"O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms."
Psalm 95:1-2
“O come,”
The invitation to come and worship the LORD is given twice. “O come” (v. 1), and “Let us come” (v. 2). All believers should come and worship the LORD together.
“Let us sing unto the LORD:”
We worship Him with our songs.
“Other nations sing unto their gods, let us sing unto Jehovah. We love him, we admire him, we reverence him, let us express our feelings with the choicest sounds, using our noblest faculty for its noblest end”[1] (Spurgeon).
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).
“Let us make a joyful noise.”
Make His praise loud. A “joyful noise” is a loud noise, a shout!
“Spiritual joy is the heart and soul of thankful praise” (Henry).
“To the rock of our salvation.”
Our praise is directed to our Rock, the LORD.
“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (Psalm 18:2).
God is our Rock in two senses.[2]
1. He makes us safe, we are protected in Him.
2. He gives us help to our souls.
“He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation” (Psalm 89:26).
“But the LORD is my defense; and my God is the rock of my refuge” (Psalm 94:22).
“Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,”
“Come before His presence,” we are called to approach and meet with the LORD. We present ourselves to Him, “standing before His face” and give Him our thanksgiving.
“Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the most High” (Psalm 50:14).
“Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God” (Psalm 50:23).
“And make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.”
Make His praise loud!
“Let us shout unto him with psalms.”[3]
Dear Lord, I thank you for being my Rock! You keep me safe and feed my soul.
[1] C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] See Adam Clarke on Psalm 95:1-2.
[3] Cambridge Bible, the electronic version in eSword.