Sing ye unto Jehovah a new song sing unto Jehovah, all the earth.
Psalm 96 opens with a command to sing. The song is new, and the choir is the whole earth, not one nation. So what makes a song new, and why does a psalm of Israel hand the tune to every people on earth?
The psalm just before this one says "let us" again and again. It gathers Israel to worship together. Now the address changes.
The previous psalm speaks to the nation of Israel, so the words "Let us" keep coming back — "Let us sing"; "Let us make a joyful noise"; "Let us come"; "Let us worship," and "Let us kneel." This psalm speaks to the Gentiles, the nations outside Israel, so the appeal is to "All the earth," "the nations," and "all the peoples."
The call now goes out to those who were far off:
Psalm 96 summons all the earth to come in, in the spirit of the everlasting gospel. They are to acknowledge the LORD; the gods of the nations are worthless. Psalm 95 invites those already in the company — "Come, let us sing." Now the call goes to those who are far off: sing to the LORD, and declare His glory among the nations. The LORD is Creator (v. 5).
There was an older song, sung when God made the world. Then something went wrong.
There has been a creation song, when the earth came fresh from the hands of God and "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7). But sin spoiled that beautiful creation. Weeping took the place of singing, and groans took the place of songs. In the millennial day, the coming age when Christ reigns on earth, God will make the earth new. Creation's groan will fall silent, and heaven and earth will unite in a new song.
The two songs differ in subject. One has a victory to celebrate. The other does not.
The old song, sung by the morning stars over the foundations of the earth, was not a conqueror's song. It celebrated no divine victory, either for the redemption or the avenging of God's chosen. There was no theme of victory then, for no battle had been fought and won. But sin has entered since then. A great counter-force has been at work, and the Lord has had to go out as "a man of war," the God of battles. So at the end a new song must rise, to celebrate Him in this new action and character of glory. The song over creation must give way, in range and melody, to the song over the triumphs of Jesus.
1 Chronicles 16 records much of this psalm, sung in David's day. But the opening words are missing there.
This section leaves out details that belong to the theme of Christ's reign but not to the theme of David's reign. So 1 Chronicles 16:23 omits the "new song" of Psalm 96:1, which in Scripture always goes with a new scene, whether on earth or in the heavens. But that condition will only come true under Christ's reign.
A King is coming to take the earth in hand, and the announcement goes out from Jerusalem.
The summons goes to all the earth. Yet Jerusalem is the centre, and God calls the Jews as the instruments of the summons; the LORD Himself is the subject of the song... God calls them to come up. More than that, the great declaration "The LORD reigns" is to go through the nations. His reign will set the world itself firm and unshakable, and He will judge the peoples with righteousness.
Commentators hear a gospel in this call to every nation — one that sounded long before Christianity and has kept sounding since.
Here is a gospel before Christianity; and it has been sounding out all through Christianity, whether men have heard it or not. It is only the echo of what we hear in Eden — that the seed of the woman will crush the serpent's head. That word came before the gate of the first paradise shut on the fallen and guilty pair... Who refuses to join the anthem when the King-Creator comes into His own again? He can only be a rebel at heart.
Commentators differ on the timing. Some place the song in the age to come; others hear it now.
Heaven will sing it as something new. Yet believers on earth already sing it — members of the body of Christ, who delight now in singing the song of redemption (Colossians 3:16).
- New scene, new song. The words "new song" always mark a new scene, on earth or in heaven. This one waits for Christ's reign.
- Creation's song was not enough. The morning stars sang over a world with no battle won. Sin turned singing into groaning. A song of victory must now replace the song of making.
- The choir widens. Psalm 95 gathers Israel with "let us"; Psalm 96 turns and hands the song to all the earth, the nations, all peoples.
- Jerusalem is the microphone. The call goes out from there to every nation: the LORD reigns, and His reign holds the world firm.
- The oldest good news. The call echoes God's promise in Eden and still sounds today. Join the anthem before the King-Creator comes to claim His own.
Sing unto Jehovah, bless his name; publish his salvation from day to day.
Psalm 96 opens with a command to sing, and this verse ties the song to two acts: blessing God's name, and telling His salvation day after day. Commentators ask who must sing, what this salvation is, and why it has to be told daily.
The invitation here is not aimed at one nation. Writers note that the psalm calls the surrounding peoples in, while keeping Israel at the centre of the scene as the ones who carry the call.
This call goes out to the peoples and nations, not to the Jews... Here the call reaches all the earth. Yet even though it goes to all the earth, Jerusalem is the centre. The Jews are called on to carry the call, and the Lord is the subject of the song.
Commentators differ on who "all the earth" means. Another writer takes it as Israel first, and then sees the call widen to every nation, drawn by the glory of the Lord Himself.
No doubt "all the earth" pictures all Israel (the land), God's earthly people. They will gladly bless His name and tell out His salvation "from day to day" through all the thousand years of peace (vv. 1-2). But it does not stop with Israel, for they are told, "Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples" (v. 3). So the blessing is for all the world to share. What draws them first is the matchless glory of His person, together with the wonders of His works.
The verse names two subjects: His name and His salvation. The next verse adds two more. One writer gathers all four and sets this new song beside the song sung at creation.
