◄ Psalm 95:7 ►
For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care. Today, if you hear His voice,
Study Bible
For He is our God
This phrase establishes a personal and covenantal relationship between God and His people. The Hebrew word for "God" here is "Elohim," which signifies power and majesty. It is a reminder of the divine authority and sovereignty of God over His creation. Historically, this declaration would resonate deeply with the Israelites, who were chosen as God's people. The phrase underscores the exclusivity of worship and allegiance due to God alone, reflecting the first commandment given to Moses.

and we are the people of His pasture
The imagery of "pasture" evokes a pastoral scene where God is the shepherd, and His people are the sheep. This metaphor is rich in meaning, suggesting care, provision, and guidance. The Hebrew word "pasture" (מִרְעֶה, mir'eh) implies a place of nourishment and rest. In the ancient Near Eastern context, a shepherd was responsible for the well-being of the flock, which parallels God's role as a provider and protector. This phrase reassures believers of God's intimate involvement in their lives.

the sheep under His care
Continuing the shepherd metaphor, this phrase emphasizes the protective and nurturing aspect of God's relationship with His people. The Hebrew word for "care" (יָד, yad) can also mean "hand," symbolizing strength and security. In biblical times, sheep were entirely dependent on their shepherd for safety and sustenance, illustrating the dependency of believers on God. This imagery is echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd, reinforcing the continuity of God's care throughout the scriptures.

Today, if you hear His voice
The word "Today" (הַיּוֹם, hayom) conveys a sense of urgency and immediacy. It calls the reader to a present and active response to God's call. The phrase "hear His voice" implies not just auditory reception but an obedient response to God's guidance. In the Hebrew tradition, hearing is closely linked with obedience, as seen in the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4). This call to action is a timeless invitation to recognize and respond to God's presence and direction in our lives.

Persons / Places / Events
1. God
The central figure in this verse, depicted as the shepherd and caretaker of His people.

2. People of His Pasture
Refers to the Israelites, and by extension, all believers who are under God's guidance and protection.

3. Sheep
Symbolizes believers who follow and depend on God for sustenance and guidance.

4. Voice of God
Represents God's communication and guidance to His people, urging them to listen and obey.

5. Today
Emphasizes the immediacy and urgency of responding to God's call.
Teaching Points
God as Our Shepherd
Recognize God's role as our shepherd, providing guidance, protection, and care.

Our Identity as His People
Embrace our identity as the people of His pasture, living under His care and provision.

Listening to God's Voice
Cultivate a heart that is attentive and responsive to God's voice, avoiding spiritual complacency.

The Urgency of Today
Understand the importance of responding to God "today," emphasizing the immediacy of obedience and faith.

Dependence on God
Acknowledge our dependence on God for spiritual nourishment and direction, much like sheep rely on their shepherd.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of God as a shepherd influence your understanding of His relationship with you?

2. In what ways can you actively listen for God's voice in your daily life?

3. How does recognizing yourself as part of God's pasture affect your sense of identity and purpose?

4. What are some practical steps you can take to ensure you respond to God's call "today" rather than delaying?

5. How do the additional scriptures that connect to Psalm 95:7 enhance your understanding of God's care and guidance?
Connections to Other Scriptures
John 10:14-15
Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd, echoing the imagery of God as a shepherd caring for His sheep.

Hebrews 3:7-8
This passage quotes Psalm 95:7-8, warning believers not to harden their hearts when they hear God's voice.

Ezekiel 34:31
God declares His people as His sheep, reinforcing the pastoral imagery of care and guidance.

Isaiah 40:11
Describes God as a shepherd who gently leads and cares for His flock, similar to the imagery in Psalm 95:7.

Matthew 25:32-33
Jesus uses the metaphor of sheep and goats to describe the final judgment, highlighting the importance of being part of His flock.
Sermons
Our Moral Relations with GodR. Tuck Psalm 95:7
Christ the Rock of Our SalvationJ. W. Hardman, LL.D.Psalm 95:1-11
Inciting One Another to Praise GodPsalm 95:1-11
Praise the Outcome of Divine InfluencePsalm 95:1-11
PsalmodyJ. W. Reeve, M.A.Psalm 95:1-11
Public Worship - its Necessity and AdvantageC. Short Psalm 95:1-11
The Genesis of PraiseW. G. Horder.Psalm 95:1-11
The Grandest of Creature ServicesHomilistPsalm 95:1-11
The Invitatory PsalmS. Conway Psalm 95:1-11
The VeniteD. Laing, M.A.Psalm 95:1-11
AdorationCanon Liddon.Psalm 95:6-7
Congregational WorshipT. Dale, M. A.Psalm 95:6-7
Divine WorshipJames Foster, B.A.Psalm 95:6-7
Humility in Approaching GodPsalm 95:6-7
Spiritual WorshipW. M. Statham.Psalm 95:6-7
The Duty of External WorshipBp. Atterbury.Psalm 95:6-7
WorshipF. C. Spurt.Psalm 95:6-7
Hardening ProcessR. Venting.Psalm 95:7-8
Sinners Entreated to Hear God's VoiceE. Payson, D.D.Psalm 95:7-8
To-DayPsalm 95:7-8
People
Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Care, Ear, Flock, Gives, Hearken, O, Oh, Pasture, Sheep, To-day, Voice
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 95:7

