An Invitation and a Reason

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker!

For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” -Psalm 95:6-7 (ESV)

In the Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, the authorship of Psalm 95 is attributed to David. However, in later editions, even the authorized King James Version (1611), no author is given. Many scholars, however, hold that the style and content are like so many of the Psalms of David. Even though we have no verification of authorship, the Psalm is the type of Psalm called “Enthronement,” seeking to have worshipers “enthrone” or raise up the Lord in worship and follow Him faithfully. The Psalm speaks forcibly of God as the Creator and the One who invites us to worship and bow down before Him, the Lord our Maker (Psalm 95:6). Scholars also believe the Psalm was used during the Jewish celebration called the “Festival of Booths.” At harvest time, the people went to the fields to gather in the harvest, making themselves temporary tents made of palm and willow tree branches to house them during this time of ingathering of crops. Workers lived in these booths for a week as a reminder of their temporary dwellings in the forty years of wilderness wanderings after God delivered them from Egyptian bondage. A holy convocation was held on the first and eighth days of the Festival of Booths. Verses five and six of this Psalm would have been the call to all the people to gather and worship before God, Maker and Creator, and the one who provided rain, sunshine and soil to bring the crops to the time of bountiful harvest. It was a glorious time of worship. To remind the worshipers that they were also “the people of his pasture” reflects on the cogent message of the 23rd Psalm, which is definitely a Psalm from the pen of David, and the most-quoted Old Testament passage of the entire Bible. We worship and bow down before Him because He made us and He keeps us with His hand.

What is involved in worship? One element is remembrance, as verses 8 and 9 remind us. At Meribah, soon after the Israelites’ release from Egyptian bondage, they complained to Moses that he had led them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness because they had no water. God commanded Moses to strike the rock and pure water to drink came forth abundantly. Again, when they had crossed the desert and were hoping to enter the promised land, the need for water arose. And the second time, Moses’ rod was the instrument used by God to bring forth water. Each time, the people failed to trust God in adversity (the need for water), and complained loudly. Because of their unbelief, none but Caleb and Joshua of the approximately 600,000 who came out of Egypt were allowed to enter the promised land. Even Moses and Aaron died before they went in to possess the physical land of Palestine.

What then is involved in worship besides remembrance? Confession, or acknowledging sins. Then praise, adoration, awe, wonder, love, thanksgiving, humility and reverence. Worship helps us recognize God as God, our Creator, Sovereign, Savior and Lord. A companion New Testament scripture to read and study as we study Psalm 95 is Hebrews 3:7 through 4:13. A portion of Psalm 95 is quoted in this passage in Hebrews: “Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test, and saw my works for forty years.” (Hebrews 3:7b-9). Believers need to worship God in Spirit and in truth because He is our Maker and He is sovereign, He is our Shepherd and we are kept by His almighty hand. Selah! - Ethelene Dyer Jones 07.09.2017