Psalm 95:1 A Devotional Thought

OH come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. (Psalms 95:1, NKJV)

Psalms 95 is an invitation to come and worship God.

This verse is in parallelism. Parallelism is common in Hebrew poetry. Basically it is saying one thing two different ways. This is to reinforce, interpret, or even in what seems to be opposite but has a common theme. Two articles that will help are here and here.

In this verse the common idea is to sing. This is expressed in two similar ways.

1. Let us sing to the LORD.
   
2. Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
   

The words sing and shout joyfully are expressing the same idea, as are the words LORD and Rock of our salvation.

The word for sing is rânan (H7442). This word means to make a loud sound as shouting, talking, or singing loudly. So the singing is not to be to one's self but for a large group to make a large sound with their singing. The loud singing isn't because the LORD is deaf but rather as a testimony to others. It is used, for example, in Leviticus 9:24 when God's fire fell and burnt everything on the altar. The people seeing this screamed and fell on the faces. It is usually translated sing and indicates the type of singing—loud singing.

The word for shout joyfully is ruwa` (H7321) which is to make such a large sound that it splits the air, breaks something as a very loud shout to warn others of a coming disaster—LOOK OUT! It is used for example in Joshua 6:20 when the people shouted and Jericho's wall fell. It is also used in Ezra 3:11 and Ezra 3:13.

This singing is to be to the LORD. He is the only God and the psalmist wants everyone to know it. The Rock of our salvation is descriptive of God. This rock is solid and unmoving. His salvation is solid and unmoving, too. Compare Psalm 62:7. The Christian knows that this Rock is the Messiah, Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:4).

We thus can freely sing, loudly sing, for joy. Salvation has been granted, and we look forward to the time that Messiah is ruling in Jerusalem.

And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, and like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of mighty thunders, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord God Almighty has begun to reign! (Revelation 19:6, EMTV)