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, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, _and_ as _in_ the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 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: Unto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest. This Psalm is a prophecy concerning Christ, and its contents are fully and learnedly explained in the Apostle’s epistle to the Hebrews. It prophecies concerning the time of the New Testament, and sets forth the lovely and sweet voice of the gospel. In a word, the Psalmist instructs us in, and allures us to, the knowledge of the riches of the grace of God; which riches were known to our fathers as well as unto us, in the promised seed—Christ. ‘Come (saith the Psalmist) and let us rejoice in the Lord. Come ye that are afar off and ye that are near, and let us exult in the Lord; let us triumph in the God of such salvation:’ that is, Come and let us rejoice with the whole triumph of our hearts, in that infinite benefit and mercy—the granted grace of Christ! Since we have such promises, let us not neglect such great salvation. For to believe in the promise of grace, contrary to all the objections of conscience, the temptations of Satan, and the fears of the heart, is the true worship of God! In a word, the Psalmist warns against unbelief. “Harden not your hearts (says he) as ye did at Massah and Meribah in the desert: your fathers, on account of their unbelief, entered not into the holy land of promise.” The whole of this Psalm is to be referred to Christ: for he is that blessed God in whom we ought to rejoice, and whom the Psalmist would have to be known. He is our Shepherd, and we are the sheep of his pasture. He is that God, whom our fathers tempted in the desert, as Paul saith, (1 Cor. x.) It was he who took out of the way the law, and abolished all the ceremonial worship of the Old Testament. He will no longer have the worship established by Moses; but he will have faith in the gospel, the preaching of the remission of sins, and that one true offering—praise, instead of the whole Levitical worship. PSALM XCVI. _An exhortation to praise God,—for his greatness,—for his kingdom,—for his general judgment._ O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. For the LORD _is_ great, and greatly to be praised: he _is_ to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations _are_ idols: but the LORD made the heavens. Honour and majesty _are_ before him: strength and beauty _are_ in his sanctuary.