Psalm 95:1-7
O come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 3For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.
5The sea is his, for he made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
6O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
7For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
O that today you would listen to his voice!
2Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 3For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.
5The sea is his, for he made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
6O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
7For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
O that today you would listen to his voice!
Somehow I most always reflect upon these words when I need comfort for something that has negatively impacted me…usually something sad, bad or makes me mad! But the reality is that I should look to the Lord all the time. He has provided everything I need to live well. And He provides for all that look for Him. (And sometimes He is there even when we aren’t looking) I love the “Footprints” story where there are only two feet. It was the Lord carrying me even when I wasn’t looking. He carried me most recently as I have had to consider purchasing long term health care and what that really means…that is that I have to consider the number of birthdays I have left! And am I REALLY prepared; what does God have in mind for me?
So this Psalm reminds me that God is always there, for everyone, forever.
Bethany Sands
For reflection:
When are the moments when you are most aware that God walks with you?
How does your activity of praise to God, impact your present…and your thoughts about the future?
Challenge yourself to set aside 10 minutes a day to engage in unadulterated praise. It could be in your car; over a cup of coffee at your desk; while walking your dog, etc…set aside the pressing issues of the moment to immerse yourself in thanksgiving over the gifts of God.
Though I am aware of many instances when I experience God's presence, today I feel compelled to highlight the tremendous gift of Bible study. By grappling with texts and discussing them with others, I am regularly reminded of the mystery and wonder of God--which gives rise to praise.
ReplyDeletePastor Katie
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ReplyDeleteENTER INTO THE LORD’S REST
ReplyDeleteWhat’s in a word? Plenty! Remember from my last blog of Tuesday, March 6, 2012 when I suggested studying the Bible in the King James Version? In the KJV we see that Psalm 95:7 ends with this phrase:
“Today if ye will hear His voice,”
The Psalm then continues in verses 8-11, and is quoted by Paul in Hebrews 3:7-11.
Checking these verses helps us complete the thought expressed in Psalm 95, which really has as its subject:
THE LORD’S REST TO BE FOUND IN TRUE WORSHIP
Verses 1-7(a) contain a call to worship and the reasons that the Lord is worthy of everyone’s worship and praise. Verses 7(b)-11 contain a warning to all who refuse the Father’s call. In these latter verses, He reminds us of what happened to those Hebrews who refused to hear Him and were, therefore, required to wander in the wilderness for forty years and not allowed to enter into His rest.
Now look up the word REST in the both the Hebrew/Chaldee and Greek dictionaries. You will find the word ABODE. Another way to think of ABODE means to be with Him. So, we can conclude that Psalm 95 is really a strong invitation from God our Father to worship Him, praise Him, and enter into His true rest, which is His abode.
Today God is still calling out His election. The question is: are you answering the call? Are you taking advantage of the fact that you have access to an incredible amount of information in God’s Word in many different formats? Are you coming out of Satan’s grip of slavery and preparing to enter the promised land? Once again, this Lenten season we have the opportunity to meditate on the events leading to the first Passover, looking forward to Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for us.
Right now there is still time to prepare yourself through worship and praise, looking forward to our Lord’s abode.
Thank you, Sandy, for leading us into the rest of Psalm 95--and mining even more from the riches of Scripture.
ReplyDeleteIt can be helpful, and indeed illuminating, to read the same passage in different English translations. The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) is the one used in our Sunday morning worship, and the version ELCA congregations use most often in study. However, there are many others to consult, from the New International Version (NIV), to the Jerusalem Bible, to the New American Standard Bible (NASB), to the King James and New King James Versions (KJV and NKJV). I also encourage all to pick up a Bible called "The Message" which is a contemporary translation--its tone is modern, and its flow is continuous--it's not divided into verses. Reading various translations can breathe new life into familiar, and sometimes confusing, passages.
Pastor Katie
Yes, there are other good versions of the Bible available besides the KJV. However, the student (and do we ever graduate from that status?) of the Bible needs some tools. The Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance is keyed to the KJV. With these two tools the student can gain an incredible amount of understanding and be prepared to move on to other writings later.
DeleteUnfortunately, some of the newer translations change the meaning of phrases or even entire passages by modifying words or leaving out whole phrases or verses completely! We have here a perfect example in Psalm 95:7(b). There is a big difference between “O that today you would hear His voice!” and “Today if ye will hear His voice,”. In the first phrase there is some finality, as in the completion of a thought, whereas in the second there is an introduction to verse 8. It is through this connection to move on that the rich meaning can be traced to the book of Hebrews and the key thought of the entire Psalm: the Lord’s Rest (or Abode) to be found in True Worship can be gleaned.
I am not saying that the KJV is perfect; sadly, we do not have anything truly original. But it is keyed to the Strong’s, allowing us to look at the Hebrew/Chaldee or Greek. And, we should “Study to show thyself approved unto God,” (II Timothy 2:15),trying to get as close to what was originally intended as possible. Leaving out words or phrases or modifying them away from the subject is not helpful. I could show other, more disturbing examples; but that is for another time.
In the worship services, I would like to see versions other than those that just provide a quick read or summary. In my opinon, the most complete version(s) should be used with appropriate explanations as necessary. Too often the assumption is made that a very elementary level of understanding is required, but I completely disagree. Even young children are capable of learning more than adults tend to think.