Psalm 95 (94):5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore, let us both proclaim praise and engage in song; let our praise be vibrant and filled with happiness. What we are about to exalt will be revealed to us in the following verses.

Come, let us sing to the Lord (Psalm 94:1). He invites us to partake in a joy-filled celebration, not of this earthly realm, but one found only in Him. Were it not for the presence of false joys in this world, one might simply say, 'Come, let us rejoice.' However, He emphasizes this invitation for clarity. What does it mean to genuinely rejoice? It means to find joy in the Lord. To truly rejoice in Him is essential for safely navigating the trials of life. But what does the call 'Come' imply? It suggests that those who are distant may draw near, and by approaching Him, find delight. Yet, from where are they distant? Can anyone be separated from Him who is omnipresent? It is not a matter of physical distance but of moral dissimilarity that places us afar from God. To be unlike Him is to live a life filled with sinful habits; for through virtuous living, we draw closer to God. Conversely, bad habits create a barrier. So, as our dissimilarity leads us away from Him, being like Him brings us nearer. What likeness am I speaking of? It is the divine image after which we were created, which has been distorted through our sin but is restored to us through repentance and renewal, allowing the likeness of God to be etched upon our souls anew.

Let us make a joyful noise to God, our salvation. Consider, beloved, those who express exuberant joy in worldly songs; even in mere contests of earthly delight, their expressions of joy often exceed the bounds of language. If they can raise such jubilant noise from worldly joy, how much more can we do so from the heavenly joy that transcends words?

Let us approach Him with confessions (Psalm 94:2). In Scripture, confession carries two meanings: the confession of praise and the confession of sorrow. The former honors the One being praised, while the latter relates to the acknowledgment of one’s faults. When we praise God, we confess His greatness, and when we admit our failings, we acknowledge our need for His forgiveness. There is no nobler purpose for our speech. Indeed, as the psalmist sings of vows made to God, I will repay to You my vows that are upon my lips. There is nothing as valuable as understanding our commitments to God. How can we discern these vows? By praising Him and recognizing our shortcomings because it is His grace that forgives our transgressions. Were He to judge us by our merits alone, we would find only judgment. Therefore, let us return from our waywardness so we do not face the burden of our past deeds, but instead begin anew, free from the shackles of debt. The greater our despair over sin, the more magnificently we celebrate the mercy of the Forgiver—the fuller the penitent's confession, the greater the glory for God. Let us not assume that we diverge from the act of praise by acknowledging our failings; in fact, this too is part of praising God, for in our confessions, we elevate His glory.

And shout joyfully to Him with psalms. We have established what it means to make a joyful sound; this repetition serves to reinforce our actions. We do not repeat simply for familiarity but to amplify our understanding of the emotions being conveyed. Listen now, for the Lord is a great God and a great King above all deities (Psalm 94:3). The Lord will not forsake His people. To whom does He refer? Here, we cannot offer our own interpretations, for the Apostle has clarified it for us. He speaks of the Jewish people—a nation of prophets, a lineage of patriarchs born from Abraham's line, a community through which the revelations of God were entrusted. What then of their condemnation? Not at all. The Apostle speaks of this nation as a good olive tree, rooted in the lineage of the patriarchs. Although some branches were broken off, not all were severed; if they had been, where would Peter, John, Thomas, Matthew, and Andrew hail from? Where, too, would the Apostle Paul, who has shared with us through his faithful actions, come from? These apostles were indeed from this vine. The five hundred witnesses to the risen Christ likewise stem from this branch (1 Corinthians 15:6). Thousands, ignited by the Holy Spirit's descent, fervently honored God. Those who once acted in rage against Him found solace and redemption after His resurrection, uniting to support the apostles. So, as the Psalm declares, ‘For the Lord will not cast away His people.’

What further insight does the Psalm provide? All the earth's corners are within His grasp (Psalm 94:4); here we recognize that Christ is our cornerstone. A corner cannot exist without the joining of two walls; they converge to form one united point rather than oppose one another. Circumcision and uncircumcision meet in Him, for He is the cornerstone—the stone rejected by the builders has become the chief cornerstone.

