Psa 95:7 | KingComments | STEP | In , the psalmist calls upon the faithful remnant to “worship and bow down” before the LORD and “kneel” before Him. This is a repetition and deepening of what we saw in . It is deepening because it is not just about creation, but about the fact that the LORD formed them as a people ( ) and cared for them as a Shepherd ( ). Worshiping, bowing down, and kneeling are three postures of deep reverence and awe, where the worshiper makes himself as little as possible before God. True worship is not making a lot of noise, where the heart can be empty, but an attitude that is appropriate toward Him, “our Maker”. For us, members of God’s heavenly people, the church, it is true that He has acquired the church by the blood of His own [Son] ( ). When we are impressed by Him, we are not pushed over, nor do we remain standing, but fall down before Him ( ). Again there follows a “for” after which the reason is given for taking this attitude of deep reverence and awe ( ). Now it is not because He is the Creator and sovereign Ruler of all the earth, as in the preceding verses, but because He is the Shepherd of His people ( ). He is in a special relationship with them. They call themselves “the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand” (cf. ). By this they indicate that they depend on Him like sheep depend on the shepherd. He ensures that they find pasture, that they get food. Thereby He also leads them by His hand. Even more, the expression “sheep of His hand”, or sheep of His caring hand, means that He protects them with His hand. They are secure in His hand (cf. ). In the last line of , the LORD, Yahweh, speaks. He does so “today”. He says that here, in the time of the psalmist. He says that to the Hebrews hundreds of years later ( ). He says that to us, too. Each time He speaks, that He lets His people hear His voice, it is “today”. Again and again He makes His people hear His voice. “Today” refers to those to whom the Word comes at the time He speaks and they hear it in person, while they live. The question is what they do when they hear His voice. ‘Today’ allows no delay to later. It is important to respond to God’s voice immediately in obedience. God Himself makes clear in the next verse by an example from their history how they responded to His voice in the past. This example contains a serious warning. It presents them with a choice. It also presents us with a choice, because the ‘today’ applies to us now! God also speaks to us ‘today’ and does so through His Word. The Lord Jesus did so, too, when He said to the people: “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace!” ( ).

‏ Psalms 95:7

The Sheep of His Hand

In Psa 95:6, the psalmist calls upon the faithful remnant to “worship and bow down” before the LORD and “kneel” before Him. This is a repetition and deepening of what we saw in Psa 95:1-2. It is deepening because it is not just about creation, but about the fact that the LORD formed them as a people (Psa 95:6) and cared for them as a Shepherd (Psa 95:7).

Worshiping, bowing down, and kneeling are three postures of deep reverence and awe, where the worshiper makes himself as little as possible before God. True worship is not making a lot of noise, where the heart can be empty, but an attitude that is appropriate toward Him, “our Maker”.

For us, members of God’s heavenly people, the church, it is true that He has acquired the church by the blood of His own [Son] (Acts 20:28). When we are impressed by Him, we are not pushed over, nor do we remain standing, but fall down before Him (Rev 5:14b).

Again there follows a “for” after which the reason is given for taking this attitude of deep reverence and awe (Psa 95:7). Now it is not because He is the Creator and sovereign Ruler of all the earth, as in the preceding verses, but because He is the Shepherd of His people (Eze 34:15-16). He is in a special relationship with them.

They call themselves “the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand” (cf. Psa 79:13 ; Psa 100:3). By this they indicate that they depend on Him like sheep depend on the shepherd. He ensures that they find pasture, that they get food. Thereby He also leads them by His hand. Even more, the expression “sheep of His hand”, or sheep of His caring hand, means that He protects them with His hand. They are secure in His hand (cf. Jn 10:28-29).

In the last line of Psa 95:7, the LORD, Yahweh, speaks. He does so “today”. He says that here, in the time of the psalmist. He says that to the Hebrews hundreds of years later (Heb 3:7). He says that to us, too. Each time He speaks, that He lets His people hear His voice, it is “today”. Again and again He makes His people hear His voice. “Today” refers to those to whom the Word comes at the time He speaks and they hear it in person, while they live. The question is what they do when they hear His voice. ‘Today’ allows no delay to later. It is important to respond to God’s voice immediately in obedience.

God Himself makes clear in the next verse by an example from their history how they responded to His voice in the past. This example contains a serious warning. It presents them with a choice. It also presents us with a choice, because the ‘today’ applies to us now! God also speaks to us ‘today’ and does so through His Word. The Lord Jesus did so, too, when He said to the people: “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace!” (Lk 19:42).