Bible Reading Blog
“The Step Beyond Praise”
Categories: Congregational Bible ReadingBIBLE READING: Psalm 95
“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture…” (Psalm 95.6-7)
Praise is a powerful prelude to worship, but we must not neglect the step beyond praise. True worship is never simply about acknowledgment – It can’t be! How could we, in true faith, observe these characteristics of God and be content to move along unchanged? Praise should bring us to a point of sober reality and response. Even the fool-hearted Israelites were moved to commitment when confronted with the reality of God (see Exodus 20.18-19; 24.3-8). But it was not his physical presence, but the voice of God that powerfully shook the earth as well as their hearts. How could you not worship and bow down before that sort of God?!
The problem for us is we don’t hear his voice as they did. I’m not talking about a physical voice from heaven, but a voice of authority. Even in their obstinance, God’s voice shook them to the soul as they understood his commanding power. They had no choice but to respond in obedience because they saw their littleness before him.
In similar fashion, it is through God’s words that we experience and understand his nature and person. It is where he reveals himself in all his glory. Although the ground may not shake, God’s words are powerful to shake and stir our souls (Hebrews 4.12). They command and constrain us by directing our thoughts and actions. But this is our choice.
“Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Psalm 95.7c).
This choice is so serious that the writer of Hebrews says we must "exhort one another daily" (Hebrews 3.13) so as not to fall into unbelief. If the choice to praise is not accompanied with submission and obedience, we will become hardened, deceived and fall away from God (Hebrews 3.12-13)
Notice this psalm of praise ends with a warning. Even if we were to see God do amazing things, if we have not sanctified the Lord in our hearts (1 Peter 3.15), we will go astray just like the Israelites (Psalm 95.10) and fail to receive the prize (Psalm 95.11). My friends, if it can happen to Israel, it can happen to us (Hebrews 3.16-4.1). Let us be faithful in our obedience, that none of us may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3.13).
“See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we scape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’ … Therefore… let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12.25-26, 28-29)