For the sea is His, and He created it (Psalm 94:5). In this context, the sea represents the world created by God, where even the fiercest waves are contained within His defined boundaries. Thus, no temptation exceeds our capacity to endure it. He has also established the dry land. Be that dry land: yearn for the grace of God to pour upon you like refreshing rain and yield fruitful results. God permits no flood to subsume what He has sown.

Come, let us bow down and worship Him; let us weep before the Lord our Creator (Psalm 94:6). If you are burdened by the weight of your sins, extinguish the flames of guilt with tears. Approach the Lord with confidence, as He cherishes the work of His creation within you. Do not assume self-reliance in recovery; you may fall, but you cannot restore yourself. The One who formed you is the One who redeems you. Weep before Him; confess to Him. Who are you, but a creation tenderly reliant on the Creator whose image you bear?

For He is our Lord and God (Psalm 94:7). In expectation and without fear, we kneel before Him, for we are the flock of His pasture and the sheep of His care. Note the beautiful inversion of the phrases; He designates us as people who are simultaneously sheep, creating a profound connection. He could have said, 'the sheep of His pasture and the people of His hand,' but instead, He asserts, 'the people of His pasture,' reinforcing that His people are like sheep. In the Song of Songs, He extols the virtues of His people, likening them to perfect sheep, as seen in His beloved Church: Your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep fresh from the wash, each bearing twins, with none barren. What do your teeth signify? They represent how you articulate your thoughts, for the teeth of the Church allow her to express herself. What comparison is made? They are likened to shorn sheep. Why the shearing? They have willingly shed worldly burdens. Those disciples I previously mentioned were shorn as they followed Christ’s command to forsake their possessions for the sake of the poor (Matthew 19:21). They came forth free of encumbrance. Likewise, those who are baptized emerge from the water cleansed, giving birth to dual commandments that encapsulate the essence of the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:40).

Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts (Psalm 94:8). O people, the chosen of God! He speaks to His people, those He will not forsake. His voice resonates through Christ, addressing all barriers—be they Jewish or Gentile. For a time, you resisted His voice as it came through Moses, hardening your hearts in disbelief. But now, He speaks directly; may your hearts remain open to receive Him. The very One who sent messengers now comes to you directly, speaking through the very mouth of the Prophets.

As in the day of trial in the desert, where your ancestors put Me to the test (Psalm 94:9). Do not emulate their example; although they are your forebears, if you follow their ways, you will not be part of their legacy. Thus, even if Gentiles from distant lands declare, 'Our ancestors have inherited falsehoods' (Jeremiah 16:19), forsaking their idols to embrace the God of Israel, should Israel—brought forth from Egypt through the Red Sea, where He vanquished their pursuers, and sustained in the wilderness with manna—abandon their God? When your ancestors provoked Me, tested Me, and witnessed My mighty works...

For forty years I remained near this generation, stating: 'They are a people whose hearts wander, not discerning My ways' (Psalm 94:10). The significance of forty parallels perpetual wandering, suggesting completeness in their struggles, as demonstrated by our Lord's forty-day fast, His temptations, and the forty days He among His disciples after the resurrection (Matthew 4:1-11; Acts 1:3). In the initial forty days, He confronted temptation, while in the concluding forty days, He conveyed comfort, for in temptation, we find solace. His body, the Church, will face trials in this world; yet, the Comforter confirms, 'Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age' (Matthew 28:20). I have remained with them for forty years, illustrating the human tendency to deviate even to the end of time, as these forty years stand as a testament to the breadth of human experience.

We commenced with joyous proclamation, yet the Psalm concludes with impending dread: 'In My anger, I swore they will not enter into My rest' (Psalm 94:11). It is grave when God speaks; it is weighty when He swears. While we might fear human oaths, susceptible to err, fear the Lord’s oath far more, for it bears divine certainty. Swearing signifies solemn confirmation, and whom does God swear by? By Himself, for there is no greater authority (Hebrews 6:13). He affirms all promises and warnings by His own measure. Do not entertain thoughts that His promises are trustworthy while His warnings lack substance; as thoroughly as His promises hold true, so equally do His threats. You must hold firm in your assurance of peace, joy, eternity, and everlasting life if you abide by His commandments, just as you come to know of perdition, punishment through eternal fire, and condemnation should you neglect His edicts.

