Good morning. Let us rejoice and be glad today, for He is our God. This morning, we will delve into Psalms 95-101. As I read through these verses, I often find myself drawn to something in the middle or end of the reading. While I aim to cover all the passages, the opening verses capture my attention and I run out of space. My intention is to continue writing these devotionals for as long as the Lord permits, changing the Bible translation each year and ensuring I don’t write about the same passages.

With all that said, the very first word that resonated with me today was “come.”
The Urgent Invitation to Come
“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” (Ps. 95:1-2, NIV)

I know people who feel it is unnecessary to attend a local church. In this modern era, you can watch church services online or on television. Resources like this blog also provide opportunities for self-study. These are all valuable tools, and God provides us with Scripture to teach, correct, and train us (2 Tim. 3:16).

However, if we embrace His Word for such purposes, we will encounter His simple command to — come! Albert Barnes’s Notes on the Bible suggests the Hebrew word here translates more actively as “go” (1). It means to get up, put your shoes on, and go to where God’s people are gathering to worship Him.

We should, of course, strive to live in a state of perpetual praise, worshipping Him even on our way to gather. But let us not use modern conveniences as an excuse to avoid being an active part of the church community.
Beyond Quiet Chants: A Call to Celebration
I remember being quite turned off by the idea of church when I was young. At 6:00 AM on Sunday mornings, the hushed tones and somber chanting in the Catholic church often lulled me to sleep, and I was punished for inattention.

As I read through these Psalms today, I find no call anywhere for such a somber, quiet approach. We don’t read, “Shhh, quietly come over here and chant to yourself, try not to disturb the people around you.” What we hear the psalmist exhort is a joyous, outward expression: “sing for joy to the Lord” (Ps. 95:1), “shout aloud to the Rock” (Ps. 95:1), “Sing to the Lord a new song” (Ps. 96:1), “proclaim his salvation” (Ps. 96:2), “Declare his glory” (Ps. 96:3). The psalmist even calls for universal rejoicing: “let the distant shores rejoice” (Ps. 97:1), “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music” (Ps. 98:4). This list could go on and on.

It’s straightforward: we should feel enthusiastic about praising God!
Praise in Every Corner, From Every Depth
We should not confine our praise to a church building, but should extend it everywhere. It should rise from “the depths of the earth” (Ps. 95:4) and the “mountain peaks” (Ps. 95:4), even in “the wilderness” (Ps. 95:8). In his sanctuary, there is “strength and glory” (Ps.96:6). But we are also called to let “the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. May the fields and all within them rejoice! Creation itself will rejoice, even the trees of the forest. (Ps. 96:11-13).

God deserves our praise at all times and in every place. However, this praise should not be a minimal surface-level duty we perform. We must “dig deep” (Ps. 95:4) into God’s Word so that we can worship Him in truth and love, demonstrating a genuine passion for the Lord who saves us. Like a miner, we must dig into His word for the treasure it contains. Sometimes, people find specks of gold, even nuggets, by panning in a river (Ps. 98:8). But to hit an actual vein and find the true riches God has in store for us, a miner has to take out the pick and shovel and dig deep.

That is why engaging with others in a small group Bible study is so important. One person, if they are lucky and God is with them, can find some individual wealth. But a company of people, digging together, can build an entire industry of spiritual insight and growth.

So, this week, put aside your excuses and come! Join those in your local church community to lift our voices together to praise the Lord.
Tomorrow, we will read Psalms 102-104.
Notes

Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old and New Testaments, ed. Robert Frew (reprint, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1980), Ps. 95:2.