Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Ps 95:1 and following. Indeed, the power of God in salvation awakens cries of joy in those who are its objects. Once upon a time, on the shores of the Red Sea, a redeemed people had brought up to Jehovah the song of deliverance. Alas! the history of Israel from its first steps in the wilderness teaches us that one can witness God’s works and not know His ways. It also shows us that it was not only the ungodly Pharaoh who hardened his heart (Exodus 8:15-32), but that Israel was quick to do the same. The very names of Massa (temptation; Exodus 17:7) and Meriba (protest) are forever etched in his story (Numbers 11:3, 34). These missteps punctuated his sad stages through the desert and served to designate them. May these names also be on our way like signposts to warn us solemnly!
Hebrews quotes and comments on this psalm for us (Hebrews 3:7-11): “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart.” It is with the heart that one must listen to the Lord. May ours today be sensitive to “His voice,” and tomorrow He will be able to bring us into His glorious rest. Encouraging each other in this way, the hearts of the faithful unite to sing a hymn of joy and praise, as their hope is so vivid and ardent: The Lord, through his Spirit, seems to intervene in what is a foretaste of millennial joy, not to weaken or disturb it but to make a holy warning heard. And this interruption, this voice of the Spirit, has a double intention: it announces to them a rest (Heb. 4); it also warns them that they have to watch, to guard against all that has prevented their fathers from entering into this rest (Heb. 3). For they are always in spirit in the desert, the place of discipline; they are still, as in the past, between Egypt and Canaan, and therefore they need these warnings. The Apostle’s commentary on these chapters gives such character to this voice. But we are certainly aware that this warning is rightly addressed to all of us.
Indeed, Ps 95 to 100 show us very distinctly the march of the introduction of the Only Begotten Son into the world; but here he is always seen as the Lord coming from heaven in judgment, and in the end, taking place among the cherubs and calling the world to worship him there. This contrasts the establishment of Israel in blessing by means of power, with its ancient fall, when it was first delivered. For we must note the declared opposition between the God of Israel and all the others whom man has formed in the exercise of an unlicensed imagination. If any object, an idol is nothing in the world, (1 Cor 8:4) it is enough to answer, that the psalmist aims to denounce the vain illusions of men who have framed the gods after their own senseless artifice. However, under this term, he was able to understand the angels, claiming that God possessed such excellence that exalted him far above all celestial glory, and all that could be considered divine, as well as above the simulated deities of the earth: Angels are indeed not gods, but the name recognizes them an application because of their presence next to God, and even more, because of their being counted no less than gods by men who exalt them in a disproportionate way. If the heavenly angels themselves are to yield to the majesty of the one God, it was the height of indignity to compare him to gods who are only fictions.
As proof of his greatness, he invites us to look at his formation of the world, which he declares to be ‘work of God’s hands’, and subject to his power. This is one reason why God must be praised, that He has clearly shown His glory in the creation of the world and that He will make us recognize It every day in His government: When we say that ‘the depths of the earth are in His hands’, the meaning is that He is governed by His providence and subject to His power. In calling them ‘to come before the face of God’, he uses a language that was also well suited to increase the ardor of worshippers; nothing is more pleasant than to offer in the presence of God such a sacrifice that he declares to accept. He thus says to prevent them from assuming vain service, that God was present to witness it: God was present in the sanctuary.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
If you listened ! :
· Praise be to God, ordained
-With the songs Ps 9:12 Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Zion, Publish among the people his high deeds!
-With the musical instruments Ps 33.2 Celebrate the Lord with the harp, Celebrate him on the ten-stringed lute.
-Universal Ps 67:4 The people praise you, O God! All people praise you. Isaiah 42:12 Let the Lord be given glory, and let his praises be published in the islands!
-Perpetual Hb 13:15 Through him, let’s constantly offer God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
-Four reasons to express praise to God 1 Pet 2:9 You, on the contrary, are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, an acquired people, that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you from darkness to his admirable light,
· Spiritual foundation, God as
Dt 32.4, 31 He is the rock; his works are perfect, for all his ways are just; He is a faithful God without iniquity, He is just and upright. 31 For their rock is not like our Rock, Our enemies are judges of it. 1 Sam 2:2 No one is holy like the Lord; There is no other God but you; There is no rock like our God. 2 Sam 22:47 Long live the Lord, and blessed be my rock! May God, the rock of my salvation, be exalted, Ps 18:32 for who is God, if not Jehovah; And who is a rock, if not our God? Ps 28:1 Of David. Eternal! I cry out to you. My rock! do not remain deaf to my voice, Lest you walk away without answering me, I will be like those who descend into the pit. Ps 62:3 Yes, it is he who is my rock and my salvation; My high retirement: I will hardly falter. Ps 94:22 But Jehovah is my retreat, My God is the rock of my refuge.
· True Worship of God, Recommended
Dt 26:10 Now behold, I bring the first fruits of the soil that you have given me, O Lord! You will lay them before Jehovah your God, and prostrate yourself before Jehovah, your God. 1 Ch 16:29 Render unto the Lord glory for His name! Bring offerings and come in His presence, Prostrate yourselves before the Lord with holy ornaments! Ps 95:6 Come, prostrate and humble ourselves, bend our knee before the Lord, our creator! Ps 96:9 Prostrate yourselves before the Lord with sacred ornaments. Tremble before him, all of you, inhabitants of the earth! Mt 4:10 Jesus said to him, “Withdraw, Satan! For it is written: You shall worship the Lord, your God, and you shall serve Him alone. John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Rev 14:7 He said in a loud voice: Fear God, and give Him glory, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship him who made heaven, and earth, and sea, and springs of water. Rev 22:9 But he said to me, Be careful not to do so! I am your companion of service, and that of your brothers the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.
· Perverse generation
Dt 32.5 If they have corrupted themselves, it is not his fault; Shame is on his children, False and perverse race. Pr 30:12 There is a race that believes itself to be pure, and is not washed of its filth. Mt 3:7 But, seeing many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them: Races of vipers, who taught you to flee from the wrath to come? Mt 12:39:45 He answered them: A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miracle; he will be given no miracle other than that of the prophet Jonah. 45 He goes away, and he takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; they enter the house, settle there, and the last condition of this man is worse than the first. It will be the same for this evil generation. Luke 9:41 Unbelieving and evil race, Jesus answered, “until when will I be with you, and will I bear you? Bring your son here. Acts 2:40 And with many other words he conjured and exhorted them, saying: Save yourselves from this evil generation.
From all of the above, we note thatPs 95 calls Israel to come before Jehovah with cries of joy, praise, and thanksgiving; it describes its greatness above all the gods and as Creator. But Jehovah is the One who made Israel, he is also his God; and Israel now can wait for rest, even after such a long time and such a long fall. Until the power intervenes to exercise judgment, while it is said: “today” (for in this great “tomorrow” God will no longer bear evil or rebellious will), the people are invited not to harden their hearts, as in the past in the wilderness, when God swore that they would not enter into their rest. But now, after all, grace says, “Today!” She invites them to come in her presence to him, the rock of their salvation. For this psalm is suitable for the Sabbath, when we know that religious assemblies were more convened for the worship of God. It is not individuals among the pious whom he exhorts to celebrate divine praises in private: he enjoins to offer them at the public meeting. By this he showed that The external worship of God consisted mainly of a sacrifice of praise and not of dead ceremonies: He enjoined them to hasten; they could testify to their eagerness in this service. For he calls them to accelerate in the presence of God; and such a warning was necessary, given how naturally backward we are when God calls us to the exercise of thanksgiving. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow “trust in God in adversity.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.