What an incredible privilege, we are invited to praise God! In Psalm 95 we are invited to come and sing praise to God. By our nature we could not come into God’s presence, but v1 tells us that He is not only LORD but also the rock of our salvation. We can come into His presence and not be consumed because He has dealt with our sin by saving us through Jesus.
But why should we praise Him? What a crazy question in light of the salvation we have just considered! But the Psalm gives more reasons, “the LORD is a great God, and a great king above all gods” (v3). No one compares to Him. As Israel sang this Psalm they could have been confident that God is the true God, as they remembered their history, how God had set them free from the mighty Pharaoh, because He is the one true God. How He had answered from heaven with fire, while Baal remained silent. Time after time, God had shown himself to be the true God. As God’s people sang this Psalm after exile, they would have remembered that even the great Nebuchadnezzer and his gods were nothing compared to the LORD. As we sing the Psalm today, think of who you are tempted to fear or worship, remind yourself, God is above them!
The Psalmist reminds us that God is over the lowest point – “depths of the earth” – the things we fear, even death, it’s all in God’s hand (v4). But it’s not only the depths that God rules over, it’s the high places, the mountain peaks (v4). These are not just the glorious places that show His majesty, but they are places where other religions thought their gods rule, and Israel were tempted to worship. But the Psalmist reminds us, those places are also in the hand of God.
And so is the sea! A place of incredible beauty, but also terrifying chaos. The place where evil often comes from in the Bible, but it doesn’t need to be feared, for it is under God’s rule, he made it (v5). He’s also in control of the places we live as well. He made the dry land. No wonder the Psalmist calls us to bow down and worship.
But the Psalmist continues with more reasons, the LORD not only made the world, but also He made us, “He is our maker” (v6). And more than that, if we belong to Jesus Christ, the good shepherd, then we are His sheep. We belong to God in a special way, Jesus Christ purchased us with His blood. One writer tells us “He is our God, not because He belongs to us, but because we belong to Him.”
So many great reasons to praise God, but the Psalm concludes with a warning, a warning to make sure we are not just numbered with the crowd of worshippers, but that we are actually worshippers ourselves. Not that we’re just going through the motions, but that we personally listen to God’s Word. Look at the warning in v7 “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah”. God had rescued his people out of Egypt, He had brought them through Red Sea, and then they grumbled at Meribah and Massah. They put God to the test, and they missed out on going into the promised land as a result (Exodus 17, Numbers 20). In Hebrews 3, we are warned not to make the same mistake, make sure you listen to God’s Word.
Where are you tempted to grumble against God? As you read or sing this Psalm, ask God to make you more aware of His goodness in giving His Son so that you can be one His sheep. Trust His leading, even when trials come your way, ask Him to help you not put Him to the test, not to harden your heart.
Light and Momentary Troubles 
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