Psalms 95

Psalms 95THIS psalm contains, first, an exhortation from the Psalmist to praise God as the creator and the sovereign of the earth, Psalms 95:1-8, and then, a warning from God himself to his people not to imitate the obstinate unbelief of their fathers in the wilderness, Psalms 95:9-11. The psalm is quoted in the New Testament (Hebrews 4:7) as what God said in David, which may either mean the Book of Psalms, so called from its chief author, or this particular psalm, as actually written by him. The latter supposition, although not necessary, is entirely admissible, because, however suitable the psalm may seem to particular junctures long posterior to David, the very generality of its expressions makes it probable that it was not composed in the midst of the events, but long beforehand.

1. (Psalms 95:1) Come, let us sing unto Jehovah, let us shout unto the rock of our salvation. The first verb properly means go, but is constantly used like come in other languages, as a formula of invitation, in summoning others to partici pate in some act of the speaker. The two verbs in this verse are those commonly applied to the vocal expression of joy and triumph. The rock of our salvation, the strong ground of our confidence, the basis upon which our hope of safety rests. See above, on Psalms 18:2, and compare Psalms 62:7; Psalms 92:15; Psalms 94:22.

2. (Psalms 95:2) Let us come before his face with thanksgiving, and in songs let us shout unto him. The first verb is here used in its primary and proper sense. See above, on Psalms 17:13. That of surprising, or taking by surprise, upon which some interpreters insist, is neither intelligible in itself, nor suited to the context, nor justified by usage. To shout in songs is to sing aloud and with a voice of triumph.

3. (Psalms 95:3) For a great God (is) Jehovah, and a great King above all gods. This is not inconsistent with the doctrine elsewhere taught, that other gods have no real existence. See below; Psalms 96:4-5, where both truths are asserted together. The very name of God used in the first clause is expressive of omnipotence.

4. (Psalms 95:4) In whose hand are the depths of the earth, and the strength of the hills (belongs) to him. God’s possession of the whole earth is so asserted as to leave no room for other gods. The word translated depths means, according to its etymology, places to be searched into, i. e. requiring search to find them, inmost recesses. The word translated strength is plural in Hebrew, and seems properly to mean fatiguing exertions, from which some derive the idea of strength, others that of extreme height, which can only be reached by exhausting effort.

5. (Psalms 95:5) To whom (belongs) the sea, and he made it, and the dry land his hands did form. The land and water are here put together, as the depths and heights are in ver. 4, to describe the earth in its whole extent as subject to Jehovah, by virtue of his right as its creator.

6. (Psalms 95:6) Come, let us bow down and bend, let us kneel before Jehovah our Maker. The come at the beginning of this verse is not a mere particle of exhortation, as in ver. 1, but an invitation to God’s presence. The Hebrew verb is one that strictly means to come, and sometimes to enter. See above, on Psalms 71:16. This verse requires the external indication of devout emotion, and not the mere internal feeling, although the latter is the most essential, as appears from what follows.

7. (Psalms 95:7) For He (is) our God, and we (are) the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand, to-day, if to his voice ye will hearken. The people of his pasture are those fed and nurtured by him. The sheep of his hand are those led and guarded by him. See above, on Psalms 23:3-4; Psalms 74:1; Psalms 80:12. We not only have been so, but are so now, to-day, provided we obey him. The last clause contains the condition of the first, precisely as in Psalms 81:8.

In both cases this construction is more natural and satisfactory than either of the others among which interpreters have been divided; some making if an optative particle, “if ye would only hear!"— some supplying an apodosis, as in Exodus 23:21-22, to which there seems to be an obvious allusion;— some continuing the sentence into the next verse, which is forbidden by the change of person there. This last a construction is adopted in the Septuagint, as quoted in Hebrews 3:9; but this decides nothing as to the Hebrew syntax. To hear (or hearken to) God’s voice is a common Hebrew phrase for obeying his commands.

8. (Psalms 95:8) Harden not your heart like Meribah, like the day of Massah in the wilderness. Be not wilfully and obstinately insensible. Your heart, in the singlar number, because the people are addressed as an ideal person. Like Meribah, i. e. as your fathers did at Meribah. Like the day of Massah, as they did at that period of your national history associated with the name of Massah. The reference is to Exodus 17:7. The incident there recorded is here specified, for the sake of the significant names given to the place, Meribah (strife) and Massah (temptation). God himself is here abruptly introduced as speaking. See above, on Psalms 46:10; Psalms 75:2-3; Psalms 87:4; Psalms 91:14.

9. (Psalms 95:9) When (or where) your fathers tempted me; they proved me (and) also saw my work. The first word in Hebrew is the relative pronoun, which for in which, as in Psalms 84:3. This may either mean in which place (where), or at which time (when), more probably the former, as the preceding verse is full of local nouns. Tempted me, see above, on Psalms 78:18; Psalms 78:41. Proved me, put me to the proof of my existence, presence, and power, by requiring me to work, i. e. to act in an extraordinary manner. And this desire, unreasonable as it was, I gratified.

They not only demanded but they likewise saw my work, i.e. what I could do. Some restrict these last words to the previous displays of God’s almighty power, especially the plagues of Egypt. “They proved me, or put me to the proof, although they had seen my work.” But neither the sense thus put upon the likewise, nor the pluperfect meaning of the verb, should be assumed without a greater necessity than here exists.

10. (Psalms 95:10) Forty years I am vexed with a (wicked) generation, and say, A people of wanderers in heart (are) they, and they do not know my ways. The first verb strictly means to be sick of, or disgusted with, a thing or person. The future form expresses more distinctly the idea of protracted trial and annoyance. A generation, or contemporary race, as distinguished from mere individuals. This expression is the more appropriate because the threatening was fulfilled, with scarcely an exception, in the whole genera tion that came out of Egypt. The qualifying epithet supplied in the translation is derived from Deuteronomy 1:35 (compare Deuteronomy 2:14).

I say or said, i.e. I had occasion or good cause to say, I could have said with truth, or I was compelled to say. The next clause contains an allusion to their two-fold wandering or error. They were not only wanderers in body but in heart, i. e. they erred from the path of duty, truth, and safety. This allusion seems to be continued in the last clause. They were not more bewildered in the mazes of the trackless waste, than ignorant of God’s ways, i.e. of the meaning and design of his providential dealings with them.

Compare Deuteronomy 29:3.

11. (Psalms 95:11) Unto whom I sware in my wrath, If they shall come into my rest (or resting-place). Here again the first word is a relative pronoun, and may either be a dative, as in the common version of the first clause above given; or an adverb of time or place (when or where), as in Psalms 95:9 above; or a conjunction (so that), as the latest interpreters prefer. The conditional clause, with which the sentence closes, is the strongest form of negation, being that employed in the most solemn oaths. See above, on Psalms 89:35. It is here equivalent to saying, they shall not come, etc. The form of speech is that actually used in the original threatening, as recorded by Moses, Numbers 14:23; Numbers 14:30, Deuteronomy 1:35.

The word for rest is not an abstract but a local term, as indicated by its form. It is here applied to the Promised Land, as in Deuteronomy 12:9. There is something unusual and abrupt in the conclusion of this psalm, without any cheering prospect to relieve the threatening. This may be best explained by assuming, that it was not meant to stand alone, but to form one of a series.