Eusebius comments that these ends were what the Savior petitioned the Father for, and as stated, "Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the nations for Thy possession, and unto Thy possession the ends of the earth." These distant reaches are held in His hand, for through His authority, all earthly matters are governed, and the lofty heights of the mountains, designated as non-earthly, possess a superiority over terrestrial things, as they serve as His rightful dominion and royal abode. St. Gregory of Nyssa explains that when referring to the earth, it pertains to humanity, created from its soil, while the ends signify the multitude of men, growing from the dawn of creation to its eventual conclusion. God's foreknowledge encompasses the totality of humanity from the beginning to the end, all residing in His all-encompassing hand. The heights of the mountains and the depths of the seas belong to Him; He fashioned them, as His hand also sculpted the dry land. He notes that the mountains are indeed a magnificent creation of God; similarly, the sea not only belongs to God but is also the result of His creative will, as His hands formed the dry land, through which the elements of the earth and the sea reveal the other creatures on the land and within the waters. St. Basil further observes that dry land is termed thus because it represents a distinct and integral part of the earth, akin to how water is cold, air is moist, and fire is warm. Each element interacts with its neighboring force, sharing attributes while maintaining unique qualities. St. Cyril inquires about these wondrous hands. The one indomitably strong hand of God is the Word, while the other is the Holy Spirit, recognized as a life-giving hand rather than a creative one. Take note of how He is called the Lord of all creation. As stated by an unnamed interpreter, the towering mountains represent those held in highest honor and renown amongst celestial beings, including rulers, thrones, powers, authorities, dominions, archangels, and even the seraphim. All of these are under His dominion. As the Son, He shares the throne with the Father, and they are appointed to serve Him and exalt Him with their praises.

To illustrate God's magnificence, the Prophet points to the wondrous spectacle of creation, affirming it as the handiwork of the Almighty, who sovereignly rules over it. He further elaborates that God's glory is not only evident in the act of creation but is also revealed in His ongoing governance of the world. When he states that “in His hand are all the ends of the earth,” he implies that divine Providence governs the entire universe, with all things contingent upon His will. In the Hebrew text, “ends of the earth” is rendered as “the underworld of the earth,” a phrase that contrasts with the “heights of the mountains,” of which the Prophet claims, “And the heights of the mountains are His.”

Consequently, he continues, “As the sea is His, and He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.” Through these statements, he conveys that God is not merely the Lord of the land but also the Sovereign over the sea that He created, encircled by dry land, which serves as its boundary. Thus, it is just that when humanity benefits greatly from the sea, they should express gratitude to God and proclaim His goodness through their praises.

God, in His greatness, exists everywhere and fulfills all things. The earth represents humanity; its ends encompass all of God's thoughts. Mountains symbolize the incomprehensible fates determined by God. Christ dwells in the saints and embodies strength, power, and authority. The seas signify this world and the profound mystery of holy baptism, while dry land represents the tears of a sinner’s repentance. We should weep for our sins until divine judgment comes upon us. The prophet encourages us, whether we traverse the seas or cultivate the fields, to acknowledge our Creator and express gratitude for the blessings bestowed upon us. The flock of Christ, who partakes worthily of His life-giving Body and Blood, knows Him as the Good Shepherd. The Israelites experienced forty years of wandering in the wilderness, receiving manna, yet they faced punishment for their complaints. This life is akin to their journey, in which, following the teachings of the Gospel, we ought to repent without reservation or discontent. Although the Jews were nourished by God abundantly during their desert journey, they failed to appreciate His grace and neglected to recognize His providential care, resulting in their downfall in the wilderness. Consequently, due to their ingratitude and disbelief in Christ, the Jews were denied entry to the Promised Land and the realm of the living—the Kingdom of Heaven. Similarly, Christians who do not adhere to the commandments of Christ shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.