Psalms Chapter 95

Old Testament Poetry/Hymns 11 Verses

What is Psalms 95 about?

One hundred fifty inspired poems and hymns — Israel's prayer book, spanning lament and praise, confession and trust. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1Oh come, let us sing unto Jehovah; Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
2Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; Let us make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
3For Jehovah is a great God, And a great King above all gods.
4In his hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the mountains are his also.
5The sea is his, and he made it; And his hands formed the dry land.
6Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before Jehovah our Maker:
7For he is our God, And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To-day, oh that ye would hear his voice!
8Harden not your heart, as at Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness;
9When your fathers tempted me, Proved me, and saw my work.
10Forty years long was I grieved with [that] generation, And said, It is a people that do err in their heart, And they have not known my ways:
11Wherefore I sware in my wrath, That they should not enter into my rest. Psalm 96

What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“O come, let us sing unto the Lord, etc.] To Jehovah the Messiah, the Lord our righteousness; setting forth, in songs of praise, the glory of his person, the riches of his grace, and our thankfulness to him for spiritual mercies by him: Christ is to be the subject of our spiritual songs, and is the person to whose honour and glory they should be directed: in the New Testament we are instructed to sing unto the Lord, the Lord Christ, (<490519>Ephesians 5:19 <510316>Colossians 3:16), and this is what Pliny f1354 tells Trajan, the Roman emperor, the Christians in his time did; they sung a hymn to Christ, as to a God:…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“The substance of this Psalm, and portions of the ninety-seventh, ninety-eighth, and hundredth, are found in 1Ch. 16:7-36, which was used by David's directions in the dedication of the tabernacle on Mount Zion. The dispensation of the Messiah was typified by that event, involving, as it did, a more permanent seat of worship, and the introduction of additional and more spiritual services. Hence the language of these Psalms may be regarded as having a higher import than that pertinent to the occasion on which it was thus publicly used. (Psa 96:1-13) All nations are invited to unite in this most joyful praise. new…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“O come, let us sing unto the Lord - The word here rendered come, means properly “go;” but it is used here, as it often is, as a formula of invitation, in calling on others to share in what is done by the speaker. It is here to be understood as used by one portion of an assembly convened for worship addressing the other portion, and calling on them to unite in the praise of God. Let us make a joyful noise - The word used here means commonly to make a loud noise, to shout, Job 30:5. It is especially used (a) of warlike shouts, Jos 6:16; 1 Samuel 17:20; (b) of the shout of triumph, Judges 15:14; (c) of the sound or…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 3
“God's - Above all that are called God's angels, earthly potentates, and especially the false gods of the Heathen. Psalms 95:4”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“Ps 95 This call to worship urges the people to respond to the Lord, the Shepherd, and to follow him faithfully. The previous generation, who refused to obey, did not receive the blessings of the Promised Land.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“Come: Psa 34:3, Psa 66:8, Psa 107:8, Psa 107:15, Psa 107:21, Psa 117:1, Psa 118:1, Psa 136:1-3, Psa 148:11-13, Psa 150:6 sing: Psa 47:6, Psa 47:7, Psa 66:1, Psa 66:2, Psa 81:1, Psa 96:1, Psa 96:2, Psa 101:1; Exo 15:1, Exo 15:21; Ch1 16:9; Eph 5:19; Col 3:16; Rev 5:9, Rev 14:3, Rev 15:3 let us make: Psa 66:1, Psa 98:4-8, Psa 100:1; Ezr 3:11-13; Isa 12:4-6; Jer 33:11; Mat 21:9; Rev 19:6 the rock: Psa 89:26; Deu 32:15; Sa2 22:47; Co1 10:4 Psalms 95:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“Jahve is called the Rock of our salvation (as in Psa 89:27, cf. Psa 94:22) as being its firm and sure ground. Visiting the house of God, one comes before God's face; קדּם פּני, praeoccupare faciem, is equivalent to visere (visitare). תּודה is not confessio peccati, but laudis. The Beth before תודה is the Beth of accompaniment, as in Mic 6:6; that before זמרות (according to Sa2 23:1 a name for psalms, whilst מזמר can only be used as a technical expression) is the Beth of the medium. Psalms 95:3”
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