     1220   God, as shepherd
     7021   church, OT anticipations

Psalm 95:3-7

     8608   prayer, and worship

Psalm 95:6-7

     7130   flock, God's
     8624   worship, reasons

Psalm 95:7-8

     1412   foreknowledge
     4903   time
     4966   present, the
     6195   impenitence, results
     6734   repentance, importance
     8023   faith, necessity
     8705   apostasy, in OT

Psalm 95:7-9

     5889   ingratitude

Psalm 95:7-11

     5048   opportunities, and salvation
     5059   rest, eternal
     5473   proof, through testing
     5694   generation
     6185   imagination, desires
     6223   rebellion, of Israel
     7223   exodus, significance
     8126   guidance, need for
     8743   faithlessness, nature of

Library
Covenanting According to the Purposes of God.
Since every revealed purpose of God, implying that obedience to his law will be given, is a demand of that obedience, the announcement of his Covenant, as in his sovereignty decreed, claims, not less effectively than an explicit law, the fulfilment of its duties. A representation of a system of things pre-determined in order that the obligations of the Covenant might be discharged; various exhibitions of the Covenant as ordained; and a description of the children of the Covenant as predestinated …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

O Come, Loud Anthems Let us Sing
[1180]Park Street: Frederick M. A. Venua, c. 1810 Psalm 95 Tate and Brady, 1698; Alt. DOXOLOGY O come, loud anthems let us sing, Loud thanks to our almighty King, And high our grateful voices raise, As our Salvation's Rock we praise. Into his presence let us haste To thank him for his favors past; To him address, in joyful songs, The praise that to his Name belongs. For God the Lord, enthroned in state, Is with unrivaled glory great; The depths of earth are in his hand, Her secret wealth at his …
Various—The Hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA

Weighed, and Found Wanting
'And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron; and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3. And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 4. And they said one …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Covenanting a Duty.
The exercise of Covenanting with God is enjoined by Him as the Supreme Moral Governor of all. That his Covenant should be acceded to, by men in every age and condition, is ordained as a law, sanctioned by his high authority,--recorded in his law of perpetual moral obligation on men, as a statute decreed by him, and in virtue of his underived sovereignty, promulgated by his command. "He hath commanded his covenant for ever."[171] The exercise is inculcated according to the will of God, as King and …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Temporary Hardening.
"Lord, why hast Thou hardened our heart? "--Isa. lxiii. 17. That there is a hardening of heart which culminates in the sin against the Holy Spirit can not be denied. When dealing with spiritual things we must take account of it; for it is one of the most fearful instruments of the divine wrath. For, whether we say that Satan or David or the Lord tempted the king, it amounts to the same thing. The cause is always in man's sin; and in each of these three cases the destructive fatality whereby sin poisons …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Epistle xxxi. To Phocas, Emperor .
To Phocas, Emperor [218] . Gregory to Phocas Augustus. Glory to God in the highest who, according as it is written, changes times, and transfers kingdoms, seeing that He has made apparent to all what He vouchsafed to speak by His prophet, That the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will (Dan. iv. 17). For in the incomprehensible dispensation of Almighty God there are alternate controlments of mortal life; and sometimes, when the sins of many are to be smitten, …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Fundamental Oneness of the Dispensations.
Hebrews iii. i-iv. 13 (R.V.). "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High-priest of our confession, even Jesus; who was faithful to Him that appointed Him as also was Moses in all his house. For He hath been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by so much as he that built the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some one; but He that built all things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity the Careful Walk of the Christian.
Text: Ephesians 5, 15-21. 15 Look therefore carefully how ye walk [See then that ye walk circumspectly], not as unwise, but as wise; 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit; 19 speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 giving thanks always for all things …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

The Shepherd and the Fold
... Thou hast guided them in Thy strength unto Thy holy habitation.' EXODUS XV. 13. What a grand triumphal ode! The picture of Moses and the children of Israel singing, and Miriam and the women answering: a gush of national pride and of worship! We belong to a better time, but still we can feel its grandeur. The deliverance has made the singer look forward to the end, and his confidence in the issue is confirmed. I. The guiding God: or the picture of the leading. The original is 'lead gently.' Cf. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Arguments Usually Alleged in Support of Free Will Refuted.
1. Absurd fictions of opponents first refuted, and then certain passages of Scripture explained. Answer by a negative. Confirmation of the answer. 2. Another absurdity of Aristotle and Pelagius. Answer by a distinction. Answer fortified by passages from Augustine, and supported by the authority of an Apostle. 3. Third absurdity borrowed from the words of Chrysostom. Answer by a negative. 4. Fourth absurdity urged of old by the Pelagians. Answer from the works of Augustine. Illustrated by the testimony …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Covenanting a Privilege of Believers.
Whatever attainment is made by any as distinguished from the wicked, or whatever gracious benefit is enjoyed, is a spiritual privilege. Adoption into the family of God is of this character. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power (margin, or, the right; or, privilege) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."[617] And every co-ordinate benefit is essentially so likewise. The evidence besides, that Covenanting …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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