The nations are called to take up "a new song," and to sing to the Lord for the greatness of "his name," "his salvation," "his glory," and "his wonders." There was a creation song once. The earth came fresh from the hands of God, and "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7). Sadly, sin spoiled that beautiful creation. Singing gave way to weeping, and songs to groans. In the millennial day, earth will be made new. Creation's groan will fall silent, and heaven and earth will unite in a new song.
This salvation reaches the earth itself, not just people in it. It arrives by way of judgment.
He comes to fill the earth with the knowledge of His glory. He comes to bless and save it. He comes to judge it, and that judgment is its salvation. He purges it of the evil that defiles it, frees it from the bondage of corruption, and brings it into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God (Rom. 8:21). The Lord, the living and eternal God, comes to give it the blessing that must flow out wherever He is.
The phrase "from day to day" sets the pace. One writer ties that daily praise to God's mercies, which are just as daily.
His mercies are new to us every morning and our praise should be new as well. And if we begin our day with praise and thanksgiving and faith and hope, we must end it with thanks and praise. Its needs and difficulties only bring out the trustworthiness and the resources of our God.
One writer reads this psalm as showing us the messengers themselves. He links them to the huge crowd in Revelation, gathered from every nation.
I rejoice to think the day is coming when evangelists will go out to call the nations. God will commission and call them to the work, and they will do it magnificently. You may say, How do you know their work will succeed? ... Do you not remember "a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages"? (Rev. 7:9.) How were they converted? By hearing the preachers. Who the preachers are is not stated there, but the effect of their preaching is plain, and in Ps. 96 I believe we get the preachers.
The same writer places this song in a much longer story.
Here is a gospel that came before Christianity, and it has kept sounding out all through Christianity, whether people have heard it or not... It is a gospel that has been ringing through the ages since, and it may well be called the everlasting one. Only its form has changed: now, at last, its promise is to be fulfilled.
- Sing — the call goes out to all the earth. Israel stands at the centre as the messenger, and the Lord Himself is the subject of the song.
- Bless — the song rests on four things: His name, His salvation, His glory, His wonders. It turns creation's groan into a new song.
- Salvation — God comes to bless and save the earth and to purge its evil. The judgment itself is the rescue.
- Daily — His mercies are new every morning, so our praise is new too. It runs from day to day, with no off-season.
- Declare — singers turn into preachers. One writer sees in this psalm the messengers whose work fills heaven with a crowd no one can count.
Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all the peoples.
Psalm 96 calls for the news of God to travel outward, past the borders of Israel, to every nation on earth. Verse 3 stands at the heart of that call, and it raises three questions: who declares, what they declare, and when.
Writers place this song in a coming day when the earth itself is made new. The call for a new song belongs to that day.
The nations are called to take up "a new song," and to sing to the Lord because of the greatness of "his name," "his salvation," "his glory," and "his wonders." There has been a creation song. When the earth came fresh from the hands of God, "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7). Sadly, sin marred that fair creation, and singing gave place to weeping, and songs to groans. In the millennial day, earth will be made new; creation's groan will be hushed, and heaven and earth will unite in a new song.
This announcement becomes possible because God Himself comes. Even His judgment works toward the earth's rescue.
Now He comes to fill the earth with the knowledge of His glory. He comes to bless and save it. He comes to judge it too, and that judgment is its salvation: to purge it from the evil that defiles it, to free it from the bondage of corruption, and to bring it into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God (Rom. 8:21). Jehovah, the living, the eternal God, comes to give it the blessing that must flow out where He is.
Commentators differ on the audience. Some read the whole psalm as spoken to the nations outside Israel — the Gentiles. They mark the change of audience from the psalm before it.
The previous psalm speaks to the nation of Israel. That is why the words "Let us" keep coming back — "Let us sing"; "Let us make a joyful noise"; "Let us come"; "Let us worship," and "Let us kneel." This psalm speaks to the Gentiles, so the appeal is to "All the earth," "the nations," and "all the peoples."
Others read verse 3 as spoken to Israel, who then carry the news outward. The singers become the messengers.
No doubt "all the earth" pictures all Israel (the land), God's earthly people. They will gladly bless His name and publish His salvation "from day to day" through all the thousand years of peace (vv. 1-2). But the blessing is not confined to Israel, for they are told, "Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples" (v. 3). So all the world will share the blessing. The matchless glory of His person will draw them first, along with the wonders of His works.
Who carries the message? One writer points to survivors of Israel who have lived among the nations and can speak to them.
Those of Israel who have escaped will carry the news over the world. Having come out of all nations, they will be well fitted in word and wisdom to bring the news to all who, as He says, "have not heard My fame or seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the nations" (v. 19); "and they shall come and see My glory."
That preaching works. One writer links the preachers of this psalm with a crowd too large to count:
Do you not remember that "great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages"? (Rev. 7:9.) How were they converted? By hearing the preachers. Who the preachers are is not stated there, but the effect of their preaching is obvious, and in Psalm 96 I believe we get the preachers.
This good news did not begin with Christianity. It goes back to Eden, to the promise given as Adam and Eve were shut out of paradise.
Here is a gospel before Christianity; and it has been sounding out all through Christianity, whether men have heard it or have not. And it is only the echo of what we hear in Eden — that the seed of the woman will crush the serpent's head. We hear it before the gate of the first paradise shuts on the fallen and guilty pair. That is a gospel which has been ringing through the ages since, and which may well be called the everlasting one. Only its form has changed: now at last its promise is to be fulfilled.
