Worship that Listens: Lessons from Psalm 95

In a world where true quiet has become almost impossible, we've grown so used to noise that we're uncomfortable with silence. From constant notifications to the hum of technology, we've trained our minds to need continuous input. This constant noise has created a buzz of anxiety in our lives, making it difficult to hear what truly matters.
When we fill our lives with the wrong things, we miss out on something better. We say we want peace, clarity, and rest, but we rarely slow down enough to find them. We've been disciplined by distraction and conditioned to chaos.

When we never pause long enough to silence the noise, we start missing things. First, we miss the little things - the presence of people right in front of us and the chance to reflect instead of react. But eventually, we start missing out on God Himself.

It's not that God has stopped speaking; we've just stopped listening. And here's where it gets dangerous: when we stay distracted, we don't just miss peace and clarity - we trade them for a hardened heart. Sometimes it's not rebellion but simple neglect that causes this. Over time, the volume of the world drowns out the voice of God, and a heart that never listens slowly stops caring.

Psalm 95 gives us a chance to pause and reflect. It begins with praise and ends with a warning about what happens when people stop listening and trusting God. In the middle, it offers the solution to all the noise we experience: worship.

The psalm starts with an invitation to joy: "Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord. Let us shout aloud to the rock of our salvation." This isn't subdued worship, it's cheerful, enthusiastic praise. It's the confidence of knowing who God is and what He's done.

We worship with joy because of what God has done. Jesus is the rock of our salvation, and His work on the cross gives us confidence to approach God. When Jesus died, the curtain separating God from people was torn from top to bottom - a curtain 40 feet tall and as thick as a fist. "It is finished," Jesus said, and now we can come before God with confidence.

This isn't about manufactured hype but deep confidence in who God is. When your favorite sports team is winning, no one has to tell you to celebrate. How much more should we celebrate the God who made the mountains and oceans?

The psalmist reminds us: "For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hands are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land."

This isn't generic spirituality or "find your truth" encouragement. It's a bold declaration that God alone reigns and there is no one like Him. The whole earth is God's, from the depths to the mountain peaks, from the sea to the dry land.

We worship in awe because of who God is. The God we worship is both close and cosmic. Not only did He make and save you, He made everything and holds it in His hand.

The tone shifts in verse 6: "Come, let us bow down in worship. Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for he is our God."

This is the language of posture. When you're kneeling and bowing down, it's hard to strut around. It's a sign of humility and submission - lowering ourselves before the One who made us.

Kneeling isn't just about what our body does; it's about what our heart admits: I'm not in charge, I'm not in control, and I'm not God. This is where many of us get stuck. We're okay with joy and even awe, but submission? That requires trust and surrender.

We worship by getting low because God is Lord. He's in charge of everything. He's the King, and I'm not. It's about taking my crown and laying it down before the Lord.

The psalm continues: "We are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice."

God intimately knows you and wants you to follow Him. But the warning comes: "Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness."
This isn't a threat but a plea: Please hear me. Don't harden your heart. Don't close yourself off to God. The Israelites at Meribah and Massah complained and grumbled despite seeing God's miracles. They couldn't trust God when it counted, and they missed the promised land - not because they didn't believe God existed, but because they refused to obey.

We worship by listening, not just singing. Worship is more than sound or music; it's listening for God in the moment with a soft heart. A hardened heart is cynical ("He does that for others, not for me"), disobedient ("That applies to others, not me"), and dismissive ("Did God really say that?").

• Make the most of Sundays to propel you into the week
• Practice God's presence all week long

Worship doesn't start when the music starts. It begins with an awareness that God is present - when you wake up, when you drive to work, when you do dishes and laundry. God's presence isn't just in the extraordinary but in the midst of the ordinary.
Pause throughout your week to acknowledge that God is here now - in the chaos, stress, and mess. Invite Him into the rhythms of your life, pay attention to Him, and make time for His Word.

For Sunday mornings, arrive early to prepare your heart. Come 10 minutes earlier, give your hugs and high-fives, but then take a moment to pray. Ask God to prepare your heart and pray for your church leaders and the people around you.

Come expecting to hear from God and then respond. Every time we gather, God is speaking. The only question is: Will we listen?

This week, commit to creating space to hear God's voice. Start by identifying where the noise is loudest in your life. Is it your phone? Your schedule? Your thoughts? Choose one practical way to reduce that noise.

Then, establish a daily pause - even just 5 minutes - where you can be still and listen.

During this time, ask yourself:

• Where did I see God working today?
• What might God be trying to tell me that I've been too busy to hear?
• Is there an area of my life where I've been resisting God's direction?
• How can I respond to what God is saying?

Remember, a heart that listens to God is a heart that stays soft. Don't let the noise of life drown out the voice of God. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart.