Come To The Lord With A Thankful Heart

Throughout the Psalms, I’ve observed three major themes: thanksgiving, praise, and joy, or a combination thereof. When you come to the Lord, which of them do you enjoy?

Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Psalm 95:1

My wife and I conducted kids crusades early in our ministry. We enjoyed ministering to children using puppets and visual stories, and each year, we developed a new biblical program.

One year, we chose a theme called “The Christian Garden.” We illustrated it by creating a garden area surrounded by a white picket fence. Then, each night, we planted different vegetables.

We planted tatters. You know, the hesitator, dictator, commentator, etc. One night, we added turnips: let’s turn up on time for church. Another night, we grew squash, as in squash out sin.

In Psalm 95, did you notice the lettuce patch? The writer planted six “let us” seeds. We already began with the first two in verse one. Come “let us” sing to the Lord and “let us” shout joyfully.

Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. Psalm 95:2

So, along with singing and shouting, he said, “Let us” come to the Lord with thanksgiving. Then, he specified what we should sing. “Let us” come to the Lord by singing psalms of praise.

Many of the Psalms encourage us to sing joyful songs and songs of praise. A few Psalms suggest we get creative when we come to the Lord with singing.

Come to the Lord with a New Song

Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Psalm 96:1-2

What does it mean to sing a new song? It’s a way for you to respond to God’s redemption in your life. Sing your own song to express a rekindled joy and a renewed devotion to God.

And why not come to the Lord with a new song? David wrote in a later Psalm, “Great is the Lord, and He is worthy of our praise!” Psalm 95 continued by talking about the greatness of God.

For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods. Psalm 95:3

Have you ever gazed at the sight of a majestic mountain or the expanse of an ocean? Our Lord, who has invited us to come unto Him, holds those sights in the palm of His hand.

He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains. The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too. Psalm 95:4-5

Let us get back to the Psalmist’s lettuce patch. He planted a couple more “let us” seeds in verses six and seven. He focused these two on worshiping the Lord.

Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God. Psalm 95:6

We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today! Psalm 95:7

Let Us Come to the Lord Together

Do you know what I like about the “let us” we find planted in this Psalm? When we come to the Lord singing, shouting, praising, thanking, and worshiping, “let us’ means doing them together.

The Psalmist invited us to come and kneel before the Lord. He said God made us, He watches over us, and He cares for us. Another reason for accepting his invitation now also exists.

Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, “As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.” Romans 14:10-11

I don’t know about you, but I choose to kneel before the Lord now as one of His children. Those who don’t make that choice now will have to kneel before Him at the judgment seat.

I love the idea that God watches over us. Not to keep us in line but because of His love for us. He protects under the shelter of His wings.

The first seven verses encourage us to come to the Lord with singing, shouting, praising, thanking, and worshiping. But in the eighth verse, the Psalmist pivoted with a warning.

If only you would listen to his voice today! The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw everything I did. Psalm 95:8-9

Listen to God’s Voice

The writer told us how we should heed this warning. First and foremost, listen to God’s voice. He spoke to the Israelites in the Old Testament. Today, He speaks to us through His Word.

The Israelites saw the mighty hand of God at work many times. But, they often hardened their hearts and tested Him. So, instead of praising Him, they grumbled and complained against Him.

You must not test the Lord your God as you did when you complained at Massah. You must diligently obey the commands of the Lord your God—all the laws and decrees he has given you. Deuteronomy 16:6-7

We, too, have witnessed God’s mighty works. So, live every day in the Lord. Come together with other Christians to bow down and worship the Lord.

In other words, “let us” come to the Lord with thanksgiving, praise, and joy. And let those Christian attributes shine forth as your theme in your life every day.

Lord, thank you for giving us a choice to come to you. Today, we recommit ourselves to worshiping you. And we also express joy and thanksgiving because of your presence in us.

Check out these related posts on giving thanks to God.