John Gill Commentary Psalms 95

O come, let us sing unto the Lord
To Jehovah the Messiah, the Lord our righteousness; setting forth, in songs of praise, the glory of his person, the riches of his grace, and our thankfulness to him for spiritual mercies by him: Christ is to be the subject of our spiritual songs, and is the person to whose honour and glory they should be directed: in the New Testament we are instructed to sing unto the Lord, the Lord Christ, (Ephesians 5:19) (Colossians 3:16) , and this is what Pliny ^F1 tells Trajan, the Roman emperor, the Christians in his time did; they sung a hymn to Christ, as to a God:

let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation ;
to Christ, the Rock, (1 Corinthians 10:4) , a Rock, for height, being higher than the saints, than the kings of the earth, than the angels in heaven, than the heavens themselves; for strength, being the mighty God, and mighty Saviour; for shelter, being the saints security from avenging justice and wrath to come: a Rock, on which the church and all believers are built, and which endures for ever; "the Rock of salvation", being the author of spiritual and eternal salvation, and the strength and security of it; not only is he strong to do it, but, being done by him, it is safe in him; wherefore shouts of joy and songs of praise are due unto him.

This shows that vocal singing is meant, singing with an harmonious and musical voice; and that social singing, or singing in concert together, is intended. The Septuagint renders it, "to God our Saviour", (Luke 1:47) (Jude 1:25) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F1: Ep. l. 10. ep. 97.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving
Come with the sacrifice of praise, there being no other in the days of the Messiah, all ceremonial sacrifices being put an end to when his sacrifice was offered up; so Arama observes, that the offering of thanksgiving shall remain, or be left in the days of the Messiah; come with this to Christ as a priest, to offer it by him to God his Father, to whom it is acceptable through him, and with this to himself for the great salvation he has wrought out.

"To come before his presence", or "face" ^F2 , supposes his being come in the flesh, his being God manifest in it, and also as clear and free from the veil of types and shadows; these all being gone now he is come, and to be beheld with open face; and likewise his having done his work as a Saviour, and now upon his throne as a King; into whose presence chamber saints are admitted to make their acknowledgments to him, and profess their allegiance and subjection to him, and their gratitude for favours received. It signifies an attendance on him in his house and ordinances, where he shows his face, and grants his presence; and intends not merely bodily exercise, or a presentation of our bodies only to him, but a drawing nigh to him with true hearts, and serving him in a spiritual manner.

and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms ;
with a melodious voice, and grace in the heart, with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; this belonging to Gospel times shows that singing of psalms vocally in a musical way is an ordinance of Christ, to be performed to him under the Gospel dispensation, (Ephesians 5:19) (Colossians 3:16) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F2: (wynp) "faciem ejus", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version

For the Lord is a great God
Christ is truly and properly God, wherefore divine service is to be performed unto him; particularly singing psalms, setting forth therein his greatness and glory: and he is a great one; great in power, wisdom, justice, truth, mercy, and grace; greatness is to be ascribed unto him, and worship given him, because of his greatness, (Titus 2:13)

and a great King over all gods ;
he is King of the whole world; his kingdom ruleth over all; he is King of kings, and Lord of lords; he is King of saints, the government of the whole church is upon his shoulders, which he exercises in the most wise, powerful, and righteous manner imaginable; he is above all that are called gods, all the nominal and fictitious deities of the Heathens; above all civil magistrates, who are gods by office; and above the angels, who have this name, (1 Peter 3:22) . Aben Ezra interprets it of angels.

In his hand are the deep places of the earth
The "penetrals" ^F3 of it; not only what are penetrated by men, the minerals that are in it; but what are of such deep recess as to be penetrated only by the Lord himself; these are in the hands and power of Christ, which he can search into, discover, and dispose of; these are the foundations of the earth, which cannot be searched out beneath by men, (Jeremiah 31:37) ,

the strength of the hills is his also ;
or, "the wearinesses" ^F4 of them, the tops ^F5 of them, which make a man weary to go up unto, they are so high; the Targum is, "the strengths of the height of the hills;" which takes in both ideas, both the height and strength of them. The hills, that are both high and strong, are set fast by his power, and are at his command; and bow and tremble before him, whom men ought to worship.

FOOTNOTES:

• F3: (yrqxm) "penetralia terrae", Musculus, Piscator, Gejerus, Michaelis.
• F4: (twpewt) "lassitudines", Gejerus.
• F5: "Cacumina", Montanus, Tigurine version, Musculus.

The sea is his, and he made it
He made it, and therefore it is, and all creatures in it; he sets bounds to it, and its waves, and restrains the raging of it at his pleasure, (Matthew 8:26Matthew 8:27) ,

and his hands formed the dry land ;
the whole world, all besides the sea, the vast continent; he is the Maker of it, and all creatures in it; without him was nothing made that is made; and, being the Creator of all things, is the proper object of worship, (John 1:2John 1:3) (Romans 1:25) , as follows.