Psalms 96:1–2

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."

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.