Psalm 95:6-7

Remember the 1973 movie, The Poseidon Adventure? There was a song in it that was performed by Maureen McGovern and it was called…The Morning After.

I feel like that song today, the day after the election in our country.

So what do we do?

There is great wisdom in God’s word in what we should do. Psalm 95:6-7 portrays it best for me:

Psalm 95:6–7 NIV84

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice,

The very first word, COME is an invitation and an opportunity. It is not a demand but a loving call that compels us to come along side.

The next two words, LET US, shows that we can join others and we do not have to go alone. What great comfort we have to know we can join others in worshiping our God.

That brings us to the idea of worship.

What is worship?

The Lexham Theological Wordbook defines “Worship is the awed response to the saving acts and praiseworthy character of God.”

Worship includes bringing an offering, bowing down, the lifting up and exalting God with praise.

Worship is the primary calling of humanity.

Our word worship comes from the Old English word “weorthscipe=worth-ship.” It originally referred to the action of humanity expressing homage to God because He is worthy of it. Now, it refers to any kind of interaction between God and His people.

Psalm 96:8 NIV84

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts.

Worship is something that is done both privately and publically.

It has been said that worship proceeds a miracle.

We can worship with our bodies. The text in Psalm 95:6 tells us to bow down and to kneel before the Lord. Other verses tell us to worship with our voices by speaking and singing. Other verses tell us we worship with our gatherings.

We worship because, according to verse 7, He is our God. That means He is infinite, great, powerful, our maker and creator of all things.

We worship because He is our God and we are the people of His flock.

I love the idea of God being our Shepherd. Of course I am reminded of the beautiful passage of Psalm 23.

Psalm 23:1–4 NIV84

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

However, there are many other passages that refer to God as Shepherd.

Genesis 48:15 NIV84

Then he blessed Joseph and said, “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

Psalm 28:9 NIV84

Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Psalm 74:1 NIV84

Why have you rejected us forever, O God? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?

Psalm 77:20 NIV84

You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Psalm 78:52 NIV84

But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the desert.

Psalm 79:13 NIV84

Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

Psalm 80:1 NIV84

Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth

Psalm 119:176 NIV84

I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.

Isaiah 40:11 NIV84

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

Jeremiah 31:10 NIV84

“Hear the word of the Lord, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’

Matthew 25:32–33 NIV84

All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

John 10:11–16 NIV84

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Hebrews 13:20 NIV84

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,

1 Peter 2:25 NIV84

For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Based on these verses, can you say we are the people He watches over, the flock under His care?

For that reason alone, we should worship.

Worship helps us move away from worry.

Are we going to focus on the problem or focus on God?

Are we going to panic or pray?

We are called worship.

Idolaters kneel before the gods they make, we kneel before the One who made us!

Practical tips for worship:

Understand who your Maker is

Take time to be holy

Spend time with Him

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