PRACTICAL WORSHIP: PSALM 95 HOOK

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1 PRACTICAL WORSHIP: PSALM 95 HOOK One of the biggest advantages for a sports team is to play in front of the home crowd. Players know that there will be a special energy in a stadium or on a field when their fans root for the home team. The energy and excitement are felt by the players and encourage them to play at their highest level. This energy and excitement are what makes a difference between being at a game versus sitting at home in your favorite chair watching the game. It is exciting to worship God together, knowing that when we walk into the Worship Center we come with our hearts prepared for worship with and expect that God is going to do something great. Tony Evans, Dallas pastor, bestselling author and popular speaker, states Worshipping with other believers allows people pushing toward the same goal to gather together in Spirit. The first part of our mission statement states that our purpose is to glorify God by introducing Jesus Christ as Lord. The Lord s presence makes worship a special place. It is holy because God meets us there. Jesus states in John 4:24, God is a spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth. Worship is a privilege. We offer our praise and thanksgiving to God. We praise Him for being our God, and thank Him for all that He has done. He is great, majestic and holy, exalted, and is worthy of our worship. God desires that each of us meet with other believers to worship Him. What does worship mean to you? What are some ways that you have made worship a priority for your family?

2 BOOK Practical Worship: Psalm 95:1 11 Main Point: True worshippers humbly rejoice before the Lord. Text Summary: Psalm 95 demonstrates to us the whole range of Christian experience and gives us direction as to how to express our Christian experiences through powerful worship. This psalm demonstrates that true worship is not manufactured by energy of the flesh. Practical worship comes from the power of the Spirit working through a pure life. Our worship should be filled with joy and praise to God as well as awe and reverence for God. Additionally, this psalm helps Christians redirect their attention and affection toward the One who is truly worthy of our praise. The psalm can be outlined into four parts: worship readily, worship knowledgeably, worship humbly, and worship enthusiastically. When we truly worship the King, our focus on the Lord is heightened throughout all aspects of our lives and deep obedience and reverence spills out through our lives. Psalm 95:1 2 [Read] Sub-Point: Worship Readily The psalmist begins the psalm with an invitation to worship by saying come. This invitation is significant because it demonstrates the grace of God. In Genesis, after the fall from grace, Adam and Eve are told to go and never return to the garden. God s penalty for their sin drove them from His presence and from the garden. However, when we read this psalm, we find a foretaste of what is to come in the New Testament when Jesus would say in Matthew 11:28, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The amazing truth is that our Father in heaven wants each true worshipper to come to Him. This is a joyful call by God to worship. The psalmist is essentially saying, stop what you are doing and come to God. Yet, how many of us truly are ready to worship. The truth is that in order for worship to take place, a person must surrender what he or she is doing to turn attention to the One who deserves the attention. Unfortunately, that word surrender is an unpopular word. It implies losing, and no one wants to be a loser. 1 The apostle Paul urges us to fully surrender our lives to God in worship: So then, my friends because of God s great mercy to us offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This the true worship that you should offer. Do you find it difficult to approach God ready to worship? If so, why? The psalmist also gives us practical guidance on how to approach worship. He continues in verses 1 2 by saying that we should come joyfully and come with thanksgiving. We can come joyfully and with thanksgiving in recognition of all the amazing things God has done and will accomplish in our lives. This type of worship does not come grudgingly to the throne of 1 Rick Warren, The Purpose-Driven Life, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002)

3 grace, but instead comes ready with a heart that is excited to worship. It s a type of joyful attitude that was demonstrated in the Old Testament and often done in anticipation of a battle or a triumph (Josh. 6:10, 16, 20; 1 Samuel 4:5; 17:20, 52). It was done at the coronation of Saul (1 Samuel 10:24). This term is repeated in the second verse of our psalm and again rendered shout joyfully (NASB). Some Christians seem to think that worship cannot and should not be exuberant or noisy. They are often critical of others whose worship is too animated and enthusiastic. Our tendency is to react against such worship, even as Michal disdained David s enthusiasm before the ark of God, an attitude for which she was divinely disciplined (2 Samuel 6:12 23). 2 Yet, God says that we should shout joyfully. This means that we are all in on worship from the praise team to every member of the congregation. The reason that we can respond in worship in such a manner is because God is the rock of our salvation. The term rock would have had multiple connotations for Israel. First, they would remember how YHWH had provided water out of the rock in Exodus 17:1 7 and Numbers 20:1 13. Also, they would think of rock as a metaphor for God as a place of security and safety, a hiding place, as in Psalm 94:22. Psalm 95:3 5 [Read] Sub-Point: Worship Knowledgeably Knowledge of who God is and the works He has accomplished should only cause worship to deepen in the heart of the believer because knowing information about God is different from actually knowing Him through that information. Our deeper understanding of the works of God throughout history help to transform our thinking of God. This is the reason that God instructed the Israelites to pass along stories about the miracles He performed so that their children would yearn to worship Him as well (Deuteronomy 4:9 10: so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth ). Bottom line: The more we know about God, the more our worship should increase for the God we know. David, in this psalm, takes time to reflect on the magnificence of God. The reason Israel was to worship YHWH with joyful gratitude, according to the psalmist s [David s] commands was because He was the great God and King above all gods; He held all the earth within his authority; and He possessed sea and land, having made and shaped them with His hands. So, the question as to why a person should worship God is because He is sovereign over all, because He made the whole universe, because He made me, and because He cares for me. In fact, the psalmist s first reason that Israel was to worship God was because He is the great King above all other [false] gods. Although there were competing gods, there was only one true God. YHWH was that God. However, the common belief of that day was that each nation 2

