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Christian prayer

Psalm 95

Psalm 95 in its original text and with its meaning, calling worshippers to praise God and listen to his voice.

  • 11 verses
  • Under a minute to recite
  • From the Bible

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  1. 1

    לְ֭כוּ נְרַנְּנָ֣ה לַיהוָ֑ה נָ֝רִ֗יעָה לְצ֣וּר יִשְׁעֵֽנוּ׃

    O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

  2. 2

    נְקַדְּמָ֣ה פָנָ֣יו בְּתוֹדָ֑ה בִּ֝זְמִר֗וֹת נָרִ֥יעַֽ לֽוֹ׃

    Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

  3. 3

    כִּ֤י אֵ֣ל גָּד֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה וּמֶ֥לֶךְ גָּ֝ד֗וֹל עַל־כָּל־אֱלֹהִֽים׃

    For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

  4. 4

    אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּ֭יָדוֹ מֶחְקְרֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְתוֹעֲפ֖וֹת הָרִ֣ים לֽוֹ׃

    In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

  5. 5

    אֲשֶׁר־ל֣וֹ הַ֭יָּם וְה֣וּא עָשָׂ֑הוּ וְ֝יַבֶּ֗שֶׁת יָדָ֥יו יָצָֽרוּ׃

    The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

  6. 6

    בֹּ֭אוּ נִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֣ה וְנִכְרָ֑עָה נִ֝בְרְכָ֗ה לִֽפְנֵי־יְהוָ֥ה עֹשֵֽׂנוּ׃

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

  7. 7

    כִּ֘י ה֤וּא אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ וַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ עַ֣ם מַ֭רְעִיתוֹ וְצֹ֣אן יָד֑וֹ הַ֝יּ֗וֹם אִֽם־בְּקֹל֥וֹ תִשְׁמָֽעוּ׃

    For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

  8. 8

    אַל־תַּקְשׁ֣וּ לְ֭בַבְכֶם כִּמְרִיבָ֑ה כְּי֥וֹם מַ֝סָּ֗ה בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

    Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

  9. 9

    אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִ֭סּוּנִי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם בְּ֝חָנ֗וּנִי גַּם־רָא֥וּ פָעֳלִֽי׃

    When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.

  10. 10

    אַרְבָּ֘עִ֤ים שָׁנָ֨ה ׀ אָ֘ק֤וּט בְּד֗וֹר וָאֹמַ֗ר עַ֤ם תֹּעֵ֣י לֵבָ֣ב הֵ֑ם וְ֝הֵ֗ם לֹא־יָדְע֥וּ דְרָכָֽי׃

    Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:

  11. 11

    אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי בְאַפִּ֑י אִם־יְ֝בֹא֗וּן אֶל־מְנוּחָתִֽי׃

    Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.

Wording: The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1611 (standard text of 1769). Copied word for word from the edition named here

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When it is prayed

Many Christians recite Psalm 95 at morning prayer or during communal worship. In the Christian tradition, it is an invitation to praise God, bow before him and listen faithfully to his voice. Its warning against hardening the heart also makes it a text for reflection and repentance.

  • Morning prayer
  • Communal worship
  • Reflection
  • Repentance

Where it comes from

Psalm 95 comes from the Book of Psalms in the Bible and was originally composed in Hebrew. It draws on Israel's experience in the wilderness, urging worshippers not to repeat their ancestors' resistance to God. In Christian prayer, it is often known as the Venite, from its opening word in Latin.

In the libraryThe King James Version of the BibleSee the book

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Questions about Psalm 95

How many verses are in Psalm 95?

Psalm 95 has 11 verses.

What does Psalm 95 mean?

It calls people to praise God as their creator and shepherd. It then urges them to listen to his voice rather than harden their hearts.

When do Christians recite Psalm 95?

Many Christians use it at morning prayer and in communal worship. It often serves as an opening invitation to prayer.

Why is Psalm 95 called the Venite?

Venite means “come” in Latin and is the opening word of the psalm in its Latin translation. The name is commonly used in Christian liturgical prayer.

What language was Psalm 95 originally written in?

Psalm 95 was originally written in Hebrew. Christians recite it in many languages.

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