Psalms 95-96

These Psalms are neat. Just see the praise to God!

Psalm 95

1Oh come, let us sing to the LORD;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3For the LORD is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
4In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
5The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.

6Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
7For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
Today, if you hear his voice,
8do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
9when your fathers put me to the test
and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
10For forty years I loathed that generation
and said, "They are a people who go astray in their heart,
and they have not known my ways."
11Therefore I swore in my wrath,
"They shall not enter my rest."

I had to ask myself, what is Meribah all about. This is what I found:

Meribah

Meaning: quarrel or strife

The name given to two different fountains in the Bible...

1. One of the names given by Moses to the fountain in the desert of Sin, near Rephidim, which issued from the rock in Horeb, which he smote by the divine command, "because of the chiding of the children of Israel" (Ex. 17:1-7). It was also called Massah (q.v.). It was probably in Wady Feiran, near Mount Serbal.

2. Another fountain having a similar origin in the desert of Zin, near to Kadesh (Num. 27:14). The two places are mentioned together in Deut. 33:8. Some think the one place is called by the two names (Ps. 81:7). In smiting the rock at this place Moses showed the same impatience as the people (Num. 20:10-12). This took place near the close of the wanderings in the desert (Num. 20:1-24; Deut. 32:51).

And then again with Massah:

Massah

Meaning: trial, temptation

a name given to the place where the Israelites, by their murmuring for want of water, provoked Jehovah to anger against them

It is also called Meribah (Ex. 17:7; Deut. 6:16; Ps. 95:8, 9; Hebrews 3:8).

Psalm 96

1Oh sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth!
2Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
3Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
4For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
5For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
6Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

7Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
8Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!

10Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity."

11Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

These two psalms are calls to praise the Lord. To not be like in the past, but to be a people who see all that God has done. Who don't murmur or complain, but just sing praises to the Lord above who provides for us, who cares for the world we live in, who is faithful and just and holy. We must needs worship GOD! :)