4 had its own national deity. Each of these deities had a territorial sovereignty. There was a god of the sea and a god the mountains and a god of the plains and so forth. There is a snapshot of this type of thinking found in 1 Kings 20:23 25 where King Ben-Hadad, whose army has just been routed by Israel is regrouping and planning a counter attack: And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And do this: remove the kings, each from his post, and put commanders in their places, and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he listened to their voice and did so. However, Ben-Hadad received really bad advice look at what happens in 1 Kings 20:28: And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, Thus says the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys, therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD. This story is illustrative of the many stories in the Bible where we find people believing in the supposed superiority of the one true God, YHWH. The point God makes throughout the Bible is that Jesus is vastly superior to any one or any thing else. Jesus name is greater than all other names. Jesus, the perfect Man and one and only sacrifice for sin, has been highly exalted. God has given Him the name that is above every name (Philippians 2:9). The other names of history Buddha, Mohammed, Gandhi, Confucius, Krishna, Joseph Smith, and Sun Myung Moon among them pale to insignificance in the light of the glory of Jesus Christ. It is the name of Jesus that we preach to the ends of the earth, because it is only in His name that salvation is found (Acts 4:12). 3 Yet, even today people place their trust in something or someone else rather than placing their hope in the Living God. How have you seen people place their hope in something else rather than placing their trust the one true God, Jesus? The second reason Israel was to worship YHWH with joyfulness in their hearts was because He made and holds all the earth [its depths and heights] in His hand [within His authority], (vv. 4 5). When David spoke of valleys and mountains, and later of sea and land, he was using a figure of speech that combined two parts to express the entire whole. In other words, God made the valleys and the mountains (the bottoms and the tops) [implied] and everything in between. These verses illustrate the sheer vastness of our God and our lack of full knowledge of God. In fact, today scientists are still exploring the mysteries of the sea and still trying to solve the 3

5 problems of the dry land and discover all of its resources. The psalmist David simply reminds us that all things in the ocean or on land that are incredible to look at are from God. Bottom Line: God made everything! Today, we know through the revelation of the New Testament writings that Jesus was intimately involved in creation, Colossians 1:16: For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things were created through him and for him. Paul teaches us that that Jesus was the sphere in which creation took place. In other words, all the plans and forces of creation were residing in Him so that God s creation takes place in Christ and not separate from Him. Paul continues this thought in verse 17: And he is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. The first statement addresses the eternal nature of Jesus in relationship to creation. He existed before anything was. The second statement illustrates the truth that Jesus not only created everything, but He also continues to hold everything together. Essentially, David teaches us that our worship should be expressed through rejoicing in the fact that we get to know the true sovereign God of the universe who has given us our salvation. He teaches us that we should be thankful that He has made us, that He has saved us, and that He is unlimitedly in control of all things, for all things are are in His hand. Psalm 95:6 7 [Read] Sub-Point: Worship Humbly While the first verses of this psalm exemplify praise, verses 6 and 7 are summarized by attitude of humility. In fact, David emphasizes the attitude of prostration. Worship, then, both animated praise and speechless prostration. The reason for this type of attitude is because God is our maker. Not only is God the creator and sustainer of the heavens and the earth, but He is also man s creator. 4 Vs. 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! Now in the Hebrew, the fact of the matter is that three consecutive verbs are used, all of which mean bow down. The point the psalmist makes is that because God is so mighty, so awesome, we need to acknowledge our humility before Him. While David points out various posture of worship; prostrate, bowing down and kneeling, the emphasis in the text is not so much on the posture itself but our whole being reacting to the revelation of God. The English word for worship means worth-ship or ascribing worth to God, and here the Hebrew text emphasizes to simply do it for our entire mind, soul and body to participate in the act of worship to the One who is worthy of worship. 4

