|
Lyrics
1 O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.
4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.
9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.
11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.1
Bible Commentary
1
Three times we are here called to sing unto
the Lord.
Let this song be sung constantly, not only in the times appointed
for the solemn feasts, but from day to day; it is a subject that can
never be exhausted.2 Let all
the earth lift up one common psalm as with one heart and voice unto
Jehovah, who hath visited it with his salvation.3
2 We may
well bless him who so divinely blesses us.3
Bless his name, speak well of him, that you may bring others to
think well of him.2 Let us
proclaim the glad tidings, or preach the gospel of his salvation
continually.3 His salvation,
which was to be wrought out by the Lord Jesus, must be shown forth
as the cause of this joy and praise.2
3
This
salvation was, in the Old-Testament times a glory to be revealed;
but in the fulness of time it was declared. What was then
discovered was declared only among the Jews, but it is now declared
among the heathen, among all people; the nations which long
sat in darkness now see this great light.
The apostles’ commission to preach the gospel to every creature is
copied from this: Declare his glory among the heathen.2
4 Jehovah is no petty deity, presiding, as the heathen
imagined their gods to do, over some one nation, or one department
of nature. Jehovah is great in power and dominion, great in mind and
act; in all things he is infinite. Even if the graven images had
been gods they could not have borne comparison for an instant with
the God of Israel, and therefore his worship, should be far more
zealous than any which has been rendered to them.3
5
All those
reputed or worshipped as gods among the heathens were are images of wood and stone,
vanities,
things of nought.3,4 The idol gods have
no existence, but our God made the heavens.3 He who is
the creator is alone worthy of adoration and praise.4
6 Honour and majesty are with Jehovah and with him
alone. In His presence real glory and sovereignty abide, as constant
attendants. Men can but mimic these things; their pompous pageants
are but the pretence of greatness. In Him are combined all
that is mighty and lovely, powerful and resplendent. |
 |
Not in outward show or
parade of costly robes does the glory of God consist; such things
are tricks of state with which the ignorant are dazzled; holiness,
justice, wisdom, grace, these are the splendours of Jehovah's
courts, these the jewels and the gold, the regalia, and the pomp of
the courts of heaven.3
7 The first six verses commenced with an exhortation to
sing, three times repeated, with the name of the Lord thrice
mentioned; here we meet with the expression “Give unto the Lord”,
used in the same triple manner. This is after the manner of those
poets whose flaming sonnets have best won the ear of, the people,
they reiterate choice words till they penetrate the soul and fire
the heart. Divided into tribes and families, we are called in our
courses and order to appear before him and ascribe to him worship
and honour. Give unto the LORD glory and strength, that is to say,
recognise the glory and power of Jehovah, and ascribe them unto him
in your solemn hymns.3
8 All conceivable honour is due to
our Creator, Preserver, Benefactor, and Redeemer, and however much
of zealous homage we may offer to him, we cannot give him more than
his due. To him who gives us all, we ought gladly to give our
grateful tithe. When assembling for public worship we should make a
point of bringing with us a contribution to his cause, according to
that ancient word, "None of you shall appear before me empty."3
9 Beauty of architecture and apparel He does not regard;
moral and spiritual beauty is that in which his soul delighteth.
