The Heart: is it Hardened or is it full of praise

Introduction (Tell them what you are going to say)

I once heard the story of a set of twins—Daniel and David. They grew up in a Christian home, came to know Jesus as Savior, and were active in their church. They worshiped together, prayed together, and served side by side. If you saw them on a Sunday morning, you would have thought, “Here are two men with hearts overflowing in praise to God.”

But life has a way of testing the heart. Over the years, both brothers faced wave after wave of hardship. First came financial loss. Then came the death of loved ones. And then came more struggles—personal disappointments, broken relationships, and prayers that seemed to go unanswered.

At first, they leaned on the Lord. But little by little, their joy began to fade. Their worship became quiet. Thanksgiving turned into complaint. Eventually, both of them walked away from the faith they once held so dear.

Daniel and David had experienced Christ. They had known His goodness. Yet, somewhere along the way, their hearts had become hardened. They no longer had hearts full of praise; they had hearts closed off to God.

And here’s the truth that story teaches us: A heart that once overflowed with praise can grow cold if it is hardened by unbelief and disobedience. Psalm 95 calls us to guard our hearts, to keep them soft before God, and to respond to Him with worship—no matter the circumstances.

Central Message

God calls His people to worship and praise him with a responsive heart, warning against the danger of hardening our hearts through unbelief and disobedience.

Body (Tell them what you have to say)

Praise and Submission

Psalm 95:1–2 NIV

1 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. The psalmist calls his fellow Israelites to praise.

Why

Psalm 95:3–7 NIV

3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice,

A harden heart

Psalm 95:8–9 NIV

8 “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did.

Even though they knew God and had seen his miracles they hardened their hearts to him

Reasons for the hardening of the heart a misunderstanding about God or pride .

Remember who God is ( the creator of the universe ). Remember what God has done . Soften your heart if it has been hardened .

Illustration

Not long after Daniel and David had walked away from the faith, a mutual friend from their church came to visit. He had known them since they were boys, and he came with a simple purpose: to remind them of who God is and what God had done for them.

Sitting at Daniel’s kitchen table, he began to talk about the times God had provided for their family. He reminded them of answered prayers they had once celebrated together. He spoke of the cross—how Jesus had paid it all, even when life seemed unfair.

Daniel listened. You could see it in his eyes—memories stirring, truth breaking through the fog. He shifted in his chair, almost as if he wanted to say, “You’re right.” But then, just as quickly, he crossed his arms and stayed quiet. He was wavering, but he wasn’t ready to surrender his will to God.

David, on the other hand, didn’t even flinch. He leaned back, arms folded, and said, “That may have been true for me once, but not anymore. I don’t need anyone telling me how to live my life.” His pride stood like a brick wall between him and God.

Two brothers heard the same reminder of God’s goodness. One was held back by misunderstanding—confused about God’s ways and hesitant to submit. The other was chained by pride—unwilling to bow his heart to the Lord.

Application

We have an even greater reason to praise God ( Jesus) .

Do not harden your heart, and do not be discouraged when others harden theirs .

Conclusion

Psalm 95 calls us to live with hearts that are alive in worship, ready to bow in submission before our great God, and vigilant against the slow drift of unbelief that hardens the heart.

As Christians, we have every reason to praise. The Israelites were called to worship because God was their Creator, their King, and their Shepherd. But we, the church, have an even greater reason—we know Jesus Christ. We know the cross, the empty tomb, and the promise of His return. If Israel could praise God for His mighty works, how much more should we, who have seen the fullness of His salvation, lift our voices in thanksgiving?

So let us guard our hearts. Don’t allow disappointment, trial, or the passing of time to rob you of joy. Keep your heart soft before Him. Remember who God is, remember what He has done, and remember that He is still worthy of praise—always.

I think again of the story of Daniel and David. Both brothers had once walked with God, but hardship hardened their hearts. They both walked away from the faith. Yet over time, something happened in Daniel’s heart. He began to remember the goodness of God, the peace he once knew, and the joy of worship. Slowly, Daniel returned. He bowed his knee before the Lord again, and his voice was lifted in praise. His heart, once hard, was made tender.

But David never returned. His heart stayed closed. He refused to listen to God’s voice.

Their story reminds us that the choice is ours. Will we let trials harden our hearts, or will we choose, even in the valley, to lift our hearts and voices to the One who is worthy?

God calls us to worship and praise him with a responsive heart. He warns us against the danger of hardening our hearts through unbelief and disobedience.

“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Let your heart be full of praise.

"Daniel heard God’s voice and did not harden his heart; David heard the same voice and turned away—Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts."

"This week, remember Daniel and David—two brothers who faced the same trials, but only one chose to let his heart sing again; which brother will you be?"