Bible Teachers:What does Psalm chapter 95 mean?
Chapter Context
"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).
What does Psalm chapter 95 mean?
Among the psalms are those which emphasize God's rule over the entire word. These include Psalms 24, 27, 93, and 96—99. Psalm 95 is another example of an "enthronement" psalm.
Everything which exists was created by God. The proper response to this is worship and gratitude. The psalmist calls for loud and enthusiastic praise. When referring to the Lord being "above" other gods, the writer does not mean that there are other deities besides God. Rather, this is a reminder that the other gods of false religions are all imaginary (Deuteronomy 4:35; Isaiah 45:21; John 1:1–2). Only the God of Israel exists, and He alone forms, sustains, and rules over all creation (Psalm 95:1–5).
After calling for worship, the psalmist begins to shift focus. God's people ought to worship Him because He is both the Creator and a guiding Shepherd. This echoes the same themes explored by David (Psalm 23:1–3). Jesus, as well, used language related to shepherding (John 10:7–9, 11, 14, 16). Sheep are wise to follow the Shepherd's lead (Psalm 95:6–7).
At times, Israel failed to honor God with trusting obedience. They were stubborn, complaining and worrying despite the Lord's amazing miracles on their behalf (Exodus 3:20; 12:41; 15:22–26; 16:2–3, 12–14). In an infamous incident, Israel complained that they would die of thirst—ignoring all the wonders which had come before (Exodus 17:1–7). They also arrived at the borders of the Promised Land and refused to continue as God had commanded (Numbers 14:1–4). As a result, the Lord barred them from entry into Canaan. The nation spent forty years meandering around until the children of the rebellious generation were ready to move forward (Numbers 14:28–32). Here, this is phrased as a warning against being faithless towards the Lord (Psalm 95:7–11). [
**note: the overlap on verse 7 is intentional]
The book of Hebrews cites the last portion of this psalm to make a similar warning (Hebrews 3:7–11, 15; 4:3–7). Trusting faith means obedience. Being fearful or obstinate keeps us from enjoying the "rest" of fulfilling God's plans for our lives. Resisting His will can result in a loss of rewards or the painful earthly consequences of our own mistakes.
