From the earliest days the Christian church has used Psalm 95 as a call and guide to worship. It is known as the Venite, from the Latin for “O come”. Many commentators believe that it was composed for the Feast of Tabernacles, when God’s people re-enacted their time of encampment in the wilderness.
The key verse for consideration today is verse 2—“Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.” Thanksgiving is not only the “way” we come before God, it is the way that best expresses our love and gratitude. You may be asking, “Gratitude for what?” The answer is found in the latter half of verse one—“Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.”
Words like “sing” and “shout” repeated in verses one and two suggest that the worshippers entered with unbridled enthusiasm. When we think about the gift of salvation, it should cause us to experience overwhelming gratitude. We deserved death and instead we were the recipients of God’s grace. That grace came at the cost of God’s one and only Son. If you have received that free gift of eternal life, everyday should be “Thanksgiving.”
Take a moment and read the remainder of this Psalm and you will find a description of our great King, that will take your breath away. Our Creator became our Redeemer. So, let us come before Him today with unbridled thanksgiving. If you are a little timid, go out for a walk and “shout joyfully” to the Lord.
Prayer: Today I come with Thanksgiving. You are My Creator and Redeemer. Thank You. Amen.