must first humble yourself.

We do not know exactly who wrote Psalm 95 or its setting, but it is quoted prolifically in the fourth chapter of Hebrews and referred to as “in David.” While we are not certain, it seems likely that this psalm was written by David, and he was a man who knew something about worship.

If I ask people to tell me about David, I would likely hear about him being a king or a warrior. But I would say first that he was a worshipper. Every good thing in life, and everything God allows you to do, grows out of your worship and your attitude toward the Lord.

The Way of Worship

Verses 1-2 show us the way of worship. “O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.”

You begin to worship by giving God praise and glory. When you begin to thank the Lord, it immediately ushers you into His presence. That is why Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise.” As you begin to praise and give God thanks, it brings your heart into an attitude of worship. It literally brings you into the throne room of Heaven. Remember, God inhabits the praises of His people.

Would you like to be near God today? The way to start is by simply acknowledging Him for who He is, to give Him glory and thanks and praise. When you do that, God leads you into an attitude of worship.

That is why worship is not contingent on emotion. It is a choice. There is a decision of the will, to say, “I am going to worship God.”

You say you don’t feel like singing? That is when you need to sing. When you don’t feel like thanking God, just start doing it anyway. We do not worship because we feel like it or want to do it; we worship because He is worthy of it. He deserves it.

The Wonder of Worship

In the heart of the psalm, we see the wonder of worship. Verse 3: “For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”

The whole idea of worship is that we stand in awe and wonder of who God is. We use the word “wonderful” freely today, whether referring to a place, a person, or even a meal. But in reality, only our great God is truly wonderful. That is one of His names. We should always be full of wonder at who God is.

The wonder of worship is not the singer, the preacher, or whoever is supposedly leading some worship gathering. It should simply be all eyes on Jesus. Anything that draws our attention, admiration, and affection to men is the exact opposite of worship. True worship says, “Look to God alone. Only God is truly great.”

It is interesting that in this passage we see the emphasis on His hands.

Verse 4: “In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.”

Verse 5: “The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.”

Verse 7: “For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.”

What does this mean? Well, God’s hands are a reminder of His power and strength, His divine ability. We should stand in awe and wonder at His greatness.

I love the fact that He holds the world in His hand according to verses 4-5, but in verse 7 I am in His hand. The same God who created and sustains the world, who holds it all, holds you as well. We are His sheep, as verse 7 indicates, and the Good Shepherd feeds us from His own good hand. It is a reminder that His hand is not only strong but tender. When I see His power and gentleness working together in my life, I stand in awe and wonder at Him.

A Warning to the Worshipper

The end of the psalm gives a warning to the worshipper.

Verses 7-11: “To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.”

Interestingly, a psalm of worship contains a warning. If we are not careful, we lose our reverence and the transcendence of God. After a while, even our worship can become very self-centered if we start thinking about our feelings and what we enjoy instead of whether the Lord is pleased with it.

Our attention is moved in these final verses from His hand to our hearts. Examine your heart to see if it is soft and open toward God. The word “today” in verse 7 illustrates the importance of our response to His voice. What will you do today in your worship?

We don’t just worship on Sunday or in corporate gatherings. We must worship personally each day.

My friend, stay close to God. Forty years were wasted by the children of Israel because they failed to keep the reverent attitude of worship. I say again that every good thing in life grows and flows out of a heart of worship.

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