Come and Worship

A. The Psalmist invites us to worship in this morning’s psalm.

1. Individual worship should be an important part of our lives.

2. We enrich our times of worship by inviting others to join us.

B. The Psalmist’s calls reveal three dimensions of worship.

Let’s take a look...

Psalm 95:1–8 NKJV

1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. 3 For the Lord is the great God, And the great King above all gods. 4 In His hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills are His also. 5 The sea is His, for He made it; And His hands formed the dry land. 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. 7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: 8 “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness,

1. “O come, let us sing to the Lord!”

2. “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving.”

3. “O come, let us worship and bow down.”

So let’s break these down and see how the Psalmist calls us to these three elements of worship.

Music Facilitates Worship (v. 1)

Psalm 95:1 NKJV

1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

1. Here we have an invitation to sing to the Lord.

a. Singing has always been an important part of worship.

b. Songs tell the story of changed lives and deep dedication.

c. The praising song must be a joyful noise.

2. Joyful singing honors the Lord.

a. We sing to the Rock of our Salvation.

b. Worship songs focus on the cross and the attributes of God.

3. We’ll worship the Lord in song when we get to heaven ()

Revelation 5:9–10 NKJV

9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

a. These songs will be about redemption by the blood of Christ.

b. They will focus on the miracle of personal salvation.

Thanksgiving Fuels Worship (v. 2)

Psalm 95:2 NKJV

2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

1. Thanksgiving flows from grateful hearts.

a. Remembering God’s provision promotes thankfulness.

- God is worthy of the joyful praise mentioned in verses 1-2 because of His majesty. He is the great King over all gods. Mentioning these gods (idols) does not acknowledge their reality. It is a statement of God’s sovereignty and superiority over every force, real and imagined.

b. We are to be constantly aware of God’s blessings ()

Psalm 103:1–2 NKJV

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

ps 103

2. Thankfulness moves us to worship the provider.

a. Giving thanks during worship increases contentment.

b. Focusing on what God has given us drives the blues away.

3. We cannot worship and worry at the same time.

a. Worshipping turns our thoughts to thankful praise

b. Thanksgiving in worship cures the negatives in life.

c. “Thanksgiving has great curative power” (A.W. Tozer)

Reverence Fosters Worship (v. 6)

Psalm 95:6 NKJV

6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

ps

1. Worship may include bowing down.

a. “Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.”

b. Humility in worship honors the Lord.

2. “Our joyful adoration of the Lord is to be humble. We must come joyfully but not proudly; familiar as children before a father, yet reverent creatures before their maker.” (C. H. Spurgeon)

Conclusion:

A. Listening is also important in worship (vv. 7-8)

Psalm 95:7–8 NKJV

7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: 8 “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness,

ps 95.7-8

B. What is God saying to you?

C. Don’t harden your heart! Obey today!