Psalm 95 | The God Who Invites Us
The Invitation to Worship: Understanding God's Call in Psalm 95
When God invites us to Himself, He's inviting us to know Him, enjoy Him, and worship Him. But this invitation comes on His terms - He requires our whole life. Every desire, every longing, and every decision belongs to the Lord. While this might sound overwhelming, whatever you think it would cost you to surrender to God, the reward is worth so much more.
In Psalm 95, we find a beautiful invitation to worship structured around three key elements: the invitation itself, the reason for worship, and a warning about hardening our hearts.
What Does God's Invitation to Worship Include?
The invitation in Psalm 95 has several components that reveal what true worship looks like:
An Invitation to Sing and Make a Joyful Noise
"Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation" (v.1)
This isn't about musical ability - it's about passionate, unabashed praise to our Creator. We're called to loudly and unreservedly worship the God who made us. Throughout Scripture, God invites His people to come to Him - whether weary, weeping, or in need of rest. Here, we're specifically called to sing of His wonder, beauty, and greatness.
When we praise God, something happens within us. As we confess truths about God through worship, these truths confront us:
Do I actually believe God is glorious so I don't have to be afraid?
Do I actually believe God is good so I don't have to seek satisfaction elsewhere?
Do I actually believe God is great enough to deserve my whole life?
These truths need to penetrate beyond the surface of our hearts. Like a torpedo that must reach the core to be effective, God's truth must reach the core of who we are to transform us.
An Invitation into His Presence
"Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving" (v.2)
This isn't like preparing for a high-stakes business presentation. It's more like sitting on your father's knee as he asks you to sing a song - he doesn't care if it's in tune; he's just delighted to be with you.
When you come to church or open your Bible to pray, do you see it as a duty to check off your list? Or do you recognize it as an invitation to enter God's presence? Remember: the greatest gift you get from God is God Himself.
An Invitation to Surrender
"Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker" (v.6)
This describes a posture of complete reverence and surrender - prostrate before God, laying on our face. We're only truly worshiping when we're willing to get down on our knees and say, "Your will, Your way, not mine."
The word "worship" comes from the Old English word "worth-shape," meaning that whatever you deem worthy, you're asking to shape your life. When we worship God, we're saying, "God, I'm moldable. Here are my desires, decisions, and direction - I submit them all to You."
Why Should We Worship God This Way?
Psalm 95 gives us compelling reasons why God deserves our complete worship:
Because of His Greatness
"For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods" (v.3)
Throughout the Old Testament, whenever someone encountered God face-to-face, their immediate response was worship. Moses before the burning bush, Isaiah in the throne room - they instantly recognized God's greatness and responded appropriately.
God is above all other "gods" - not that other gods actually exist, but we often treat false, petty idols as if they have power over our lives: the god of success, romance, comfort, or indulgence. The invitation to come to God is simultaneously an invitation away from these meaningless idols.
Because He Is Creator and Owner of All
"In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land" (v.4-5)
Everything, everywhere, everyone belongs to the Lord. All the false promises that idols make are just over-promising and under-delivering:
The "god of love" promises satisfaction in relationships, but no human can satisfy every longing of your soul
The "god of security" promises safety in career advancement, but companies can disappear overnight
Don't hope in things you were never designed to hope in. Don't give power, attention, and affection to things that will inevitably let you down.
Because He Is Our Personal God
"For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand" (v.7)
God is not just powerful; He's personal. He's not just great; He's good. Some struggle with how God can be both all-powerful and all-good, but the truth is He can only be all-good if He's all-powerful, and He can only be all-powerful if He's all-good.
As the people of His pasture, everything we need is provided. As the sheep of His hand, we're protected. We worship Him because He's great and because He's personal.
What Happens When We Harden Our Hearts to God's Invitation?
The psalm takes an unexpected turn with a warning: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts" (v.7b-8). This is exactly what we tend to do - hear God's commands but resist surrendering.
The word "hear" in the Old Testament always carries the idea of obedience. We often come to church, hear a message, hear God's call, but don't surrender. We hold back parts of our lives, saying, "God, I'll be obedient in this area, but I'm keeping this for myself."
The psalm references two stories from Israel's wilderness journey:
At Meribah (Exodus 17) - Shortly after leaving Egypt, the people complained about thirst, and God provided water from a rock
At Massah (Numbers 20) - 40 years later, the same situation occurred
These stories, 40 years apart, show that from the beginning to the end of their wilderness journey, God's people grumbled, complained, and failed to trust Him. As a result, they lost the promised land.
We harden our hearts in various ways:
Simple disobedience - just not doing what God says
Partial obedience - obeying up to a point or in certain areas only
Transactional obedience - "I'll obey if you give me what I want"
Skepticism - constantly questioning and poking holes in God's word
Rationalization - "Did God really say that?"
Self-reliance - "I don't need your grace"
Outright rejection of Jesus
The consequence is severe: "They shall not enter my rest" (v.11). For Israel, this meant not entering Canaan. For us, it could mean missing eternal life with God.
How Do We Respond to God's Invitation?
Even the psalmist who wrote 175 verses praising God's word in Psalm 119 concluded by admitting, "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant." None of us naturally seek after God. Our hearts bend toward sin and away from God.
Where does our help come from? In Exodus 17:6, God stood on the rock that Moses struck to bring forth water. The only way for water (life) to come from that rock was for God to be struck.
Jesus is the rock of our salvation who was struck for us. He went to the cross and died our death so we could have new life. Jesus thirsted on the cross so that we would never thirst again.
Life Application
This week, consider how you're responding to God's invitation to worship:
Examine your worship: Is your worship of God passionate and unreserved, or is it half-hearted and reserved? What might be holding you back from fully expressing your praise?
Identify your idols: What "false gods" might you be giving power to in your life? Success? Relationships? Comfort? Security? How might surrendering these to God lead to greater freedom?
Check your heart: In what areas might you be hardening your heart toward God? Are there commands you're ignoring or rationalizing away? Is there partial obedience in your life?
Practice surrender: Choose one area this week where you need to surrender control to God. Make a concrete plan to release your grip and trust Him with that aspect of your life.
Remember the Rock: When tempted to complain or doubt God's goodness, remember that Jesus was struck so you could have life. How might this truth change your perspective on current challenges?
The invitation is clear: Come to Jesus. Receive His invitation, submit your life to Him, and experience the rest He promises. Whatever it costs to surrender everything to Him, it's worth infinitely more.