Psalm 95 6

Psalm 95:6 kjv

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

Psalm 95:6 nkjv

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.

Psalm 95:6 niv

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;

Psalm 95:6 esv

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!

Psalm 95:6 nlt

Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,

Psalm 95 verses

Psalm 95 6 Meaning

Psalm 95:6 is a direct invitation and exhortation for God's people to engage in humble, physical, and sincere worship. It calls for profound acts of reverence such as prostrating, bowing down, and kneeling before Yahweh, acknowledging Him as their Creator and Sustainer. It emphasizes that true worship involves both outward posture and inward adoration, founded on God's unique identity as Lord and Maker.

Psalm 95 6 Context

Psalm 95 is a powerful liturgical psalm, often used in public worship, and is structured into two main parts. The first part (verses 1-7a) is an ardent invitation to joyful and corporate worship of Yahweh, highlighting His greatness as a universal King and Creator (vv. 1-5), and then focusing on His identity as our personal Lord and Maker, thus warranting humble reverence (v. 6) and loving care for His people (v. 7a). The second part (verses 7b-11) abruptly shifts to a somber warning, admonishing the congregation not to harden their hearts against God's voice, referencing the rebellion of ancient Israel in the wilderness at Meribah and Massah. Verse 6, therefore, serves as a bridge, laying the foundation for a humble and obedient heart—a necessary prerequisite to listening to God's voice, which is emphasized in the subsequent warning. Historically, acts of prostration and kneeling were widely recognized gestures of profound respect, submission, and adoration across the ancient Near East, not just towards deities but also towards human authorities, making their application to Yahweh a clear affirmation of His supreme status.

Psalm 95 6 Word analysis

• Oh come: This serves as an urgent, passionate invitation, an exhortation directed to a group, encouraging collective action in worship.
• let us worship: The Hebrew word here is שׁחה (shachah), which means to prostrate oneself, to bow down low, often to the ground. This is a profound physical act signifying complete submission, profound reverence, humility, and total devotion to a superior or deity. It's one of the most comprehensive biblical terms for worship, embodying the entire self giving honor.
• and bow down: The Hebrew word used is כּרע (kara'), meaning to kneel or bend the knee. While shachah suggests full prostration, kara' emphasizes the bending of the knee as an act of homage, respect, and often supplication. It's a slightly less extreme physical posture than falling flat but still denotes deep reverence and humility.
• let us kneel: The Hebrew word here is ברך (barakh). While its most common meaning is "to bless," in this context, especially in combination with "kneel," it signifies the act of kneeling to give honor, praise, or allegiance. It is a posture of prayer, reverence, and devotion, acknowledging dependence. The accumulation of these three distinct verbs (shachah, kara', barakh) emphasizes the comprehensiveness and whole-body engagement desired in worship.
• before the Lord: "Lord" here is יְהוָה (Yahweh), the personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel. To worship "before" Him means recognizing His immediate presence, acknowledging His absolute sovereignty and authority, and engaging in direct communion with Him. It highlights the relational aspect of worship with the God who has made Himself known.
• our Maker!: The Hebrew word is עשׂה (asah), referring to God as the Creator, the One who formed us and sustains all things. This identifies the foundational reason for worship: He is our originator, the source of our being and the universe itself. His act of creation establishes His rightful claim to our complete and devoted worship, setting Him apart from any other.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel": This triple exhortation emphasizes a corporate and full-bodied call to worship. The progression of these postures (prostration, bowing, kneeling) collectively indicates a complete and humble surrender of oneself in adoration before God. It highlights that worship is not merely an internal thought but involves tangible expressions of reverence and submission.
• "before the Lord, our Maker!": This phrase explicitly states who is to be worshiped and why. It combines God's personal covenant name (Yahweh) with His role as Creator. This linkage means our worship is directed to the one true God, the personal, covenant-keeping God who also sovereignly created all things, including us. Our existence is His gift, demanding our complete reverence and homage.

Psalm 95 6 Bonus section

• The three verbs for worship in this verse demonstrate a progression or intensification of humility and adoration, highlighting a holistic and profound engagement of the entire person in the act of worship, not merely one specific action.
• The phrase "our Maker" isn't just about initial creation but implies God's continued involvement in sustaining, governing, and molding His people. This continuous act of making provides ongoing reason for worship.
• This verse counters any notion of a distant or passive deity. The worship is "before the Lord," emphasizing a direct, personal, and active engagement with God who is present and attentive.

Psalm 95 6 Commentary

Psalm 95:6 is a potent and foundational call to worship, asserting that true adoration of God is characterized by profound humility and bodily expression. The instruction to "worship," "bow down," and "kneel" underscores that our physical postures are not just symbolic, but active expressions of inner submission and reverence before the divine. These postures signify a surrender of self, an acknowledgement of God's exalted position, and a personal humbling before His majesty. The verse's climax, "before the Lord, our Maker!", provides the ultimate theological bedrock for this worship. It reveals that our reverence is not directed towards some abstract power, but to Yahweh – the personal, covenant-making God who has called His people into relationship – and uniquely, to Him as our Creator. Our very existence and dependency on Him as His creation make worship a natural and required response. This establishes a profound link between the identity of God (Creator, Lord) and the appropriate response from His creatures (humble, physical, and heartfelt adoration). This active and humble worship, then, becomes the fitting response to His invitation to listen to His voice later in the Psalm, preparing the heart for obedience.