- Come. God comes to fill the earth with the knowledge of His glory. The declaring starts because He arrives.
- Sing. Sin broke creation's first song. The new song belongs to the day when the groan is hushed and heaven and earth sing together.
- Declare. Commentators differ on who is addressed. Some hear the psalm speaking to the nations, others to Israel, who then carry the news outward. Either way, the glory travels.
- Draw. The glory of His person draws people first, and the wonders of His works come alongside.
- Gather. The preaching works. One writer sees the countless crowd of Revelation 7 as the fruit of these messengers.
For Jehovah is great and exceedingly to be praised; he is terrible above all gods.
The verse opens with "For." It gives the reason behind the call just made: let the whole earth sing to the LORD and carry His glory to the nations. Two claims carry that reason. His greatness deserves praise without limit. And it puts Him past all comparison with anything else people call god.
The reason does not stop at verse 4. It runs on through verses 5 and 6.
(vv. 4-6) This appeal to all the earth rests on the greatness the Lord has shown — the One who is "above all gods." The gods of the nations are nothing at all; Jehovah made the heavens. With Him is honour and majesty. Beauty and strength fill His sanctuary in the midst of Israel.
The pronoun changes from the psalms just before this one. Where they gathered Israel into a shared "us," this psalm turns outward.
Here it is "you" to the nations, not "us" as in the preceding psalms. Yet Jehovah keeps His ordered place on earth. He invites the peoples to the courts of His sanctuary — then indeed a house of prayer for all the peoples.
"Above all gods" is not a ranking among real rivals. See His greatness, and the competition collapses, and the case for idols with it.
The challenge of idols is now completely silenced, because God's greatness is infinite and high above all else. He deserves great praise, and the reverent fear that no idol can ever receive (v. 4). All these so-called "gods" are idols (literally "nothings!") "But the Lord made the heavens" (v. 5). If He made the heavens (all the starry hosts of heaven), it is clear He made the earth too.
The fear in this verse is not a private feeling. It reaches every nation, and it calls them to come and worship in His courts.
He is to be feared above the gods, for He made the heavens. All the families of the peoples are called to come up and own this Jehovah the Creator, whose glory is in Israel. They are to worship in His courts there in the beauty of holiness. All the earth is to fear before Him.
Israel did not reach this conclusion by reasoning alone. When God brought them out of Egypt, He judged the gods that nation worshipped. The psalm's words echo that lesson.
"On their gods also the LORD executed judgments." (Num. 33:4.) We are not told what these judgments were, but we can be sure they were definite and specific, and well known to those who prayed to these deities... Great and terrible wonders delivered them from Egypt. Those wonders also taught them, as the Psalmist sang, that "The Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: He is terrible above all gods; for all the gods of the nations are demons." (Ps. 96:4-5, Septuagint version.)
Note: this quotes the Greek Old Testament. The ESV reads, "all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols."
The psalm looks ahead. It calls for praise before the day the LORD Himself takes the throne of the earth.
Psalm 96 — Here begins "a new song" (v. 1), which all the earth is called upon to sing. This song announces the glories of Jehovah's sanctuary and of His kingdom — not now of creation only, though He made the heavens (v. 5). The nations hear the good news in view of His coming to reign.
- Great — The verse gives the reason for the song. The call to sing rests on His shown greatness, not on the singer's mood.
- Greater — "Above all gods" is settled by one fact: He made the heavens. The rivals are, in the plain sense of the word, nothings.
- Feared — True praise carries reverence with it — reverence no idol can ever receive.
- Proved — God judged Egypt's gods when Israel came out. The nations are asked to own what that history showed.
- Published — The nations sing it, not Israel alone, in view of the day He comes to reign.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols; but Jehovah made the heavens.
Psalm 96 calls the whole earth to sing. Verse 5 gives the reason: every rival god is empty, and the LORD made the heavens. It settles the question of who God is — not by argument, but by pointing at creation.
The verse does not call the other gods weak. It says what they are, and the word behind "idols" is blunter than English shows.
This dispute with idolatry is now coming to an end. The sun rises and drives away the unclean things of the night: "he is to be feared above all gods." And rightly so. For what are they? "All the gods of the peoples are worthless idols" — or, as the word means, "nothings" (compare 1 Cor. 8:4) — "but the LORD made the heavens."
The verse does not debate God's existence. It names one fact — He made the heavens — and lets that fact stand as the whole case.
The first sentence in the Bible sets us in the presence of Him who is the endless source of all true blessedness. There is no long argument here to prove that God exists. The Holy Spirit would never take up anything of that kind. God reveals Himself. He makes Himself known by His works... "All the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens."
And the claim reaches further than the sky. One writer draws out what "the heavens" already includes.
If He made the heavens — all the starry hosts of heaven — then clearly He made the earth too, for the earth is only one of the planets of the heavens.
If God is known by His works, why do the nations have other gods at all? The answer is that God did not hide Himself.
God has not chosen to hide Himself. It is men who have turned away from Him. "Although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him. Their thinking became empty, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools. They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man, and birds, and animals, and creeping things" (Rom. 1:21-23).
Here the commentators add a second layer. The idol is empty, but something real stands behind the worship. When God brought Israel out of Egypt, He judged Egypt's gods as well. One writer traces what Israel learned from that, and how the ancient Greek version of the Old Testament renders this psalm.
"On their gods also the LORD executed judgments" (Num. 33:4). We are not told what these judgments were. But we can be certain they were definite and specific, and well known to the people who prayed to these gods. Israel knew about them too. By great and terrible wonders they were brought out of Egypt, and they were also taught, as the Psalmist sang, that "The Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: He is terrible above all gods; for all the gods of the nations are demons" (Ps. 96:4-5, in the ancient Greek version).
The object is empty. The power behind it is not.
The idol itself is nothing, but what is behind the idol, and which fills the heart and mind of the worshipper, is a demon.
Psalm 96 does not keep this truth inside Israel. It hands it to the nations as news.
Psalm 96 calls all the earth to come in, in the spirit of the everlasting gospel. They are to acknowledge Jehovah; the gods of the nations are mere emptiness. Psalm 95 invites those already inside the company — "Come, let us sing." Now the call goes out to those who are far off: sing to Jehovah, and declare His glory among the nations. Jehovah is Creator (v. 5).
Commentators look on to a day when the rivalry is over and one object of worship remains.
Then men will turn to only one object of worship. They will turn to the True God, the Living God, the Everlasting God, the Maker of all things, the Creator of heaven and earth — and the Redeemer and Saviour of His people too.
Until then, the warning has a nearer edge than carved statues.
An idol is anything that creeps into your affections and takes over the one place in the heart that belongs to God alone.
- Nothing. The word behind "idols" means "nothings" — the rival gods are not weaker beings, they are empty.
- Maker. Against that emptiness stands one fact: He made the heavens, and therefore the earth within them.
- Turned. Idolatry did not come from God hiding; men knew Him, refused to honour Him, and exchanged His glory for images.
- Behind. The idol is nothing, yet a demon stands behind the worship given to it — empty object, real deception.
- Sung. So the psalm goes out to all nations, until the whole earth worships one true God — and until then, whatever takes God's place in your heart is your idol.
Majesty and splendour are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
I have strong material. Here is the commentary.
Psalm 96 calls the whole earth to sing to the Lord, and verse 6 gives the ground of that call. It names two things that rarely sit together — strength and beauty — and puts them in His sanctuary.
The call of this psalm goes out past Israel to every nation, yet it keeps one centre:
This summons goes out to the peoples and nations, not Jews... The summons is to all the earth, yet Jerusalem is the centre, and the Jews are called upon as its instruments. Jehovah is the subject of the song... All the families of the peoples are called to come up and own this Jehovah the Creator, whose glory is in Israel. They are to worship in His courts there in the beauty of holiness.
The pronoun itself marks the shift:
It is "you" here to the nations, not "us" as in the earlier psalms. Yet Jehovah holds to His ordered place on earth, and the peoples are invited to the courts of His sanctuary, then indeed a house of prayer for all the peoples.
Verse 6 completes an argument that starts with the emptiness of the idols:
The ground of this appeal to all the earth is the shown greatness of the Lord — the One who is "above all gods." The gods of the nations are only emptiness; Jehovah made the heavens. With Him is honour and majesty. Beauty and strength are found in His sanctuary in the midst of Israel.
Another writer gives the word behind "idols" its plain sense:
This controversy with idolatry is now coming to an end. The sun rises and drives away the unclean things of the night: "Jehovah is to be feared above all gods." Truly — for what are they? "All the gods of the peoples are idols" — or, as the word means, "nothings" (compare 1 Corinthians 8:4). "But Jehovah made the heavens." Such is He who has now come down to an earthly sanctuary, to reveal His heavenly glory on earth.
One writer weighs what it means for a kingdom to hold both at once:
Honour and majesty are the glories that introduce His kingdom. Once it is here, marvellous strength appears in His sanctuary, coupled with beauty — a most fitting combination, not found together in any mere kingdom of men.
David sang much of this psalm in his own day, in 1 Chronicles 16. There he says gladness and place where the psalm says beauty and sanctuary:
Verse 27 there says, "Strength and gladness are in His place," while verse 6 of the psalm says, "Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary." This was not yet the beauty of Christ's reign, although it was the joy of David's reign at its beginning. Also, at this time the sanctuary had not yet been built for the ark.
The new song this psalm calls for is still ahead. One writer sets it against the first song creation sang:
There has been a creation song, when the earth came fresh from the hands of God and "the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7). Sadly, sin spoiled that fair creation, and singing gave place to weeping, and songs to groans. In the millennial day, earth will be made new; creation's groan will be hushed, and heaven and earth will unite in a new song.
Strength and beauty marked God's earthly house. One writer draws out what that means for His house today:
Psalm 96:6 says that strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Knowing that these features marked God's earthly house, we conclude that it must be His desire that these same features, in a spiritual way, should be seen in His house at the present time. May it always be our desire and prayer for grace to show, as living stones, some rays of the glory, some display of the strength, and some traits of the beauty, of the church's living Head.
- Nothing — the gods of the nations are "nothings." The verse answers them with the One who made the heavens and then came down to a sanctuary on earth.
- Something — His sanctuary holds strength and beauty together, a pairing no human kingdom has ever managed.
- Somewhere — the sanctuary is a fixed centre, and its courts stand open to the nations. The psalm says "you" to them, not only to Israel.
- Not yet — David sang a shorter form of this song. He said "gladness" and "place" instead of "beauty" and "sanctuary," because the full beauty belongs to Christ's reign.
- Then and now — creation's first song ended in groans, and a new song waits for a renewed earth. Meanwhile God's house is to show some rays of that strength and beauty today.
Give unto Jehovah, ye families of peoples, give unto Jehovah glory and strength;
Here the psalm stops singing about God and turns to speak to the nations. It tells the families of the earth to give the LORD the glory and strength that already belong to Him. Who is called? What can people who never knew Him give? And where do they bring it?
The psalm before this one says "let us" — a people inviting each other. Here the wording changes, and one writer ties that to a change of audience.
The previous psalm spoke to the nation of Israel. That is why the words "Let us" keep coming — "Let us sing"; "Let us make a joyful noise"; "Let us come"; "Let us worship," and "Let us kneel." This psalm speaks to the Gentiles, so the appeal is to "All the earth," "the heathen," and "all the people."
Two things are already settled: what the nations' gods are worth, and where the true God has come down.
God has not hidden Himself for no reason. It is men who have turned away from Him. They knew God, but they did not honour Him as God or thank Him. So their thinking became empty and their foolish hearts went dark… They swapped the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man, of birds, of animals and of crawling things (Rom. 1:21-23). This controversy with idolatry is now coming to an end. The sun rises and drives away the unclean things of the night: "Jehovah is to be feared above all gods." And rightly so. What are the others? "all the gods of the peoples are idols" — or, as the word means, "nothings" — "but Jehovah made the heavens." This is the God who has now come down to a sanctuary on earth, to show His heavenly glory here: "honour and glory are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary."
The command sets His worth beside anything we could hand over. It also shows the kindness that still accepts what we bring.
The families of the people are summoned to give the Lord glory and strength (v. 7). No one can exaggerate the greatness of His glory. The glory due His name is infinite. With this in view, how can we give Him anything less and be content with it? Yet the kindness of God is involved in the invitation to bring an offering and come into His courts (v. 8). Of course He is worthy of far more adoration and worship than we, or all creation together, can ever give. Yet He still delights in whatever measure of honour we give Him, and we are blessed through this.
The psalm does not leave the families where they are. It names a place to come to, and a name to own Him by.
This summons is addressed to the peoples and nations, not Jews… Here the summons is to all the earth. Yet Jerusalem is the centre, and the Jews are the instruments of the summons. Jehovah is the subject of the song… All the families of the peoples are called to come up and own this Jehovah the Creator, whose glory is in Israel. They are to worship in His courts there in the beauty of holiness… So Israel stands at the centre, as the place of Jehovah's covenant, while the whole creation is called into joy, for He is the Creator as well as Israel's God.
Someone has to carry this call to the families of the peoples. One writer finds the preachers themselves in this psalm, and their converts in Revelation.
I rejoice to think the day is coming when evangelists, commissioned and called of God to the work, will go out to call the nations. You may say, How do you know their work will succeed? … Do you not remember that great multitude "that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages"? (Rev. 7:9.) How were they converted? By hearing the preachers. Who the preachers are is not stated there, but the effect of their preaching is obvious, and in Ps. 96 I believe we get the preachers.
Their message is old and simple.
Psalm 96 summons all the earth to come in, in the spirit of the everlasting gospel. They are to own Jehovah; the gods of the nations are mere vanity… He is known in the sanctuary in Israel on the earth (v. 7, 8).
- Called — the previous psalm says "let us" to Israel; this one says "all the earth" to the nations. The circle of worship widens.
- Grounded — the gods they served are "nothings." The God who made the heavens has come down to a sanctuary where strength and beauty are found.
- Giving — no one can match the glory due His name. Yet He delights in the honour we bring, and He blesses the giver.
- Coming — the families are called to come up, bring an offering, and own the Creator as Jehovah in His courts.
- Carried — preachers carry the summons out, in the spirit of the everlasting gospel. Its fruit is a crowd from every nation that no one can number.
Give unto Jehovah the glory of his name; bring an oblation and come into his courts;
Psalm 96 calls the whole earth to worship. Verse 8 says what the nations must do: give Him what His name is worth, and come to Him with something in hand. Three questions follow. Who is called? What is the offering? Where are these courts?
The psalm before this one speaks to people already inside the circle of worship. This one turns outward, and commentators read it as good news for the nations. Some writers use the name "Jehovah" where this verse says "the LORD."
Psalm 96 summons all the earth to come in, in the spirit of the everlasting gospel. They are to own Jehovah; the gods of the nations are mere vanity. Psalm 95 invites those who already belong to the company — "Come, let us sing." Now the word goes to those who are far off: Sing to Jehovah. His glory is to be declared among the nations.
The phrase "the glory due his name" sets a standard no worshipper can meet. So why does God ask for it?
The families of the people are summoned to give the Lord glory and strength (v. 7). No one can exaggerate the greatness of His glory. The glory due His name is infinite. With this in view, how can we give Him anything less and be content with it? Yet God's kindness shows in the invitation to bring an offering and come into His courts (v. 8). Of course, He is worthy of far more adoration and worship than we, or all creation combined, can ever give. Yet He still delights in whatever measure of honour we give Him, and we are blessed through this.
"His courts" is not a vague phrase for God's presence. It names a place, and the summons is to come up to it.
Though the summons is to all the earth, Jerusalem is the centre. The Jews are called on as the instruments of the summons, and Jehovah is the subject of the song… All the families of the peoples are called to come up and own this Jehovah the Creator, whose glory is in Israel. They are to worship in His courts there in the beauty of holiness.
If the courts are real, so is the offering brought into them. One writer sets this verse beside other passages about a temple and priesthood on earth. He argues Scripture states these things plainly, instead of leaving us to work them out.
Where a temple is on earth, a priesthood goes with it. And if there is a priesthood, it is hard to see its use without sacrifices. With us, spiritual priesthood and spiritual sacrifices go together. (Compare Hebrews 10–13; and 1 Peter 2:5.) Nor does Scripture leave us to work it out by inference. It says plainly that there will be priests of Aaron's line, offerings and sacrifices, and it even describes them in detail. (Compare Psalm 96:8; 132:13-18; Isaiah 60:6-7; Jeremiah 33:18; Ezekiel 43–46; Zechariah 14:16-21.)
1 Chronicles 16 repeats much of this psalm, but not word for word. One of the changes falls on this verse.
In the same way, 1 Chronicles 16:29 says, "Come before Him," rather than "Come into His courts" (Psalm 96:8). This again fits the passing state of David's reign.
The instruction to bring something is not confined to this psalm. It runs through the law, and the New Testament takes it up too.
On the other hand, we know that worship is something we ought to bring. God deserves to be worshipped (see Deuteronomy 26:10; 1 Chronicles 16:29; Psalm 29:2; 45:11; 95:6; 96:9; 99:5, 9; 132:7). We should not "appear before the Lord empty" (Exodus 23:15; 34:20; Deuteronomy 16:16). New Testament encouragements to worship include 1 Peter 2:5 and Hebrews 13:15.
- Called. The call goes outward, to the nations far off, in the spirit of the everlasting gospel.
- Owed. The glory due His name is infinite. That is the reason never to be content with giving Him less.
- Invited. He still delights in any measure of honour we give. That is His kindness, not our achievement.
- Courts. The destination is a real place. Jerusalem is the centre, and the peoples must come up to it.
- Brought. Worship is something we carry, not only something we feel. Scripture repeats that we should not appear before the Lord empty.
Worship Jehovah in holy splendour; tremble before him, all the earth.
Psalm 96 calls the whole world to sing. Verse 9 tells that world how to come: worship in the splendour of holiness, and tremble before Him. So what makes holiness beautiful, and why does that beauty bring trembling?
The psalm before this one speaks to Israel; this one turns outward. One writer traces the shift by the pronouns themselves:
The previous psalm speaks to the nation of Israel. That is why the words "Let us" keep coming back — "Let us sing"; "Let us make a joyful noise"; "Let us come"; "Let us worship," and "Let us kneel." This psalm speaks to the nations outside Israel. So the appeal is to "All the earth," "the nations," and "all the peoples."
The call goes out to those far off, and it carries the tone of good news:
Psalm 96 calls all the earth to come in, in the spirit of the everlasting gospel. They are to own Jehovah; the gods of the nations are nothing but emptiness. Psalm 95 invites people as part of the company — "Come, let us sing." Now the word goes out to those who are far off: Sing to Jehovah, and declare His glory among the nations.
This worship has an address. The same writer names the centre the nations are called to:
The summons goes to all the earth, yet Jerusalem is the centre, and the Jews are the ones called on to carry that summons. Jehovah is the subject of the song… All the families of the peoples are called to come up and own this Jehovah the Creator, whose glory is in Israel. They are to worship in His courts there in the beauty of holiness. All the earth is to fear before Him.
The verse ties beauty to holiness. Older wording calls it "the beauty of holiness," and the writers here use that phrase. One writer explains holiness by what it loves and what it refuses, then links it to the trembling in the second half of the verse:
Our worship too is to be "in the beauty of holiness," not in the ugliness of forced subjection. Holiness involves the love of what is good and the positive rejection of what is evil. No wonder, then, that all the earth should "tremble before Him."
The phrase also works by contrast:
I have often been struck by the expression in the Old Testament, "the beauty of holiness" (Ps. 29:2; 96:9). It is a delightful expression. There is beauty in holiness, but there is ugliness in sin, and how offensive sin is to God!
This trembling is not the fear of an unstable world. It stands beside a promise:
The ground of the appeal is that Jehovah reigns, and the world is established. No longer moved by wars and rumours of wars, it will come into rest. Jehovah will exercise judgment over all the peoples in righteousness.
No worshipper produces this beauty out of himself. One writer says where it comes from:
So we may come with confidence into His blessed presence. Rejoicing before Him, we give Him our praise and worship together, blessing His Holy Name… How wonderful that we can give to Him! We have nothing in ourselves, and we are unworthy too. Yet God's rich grace puts us among those called to give to the Lord, and enables us to offer to Him in the beauty of holiness — the beauty that is ours in Christ through His redeeming work at Calvary.
And the giving itself is never a matter of the least we can manage:
It is impossible to exaggerate the greatness of His glory. The glory due His name is infinite. With that in view, how can we give Him anything less, and be content with it?
- Called — The psalm before it says "let us" to Israel. This one says "all the earth" to the nations, and it comes in the spirit of good news, not bare command.
- Centred — The call has an address. The nations come up to His courts, where Jehovah's glory is in Israel.
- Clothed — "The beauty of holiness" is holy splendour: the love of what is good and the refusal of what is evil. Sin is the ugly thing; holiness is the beautiful one.
- Covered — Nothing in ourselves fits us to offer that beauty. It is ours in Christ through His work at Calvary, so we can come with confidence.
- Crowned — The trembling is not forced subjection. It rests on a settled announcement: the Lord reigns, the world is established, and He will judge the peoples in righteousness.
Say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth! yea, the world is established, it shall not be moved; he will execute judgment upon the peoples with equity.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof;
The psalm has just told the nations to say that the Lord reigns. Now the call reaches past human voices to sky, land and sea. Two questions follow. Why tell things that cannot speak to rejoice? And what has changed to make that call reasonable?
The earlier verses call the nations. One writer traces how the psalm moves from them to the whole universe.
All the earth is to fear before Him. They are called to come up, and more than that: the great declaration "Jehovah reigns" — the LORD is King — is to go through the nations. The reign of Jehovah will establish the world itself so that it cannot be moved, and He will judge the peoples righteously. Then the universe is called on to rejoice at this display of His righteous power. So while Israel stands at the centre as the place of Jehovah's covenant, the whole creation is summoned into joy, for He is the Creator as well as Israel's God, and in power He judges the earth to maintain the blessing.
The verse pairs "heavens" and "earth" in one sentence. One writer sees verses 11-13 as the point where both come under one openly confessed rule.
Verses 11-13 are full of comprehensive beauty and power. They show everything brought together under the confessed rule of the reigning Christ. Things in heaven and things on earth rejoice together in the acknowledged blessing of the Lord of peace. From start to finish, the Psalm is a very sweet song of millennial prophecy.
Hamilton Smith traces the story of creation's song. It began at the making of the world, and something stopped it.
There has been a creation song. The earth came fresh from the hands of God, and "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7). Sadly, sin spoiled that fair creation. Singing gave place to weeping, and songs to groans. In the millennial day, God will make the earth new. Creation's groan will stop, and heaven and earth will unite in a new song.
Creation is not a neutral bystander. Its freedom waits for the day when God's children are in glory.
In this, creation has a deep and personal interest, for its condition, made subject to futility, must remain unchanged until we are in glory. Then "the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Rom. 8:21)… Now the whole creation groans and suffers pain together. When the Lord comes back in power, its keynote will change, and created things will give Him a glad welcome.
A roaring sea can sound like violence. One writer hears gladness instead, and carries that through to the field and trees of the next verse.
So nature is called to rejoice in harmony. A song began in heaven, and earth takes it up. The sea too lifts up its waves in gladness, not rebellion. The field too is to exult, and the trees of the wood, for the curse of barrenness is lifted off. Jehovah is come, and come to judge the earth.
Some read the heavens, earth and sea as pictures of people rather than plain nature.
The heavens rejoicing stands for the whole multitude of saints in heaven at that time… There will be multitudes in heaven who join in the celebration of the victory of the Lord Jesus. The earth (or the land) stands for Israel, and will overflow with gladness; the sea (the nations) will roar in worship (v.11). "The field" is the world (Matt. 13:38), which will rejoice with all that is in it (v.12).
Commentators differ. When one writer applied the sea's roar to unrest among the nations, an editor pushed back in a footnote:
We may question the idea of turbulence here, and also the application to the nations. "Roaring" does not always mean one thing.
The verse is a call, not a picture of the world today. One writer explains why he could not preach it as something already true.
That is a splendid sermon, though I could not preach it, for the simplest reason possible — He does not reign yet. No, He is in heavenly glory now. He has been refused here, and has gone to heaven, but He is going to reign.
- Song lost. Creation once sang at its making; sin turned that singing into weeping and groans.
- Song promised. The new song of this psalm is the old joy restored, with heaven and earth uniting in it.
- Song widened. The call runs past the nations to the universe itself — sky, land and sea are all summoned in.
- Song explained. The sea roars in gladness, not rebellion. The curse is lifted, and creation is set free from its bondage to corruption.
- Song awaited. No one can preach this as present fact, because He does not reign yet. The psalm looks on to the day He comes to judge the earth.
Let the field exult and all that is therein. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy,
Psalm 96 gathers the whole earth into one song, and by verse 12 the singers are no longer people but fields and forests. Why should trees be glad about a Judge? And what must change in the world before nature can celebrate?
The call goes out to every part of creation because the King has come.
The Lord has come, and the announcement goes out, so that all the earth may greet Him and give Him welcome. There is indeed a new song now to sing, for the long estrangement is over... Now He comes to fill the earth with the knowledge of His glory. He comes to bless and save it. He comes to judge it, and that judging is its salvation. He will purge it from the evil that defiles it, free it from the bondage of corruption, and bring it into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God (Rom. 8:21).
Fields and trees are not scenery in this song. Their gladness depends on a change in the ground itself.
So nature is called to rejoice in harmony. Earth takes up a song that began in heaven, and the sea too lifts up its waves in gladness, not rebellion. The field too is to exult, and the trees of the wood, for the curse of barrenness is lifted off. The Lord has come, and come to judge the earth.
Right now the created world makes a very different sound.
Creation has a deep and personal interest in the glory God's children are waiting for. Its own condition, made subject to vanity, must remain unchanged until we are in glory. Then it "will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Rom. 8:21)... Now, the whole creation groans and suffers pain together. When the Lord comes back in power, its keynote will change, and created things will give Him a glad welcome.
