Psalm 95:1 O come, let us sing to the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.… The call to offer God joyful thanksgiving is made to everybody, without qualification or limitation. It may be that certain forms of Divine worship are properly reserved for those who are in certain states of mind, or have voluntarily entered into certain relations; but the common duties of thanksgiving rest on all humanity - the claims of the God of providence and mercy should be felt, and should be responded to, by every man made in the Divine image. A strange notion has been allowed to gain some acceptance, that praise and thanksgiving from the unconverted can never be acceptable to God. The Scriptures give no countenance whatever to such a notion. Every man is invited to praise God as well as he can. What God resists is insincerity. It does not matter how imperfect the praise may be, if it is but sincere. The terms of the text imply the union of music and song in God's worship. The psalmist invites to a full burst of instrumental and vocal music, which will use up all kinds of human talents. Being a general call, it is a call to worship God with thanksgiving, which every man may be expected to feel; not with penitence, which only a few may feel. I. ALL MEN MAY JOIN IN RECOGNIZING WHAT GOD IS TO ALL MEN. 1. God the Creator. Open out the idea that what God could say of his daily handiwork, "Behold, it is very good," man, observing the further workings, the operations, of what God has made, can repeat after him. Explain that, in a large way, man could always, by observation, see the goodness of God in creation; in minute detail man's science sees it still. 2. God the Provider. "Giving to all their meat in due season." Here show that the extraordinary, such as provision of manna, only illustrates the ordinary, God giving all their daily bread. 3. God the Saviour. In the lower sense of Preserver, Defender, Deliverer, from the common ills and perils of life. Apart, then, from all theological distinctions, all men should praise God. II. SOME MEN MAY JOIN IN RECOGNIZING WHAT GOD IS TO SOME MEN. 1. Some men have special personal experiences of God's dealings. 2. Some men know God as their Saviour from sin. - R.T. Parallel Verses KJV: O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.WEB: Oh come, let's sing to Yahweh. Let's shout aloud to the rock of our salvation! |
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