Psalms 95:7

Old Testament Poetry/Hymns ASV (1901)

What does Psalms 95:7 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “For 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!” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

For 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!
Psalms 95:7 — American Standard Version

Context — Psalms 95

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
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!

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“For he is our God, etc.] God over all, blessed for ever, truly and properly God, and therefore to be worshipped: “our God”; in whom we have interest, who became our head and surety in covenant; took upon him our nature, is our “Immanuel”, God with as, which increases the obligation to worship him; these are the words of New Testament saints: and we are the people of his pasture; for whom he has provided a good pasture; whom he leads into it, and feeds in it, even by the ministry of the word and ordinances: and the sheep of his hand; made and fashioned by his hand, both in a natural and spiritual sense; led and guided by his hand, as a flock by the hand of the shepherd; are in his hand, being…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“For he is our God - Not only the God whom we worship as the true God, but One who has revealed himself to us as our God. We worship him as God - as entitled to praise and adoration because he is the true God; we worship him also as sustaining the relation of God to us, or because we recognize him as our God, and because he has manifested himself as ours. And we are the people of his pasture - whom he has recognized as his flock; to whom he sustains the relation of shepherd; who feeds and protects us as the shepherd does his flock. See the notes at Psalms 79:13; compare Psalms 23:1-3. And the sheep of his hand - The flock that is guided and fed by his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice -…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Pasture - Whom he feeds and keeps in his own pasture, or in the land which he hath appropriated to himself. The sheep - Which are under his special care. Today - Forthwith or presently. Psalms 95:8”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“For he: Psa 48:14, Psa 67:6, Psa 115:3; Exo 15:2, Exo 20:2; Jer 31:33; Heb 11:16 people: Psa 23:1, Psa 79:13, Psa 80:1, Psa 100:3; Isa 40:10, Isa 40:11; Eze 34:30, Eze 34:31; Joh 10:3, Joh 10:4; Joh 10:14-16; Act 20:28; Pe1 2:25 To day: Heb 3:7, Heb 3:13, Heb 3:15, Heb 4:7 if ye: Pro 8:6; Isa 55:3; Mat 3:2, Mat 3:3, Mat 17:5; Rev 3:20 Psalms 95:8”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“The second decastich begins in the midst of the Masoretic Psa 95:7. Up to this point the church stirs itself up to a worshipping appearing before its God; now the voice of God ( Heb 4:7), earnestly admonishing, meets it, resounding from out of the sanctuary. Since שׁמע בּ signifies not merely to hear, but to hear obediently, Psa 95:7 cannot be a conditioning protasis to what follows. Hengstenberg wishes to supply the apodosis: "then will He bless you, His people;" but אם in other instances too ( Psa 81:9; Psa 139:19; Pro 24:11), like לוּ, has an optative signification, which it certainly has gained by a suppression of a promissory apodosis, but yet without the genius of the language having…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification