Worship Is Better than Whining

Come, let’s sing joyfully to the Lord. Let’s shout happily to the rock of our salvation. Let’s come into his presence with a song of thanksgiving. Let’s shout happily to him with psalms.
The Lord is a great God and a great king above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth, and the mountain peaks are his. The sea is his. He made it, and his hands formed the dry land. [vss 1-5]
Come, let’s worship and bow down. Let’s kneel in front of the Lord, our maker,
because he is our God and we are the people in his care, the flock that he leads. If only you would listen to him today! [vss 6-7]
“Do not be stubborn like ⌊my people were⌋ at Meribah, like the time at Massah in the desert. Your ancestors challenged me and tested me there, although they had seen what I had done.
For 40 years I was disgusted with those people. So I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts continue to stray. They have not learned my ways.’ That is why I angrily took this solemn oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest!’" [vss 8-11]

(Psalms 95:1-11 GW)

Several hymns and worship songs are taken directly from this psalm. Although it begins with an uplifting invitation, it ends with a solemn reminder. It begins with encouragement and ends with a warning.

A simple truth is embedded in this psalm that is easily missed. You've heard of selective memory but we can also be selective in what we hear or read.

The warning at the end is a history lesson, a reminder of a whole generation who paid a stiff penalty for complaining and whining and their unbelief. Even though they experienced freedom and saw miraculous events, their hearts were full of bitterness and self-focus.

I heard someone say years ago, "Don't why God, worship Him!" It's great advice. We all question why certain things happen but it can easily turn into bitter whining if unchecked.

We've all seen the whiny child in a store with a frazzled mom or dad. This is usually followed by a mid-store meltdown. It ain't a pretty scene! Many of us have been both the whining child and the frazzled parent.

This can easily be us with the Lord unless we heed the exhortative invitation of this psalm. We're encouraged to come and sing joyfully to the Lord and to worship and bow before Him.

It's a choice we often need to make between whining at the Lord or worshipping Him. It's an issue of the heart. Will we be stubborn and self-willed or thankfully surrender our heart and life to the Lord?

Worship is always better than whining! It sounds nicer too.

Do you find yourself whining at the Lord more than you worship Him?

Remember who the Lord is—a great God and a great king above all gods —and who you are—we are the people in his care.

Let go of the whining and complaining and lift your voice and heart to the Rock of your salvation!

©Word-Strong_2017

Here's a great worship song taken from Psalm 95 by the Sons of Korah—