LET US COME BEFORE HIM WITH THANKSGIVING

Passage: Psalms 95:1-11

Key verse: 6,7

NIV

Psalm 95

1 Come,(A) let us sing for joy(B) to the Lord;
    let us shout aloud(C) to the Rock(D) of our salvation.
2 Let us come before him(E) with thanksgiving(F)
    and extol him with music(G) and song.

3 For the Lord is the great God,(H)
    the great King(I) above all gods.(J)
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth,(K)
    and the mountain peaks belong to him.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.(L)

6 Come, let us bow down(M) in worship,(N)
    let us kneel(O) before the Lord our Maker;(P)
7 for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,(Q)
    the flock under his care.

Today, if only you would hear his voice,
8 “Do not harden your hearts(R) as you did at Meribah,[a](S)
    as you did that day at Massah[b] in the wilderness,(T)
9 where your ancestors tested(U) me;
    they tried me, though they had seen what I did.
10 For forty years(V) I was angry with that generation;
    I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray,(W)
    and they have not known my ways.’(X)
11 So I declared on oath(Y) in my anger,
    ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”(Z)

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 95:8 Meribah means quarreling.
  2. Psalm 95:8 Massah means testing.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Let Us Sing Songs of Praise

95 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
    let us (A)make a joyful noise to (B)the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us (C)come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us (D)make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is (E)a great God,
    and a great King (F)above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for (G)he made it,
    and his hands formed (H)the dry land.

6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
    let us (I)kneel before the Lord, our (J)Maker!
7 For he is our (K)God,
    and we are the people of his (L)pasture,
    and the sheep of his hand.
(M)Today, if you (N)hear his voice,
8     (O)do not harden your hearts, as at (P)Meribah,
    as on the day at (Q)Massah in the wilderness,
9 when your fathers put me to the (R)test
    and put me to the proof, though they had seen my (S)work.
10 (T)For forty years I loathed that generation
    and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart,
    and they have not known (U)my ways.”
11 Therefore I (V)swore in my wrath,
    “They shall not enter (W)my rest.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Let us kneel before our Maker (1-7a)

Thanksgiving is not an option. It is God's command. Our God is the great God. He is the great King above all gods (3). He holds the whole wide world in his hand. And he is our Shepherd. We are the flock under his care. We are not orphans in the universe, wandering without purpose or meaning. Our Maker loves us and made us for a purpose. Let us bow down and worship the Lord our Maker. Let us come before him with joy and with thanksgiving.

2. Do not harden your hearts (7b-11)

The Israelites whom God rescued from slavery in Egypt did not thank God for his amazing grace; instead, they complained about the food and water. They had no joy. Because they were not thankful, their hearts became hard; their hearts went astray. God was angry with that generation. They could not know God or his ways. They could not enter the promised land. Ingratitude is a serious sin.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for saving me from the power of sin and death. Teach my heart to praise your name every day.

One Word: Worship your Maker with joy