Group projects are the worst. In a practical little book by Jon Acuff, he says that most professionals, reflecting on their teens years, understand that “group projects in high school are a great way to learn that the world is full of lazy people.” He goes on to say, “I tell my kids this all the time because they hate group projects and I’m not great at parenting advice.” But Acuff is making a point. When a high school student comes to understand this reality about group projects earlier rather than later, it helps them in the future. He says, “sometimes they tell me, “I can’t wait until I’m out of high school and don’t have to work with people who won’t carry their own weight,” at which point I have just the most delightful laugh to myself” (Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking, 106). Group projects always give rise to a kind of acceptable cynicism.
How many times does the poet in Psalm 95 use the phrase, “let us”? Well, in a short poem of 11 verses, “let us” appears six times. So, how do you feel about group projects?
The let us expressions in Psalm 95 appear in the introduction, body, and conclusion. The entire poem is marked with joint participation. The poet is the corporate consultant hired to unify our team and remind us that our work is performed in partnership with others in a single mission towards a single objective. Or something like that. We have seen the poet use himself as an example, inviting the reader to mimic. Here the poet invites his readers to “come” (three times) and become a part of the “us” (six times) and be the “people of His pasture” (v. 7).
Despite our skepticism of the value of group projects, the togetherness of the psalm ought to be infectious. Together, the poet and his audience sing and make joyful noises, perhaps the very thing that sparked the poet to write (1-2). Together, they look at creation and marvel at God’s creativity and superiority over any other god (3-5). Together, they worship Him with a shared posture (6). Together, they listen to His voice (7). Together, they submit their personal passions and wishes as a means of (again, together) putting Him first in all things and (again, together) acknowledging that His work is truly better than their own works (8-9). Together, they remind one another of these things over and over again so that forgetfulness never turns into wandering “astray” (10).
Have our feelings for group projects softened? It may be that the poet, himself, struggles with group projects. We are not informed of his disposition. It might be, though, that his own invitation in verse 1, “Oh come,” is an expression of either love for group projects, or a request to his brothers and sisters to not leave him alone. The tone of Psalm 95 may be a group project may be less a eulogy for group projects, and more a desperate cry to not be left alone. “Oh come” may mean, I don’t want to do this alone. Like you, he may see with equal clarity the disadvantages of pursuing a mission with a flock of others (like v. 7). Your cynicism is not unique. But the poet also sees that the alternative, going it alone, being the sheep of your own pasture, is not better, but worse. Far worse. So he says, “come.”