6 The preacher and writer A.W. Tozer said, There s an awesomeness about God which is missing in our day altogether. There s little admiring awe in the Church of Christ these days. The clause Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker recalls a sign that appeared on a church marquee: A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing. Another such sign read: He who kneels before God can stand before anyone. In verse 7, the psalmist pivots and moves from a transcendent view of God to a more relational view of God as he says, For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. This view of God conveys that God cares for us despite our rebellion and obstacles we have raised up against Him. Like sheep, as Isaiah points out in Isaiah 53, We have all gone astray. Nevertheless, He pursued us and brought us back. It because of this personal caring relationship from our Savior that we respond humbly in worship to Him. Richard Foster says: Worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of the father. Its central reality is found in spirit and truth. It is kindled within us only when the spirit of God touches our human spirit. Forms and rituals do not produce worship, nor does the disuse of forms and rituals. We can use all the right techniques and methods, we can have the best possible liturgy, but we have not worshipped the Lord until Spirit touches spirit. What are some things we can do every day to draw near to our relational God? What are some ways that we can humble ourselves in worship? Psalm 95:7 11 [Read] Sub-Point: Worship Enthusiastically As this passage concludes, we are reminded emphatically not to harden our hearts toward worship, but instead to approach the throne of God enthusiastically. While most of this passage has an upbeat tone to it, these last verses give us an admonition. The central essence of worship is listening to the voice of God. True worship is not just singing praise choruses but about changing our heart to more reflect the heart of Christ. It s all about obedience! So, David, in strong language, urges God s people not to harden their hearts, but instead allow this worship to correct their attitudes and their actions in life. To illustrate this truth, David reminds them of the hardheartedness that prevented a whole generation of Israelites from entering the rest promised for them in the promised land of Canaan. Their faith had been tested, and unfortunately, they failed the test. However, now David warns them that cultivating this heart of worship will help prevent the hardening of their hearts. David recognizes that if we would worship God as our Shepherd then surely, we must follow Him as the sheep of His pasture. Remember what Jesus said about those who made the pretense of worship, but whose hearts were hard: Matthew 15:7 9 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he

7 said: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. Rather than our hearts growing hard, we are to worship God enthusiastically with expectant hearts. We are to approach worship whether it is private or public worship the same way, with enthusiasm to worship our Savior. In what ways have you found it helpful to prepare yourself to worship enthusiastically at home or at church? Lead Worship Pastor Michael Neale expressed helpful advice on how to keep our hearts pliable to the hands of our Creator when he said, Personal and corporate singing, confession, adoration and repentance are vital to the whole person s worship of the Almighty. We must dethrone ourselves from our hearts, and enthrone Jesus. Psalm 95 teaches us that worship is primary to a healthy, growing relationship with the Lord. We should worship the Lord joyfully, privately and publicly because He desires it and because it is commanded in Scripture. This type of practical worship will keep our hearts moldable to the Creator and allow us accomplish the good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).

8 TOOK Application The Principle of Worship A right view of God will always produce a right response to Him. For many Christians, worship can be challenging because they are focused on the wrong things. Worship isn t about how your week went, your feelings, your health, or how your retirement has performed. Worshipping God is about looking beyond your circumstances and praising God because He is worthy. When God is the focus and center of our worship, our lives will have more joy and fulfillment than we ever imagined. Colossians 1:16 states that all things were made by Him and for Him. We were made to worship God! The Posture of Worship Living in the age of iphones and social media, staying distraction-free is increasingly difficult. With all the wonderful things that have come from technology, reverence and stillness have suffered. The idea in Psalm 95:6 of kneeling and bowing seem like antiquated concepts. These words are ultimately pictures of a right posture before a holy God. Physical posture isn t a requirement for worship. However, in a fast-paced world, it is more needed than ever. When was the last time you put yourself in a position of physical vulnerability before the Lord? One of the greatest ways to worship is found in removing distractions from your life, adjusting your physical posture, stilling your mind, and seeking God. A focused physical posture is the first step to experiencing spiritual intimacy and newness with the Lord. The Practice of Worship As the old saying goes, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Too often, Christians intentions are genuine to daily seek God, but they fail to intentionally set time aside. So, take out your phone, open up your calendar/reminders app, and set aside a time each day this week called personal worship. As you do this, use the suggestions below to help guide you as you seek to glorify and exalt our triune God: - Pray Psalm 95:1 6. Let this set the pace for your mindset throughout the week. Place a sticky note on your mirror, or in your car, with Psalm 95:6 on it. Use this as a reminder to worship God wherever you are. - Open your Bible, and read the daily reading plan. - Take time to reflect on all that God has provided in your life. - Sing! Whether in the shower, car, or during a Sunday worship service, sing with all your heart and celebrate that God greatly loves you and delights in you. True Worship: M Colossians 3:12 17 T Psalm 138:1 3 W Psalm 55:16 17 Th Hebrews 10:19 22 F Psalm 95:1 11