Judgment sounds like bad news. Here it is the reason for the celebration.
Well may the earth rejoice, the floods clap their hands, and the hills be joyful together before the Lord. The Redeemer is the Creator, and the "rule" of the rod of iron is a shepherd-rule, as the word means. The judgment itself is the effect of love as well as righteousness, "destroying the destroyers of the earth" (Rev. 11:18).
The trees sing before a coming King. His identity has two sides.
As the root and offspring of David, He will be the source of blessing to the earth, making good all that God is, as revealed in righteousness, in government. He will reign as Son of David. Yet the One born into this world of the seed of David is also the One from whom David sprang, for He was also David's Lord. He who comes to establish His kingdom is therefore also the Lord Himself.
Commentators differ on how far to press the picture. Other writers read the fields and trees as the real creation set free. One writer takes them as symbols.
"The field" is the world (Matt. 13:38), which will rejoice with all that is in it (v.12). Then the psalm mentions "all the trees of the woods," a picture of every individual. Nothing stays outside the great celebration of the triumph of the true King.
Read next to Psalm 98, this verse turns out to be one stage in a rising chorus rather than the final note.
Again the New Song is heard, but here it has this full special character: it is sung "before the King, the LORD." He has made His salvation known, and He has openly shown His righteousness... There is a fuller note in the song here than in Psalm 96:12.
- Coming — the singing starts because the Lord has arrived. The song is a welcome, not a wish.
- Curse — fields and forests can exult because the barrenness laid on the ground is lifted off.
- Change — creation groans now. His coming does not replace it; it changes its keynote.
- Care — the judgment behind the joy is a shepherd's rule: love as well as righteousness, aimed at those who ruin the earth.
- Christ — the One the trees sing before is David's son and David's Lord. The whole earth's gladness rests on one Person.
Before Jehovah, for he cometh; for he cometh to judge the earth he will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.
The psalm ends by calling the fields, the trees and the sea to break out in song. The reason given is the one thing people dread — a Judge is coming. Everything turns on who this Judge is, and on what His judgment will do to the world.
The One who comes is not only a descendant of David taking a throne. One writer weighs both sides of His title.
As the root and offspring of David, He will be the source of blessing to the earth by making good all that God is, revealed in righteousness, in government. He will reign as Son of David. Yet the One born into this world of David's line was also the One from whom David came, for He was David's Lord. So the One who comes to establish His kingdom is also Jehovah.
The verse makes judgment the reason for joy. That sounds strange until you see what this judgment does. One writer explains what it clears away.
He comes to bless and save the earth. He does come to judge it, and that judgment is its salvation. He will purge it from the evil that defiles it, free it from the bondage of corruption, and bring it into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God (Rom. 8:21). Jehovah, the living, the eternal God, comes to give the earth the blessing that must flow out where He is.
The trees and fields are not watching a destruction. The earth survives this judgment, and that is why it can sing.
The whole earth, corrupted as it will be throughout, will pass through the crisis into the glory. God will judge; but His judgment will be purifying, not destructive. The earth outlives it. The rainbow pledges this — the rainbow of Genesis 9 and of Revelation 4 and 10. These far-apart parts of Scripture tell the same story of mercy and salvation toward this earth. God gave this earth to mankind at the beginning, and He still loves it so well Himself.
The verse names two measures for this judgment: righteousness and faithfulness. They are what the world lacks now. One commentator feels that contrast.
Wonderful relief for a world torn by the vicious cruelty of unrighteousness and by constant lies!
The world does not look like that today. One writer sets the present time beside the coming kingdom.
Now is not the time of Christ's judgment, except as Lord over His people for their good. It is the time of grace to the world. When He appears and establishes the kingdom, it will be the time of judgment... The cross accomplished infinitely deeper things, and it established divine righteousness. Yet at the cross righteousness was not made good in this world, but the opposite. Righteousness was found in the person of Christ; judgment in the hands of Pilate, or the chiefs of the Jews. When Christ appears for His kingdom, judgment and righteousness will go together in the earth.
David sang much of this psalm when the ark came to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 16). He did not sing all of it. One writer compares the two versions.
The words of verse 33, "For He comes to judge the earth," replace the fuller words of the psalm (v. 13). The psalm adds: "He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness." Such a fullness of government could not match David's reign.
The word "judge" here carries more than sentencing. Applied to the parallel promise in the next psalms, one writer takes it as government exercised with discernment.
Because "He comes to judge the earth," not to punish, but to use discerning judgment in ruling in perfect righteousness. This will be true of the world as a whole, but just as true of every person in it. "Come, Lord Jesus!"
- Who — the Coming One is David's son and David's Lord at once. The King who takes the throne is Jehovah Himself.
- Why — His judgment is the earth's salvation. It purges the evil that defiles the world and frees it from bondage to corruption.
- How far — the judgment purifies; it does not destroy. The earth outlives it, so fields, trees and seas can sing.
- What is restored — the cross showed righteousness in Christ and judgment in Pilate's hands. When He appears the two go together in the earth, and a world worn down by cruelty and lies finds relief.
- When — David sang this psalm, but not its fullest promise. Such government waits for a reign greater than his. Until then the believer prays, "Come, Lord Jesus!"