Psalm 95
A Call to Worship and Obedience
O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! Psalm 95:1-2 (NRSVUE)
Psalm 95 calls us to worship with joy, praise, humility, and obedience. For me, worshiping with joy means belting out a rousing hymn. One of my favorites is, “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” by Joachim Neander, a German theologian who lived in Dusseldorf and wrote many poems in the mid-1600s. This poem was originally matched with the tune of a German folk song. The music was revised by William Bennett in 1864 to the version currently in use.
Neander’s poem hits all the right “notes”:
- Praising God and His reign over all creation.
- Giving thanks for His blessings
- Promising that He is always by our side
- Summoning all of creation to adore Him
1 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!
Let all who hear
Now to his temple draw near,
Joining in glad adoration!
2 Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things is wondrously reigning
And, as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining.
Have you not seen
All that is needful has been
Sent by his gracious ordaining?
3 Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;
Surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do
As with his love he befriends you.
The fourth verse in particular is a great beckoning to serve God with heart and body and soul:
Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him!
Let the amen
Sound from his people again.
Gladly forever adore him!
Scripture can be confusing and reading it is an intellectual exercise that requires steady attentiveness of the mind. That’s fine, but when I rise to sing a hymn, something different awakens. The melody bypasses analysis and goes straight to the heart, stirring an emotional response.
Combining scripture, analysis/commentary/discussion, and Christian music in my faith life is a winning combination.
Please listen to this moving hymn on the YouTube link below. It’s from a service to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th coronation anniversary in 2013 at Westminster Cathedral. Check out the fancy hats. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JvCmvlm-Qg
Side note: Neander liked to wander through nature and got much of his inspiration by observing God’s creations in a remote valley. He was there so often that the locals started referring to it as “Neander’s Valley”, which in German is Neander Thal. In 1856 workmen quarrying rock in that valley discovered the first bones of an ancient “cousin” of humans. They were named “Neanderthal” after the place of discovery. Crazy, eh.
Questions for Reflection:
- How’s your faith life balance?
- What part of Southwood’s services speak to you the most?
Prayer:
Dear Lord, I’m going to tuck a copy of Neander’s hymn in my Bible to remind me that You have created a wonderous universe which is amazing and full of blessings. Help me remember that if I start to drift away from You. Amen
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