Worship must not be rendered to God in a slovenly, sinful,
superficial manner; we must be reverent, sincere, earnest, and pure
in heart both in our prayers and praises. The psalmist calls all
the earth to “fear” before Jehovah. "Tremble" is the word in the
original, and it expresses the profoundest awe, just as the word
"worship" does, which would be more accurately translated by "bow
down."3
They who enter into
the presence of a king presently fall on their knees in token of
submission and homage; in the presence of your King do the same.4
10
The
gladdest news which can be carried to the heathen is that the Lord
Jehovah, in the person of his Son has assumed the throne, and taken
to himself his great power. Society is safe where God is king, no
revolutions shall convulse his empire, no invasions shall disturb
his kingdom. Sin has shaken the world, the reign of Jesus will set
it fast again upon sure foundations.3
Christ’s government will be incontestably just and righteous.2
11 Above and below let the joy be manifested. Let the angels
who have stood in amaze at the wickedness of men, now rejoice over
their repentance and restoration to favour, and let men themselves
express their pleasure in seeing their true prince set upon his
throne. Let there be no more a troubled sea, wailing over
shipwrecked mariners, and rehearsing the griefs of widows and
orphans, but let it adopt a cheerful note, and rejoice in the
kingdom of the Lord. Let it thunder out the name of the Lord when
its tides are at its full, and let all its teeming life express the
utmost joy because the Lord reigneth even in the depth of the sea.3
12 All nature is invited to share
in the praise of God when Christ comes to usher in the eternal reign
of righteousness.5 Let the
cultivated plains praise the Lord. Both men, and creatures that
graze the plain, and the crops themselves are represented as
swelling the praises of Jehovah. The psalmist does not say, let the
trees of the wood rejoice, but they shall do so.3
13 The repetition of the phrase “for he (the Lord) cometh”
lends force and animation to the passage. The coming of Christ will
inaugurate His kingdom of righteousness.5
He will judge with honesty, veracity and integrity. Judgment will
be given without fear or favour. In all this let the nations be
glad, and the universe rejoice.3
Christ’s coming to judgment will result in the establishment of
moral order in the earth and the inauguration of eternal peace and
happiness.5
References and notes
1. King James Authorized Version
2.
Matthew Henry
Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible
-
http://bible.crosswalk.com/Commentaries
3. Charles
H. Spurgeon, "The Treasury of David" - http://bible.crosswalk.com/Commentaries
4.
Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary - www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarke.htm
5. SDA Bible
Commentary Vol. 3 pg 851
6. Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New
Testament -
http://www.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=096
7. COMMENTARY ON
THE BOOK OF PSALMS BY JOHN CALVIN
- http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom11.all.html#v
8. MISSIONS IN THE PSALMS -
http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/ps96v1.html
|
|
|
|
 About
Psalm 96 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Music
for Psalm 96 |
 A
2 minute audio clip for Psalm 96 is currently available in the
members area. This song
is expected to be recorded in a future
Make a joyful noise with psalms
album.
Visit
Music page for more song previews. |
|
|
QUOTES
ON
PSALM 96 |
|
The Bible Quotes
pages provide counsel,
direction, encouragement and help from God's word to life's
questions.
These pages include Bible Quotes & Promises, Inspirational Quotations
and audio clips. Psalm 96 features in: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Psalm 96 in 1
Chronicles 16 |
| We meet with a
psalm very similar to this, in
1 Chronicles 16, delivered
by David to Asaph, to be sung on occasion of the removing of
the ark from the house of Obed-edom to Zion. But the ode, as
it stands in 1 Chronicles 16, is
considerably longer, extending from the 8th verse to the 36th
[1Ch 16:8-36]; and this is only the part of it from
the 23rd to the 33rd verse [1Ch 16:23-33]. It has been supposed that this part
was extracted from the psalm above mentioned, and, with a
few inconsiderable alterations, adapted to the solemnity of
the dedication of the second temple. This opinion is founded
upon the inscription of the psalm in the Septuagint,
Vulgate, Æthiopic, and Arabic versions, which is, “A song of
David when the house was built after the captivity.”7 |
|
|
|
|
|
WAS PSALM 96 A
NEW SONG? |
|
From the above paragraph, it would appear
that this is not a new song. But it may
be called new, from its having been adapted to
a new purpose — from its having been intended to celebrate
new mercies conferred upon the Jews, and to lead the mind
forward to the glorious era of the coming of the Messiah,
and the establishment of his kingdom, which probably was the
matter of more general expectation among the chosen people,
at the period when the temple was rebuilt, than when the ark
was brought to Mount Zion from the house of Obed-edom. It
may be observed, that the first verse is not in the original
poem, as recorded in the book of Chronicles, but appears to
have been added for the new occasion to which this shorter
psalm was adapted.7 |
|
|
Grandeur
and Magnificence |
|
This psalm has
been admired for its grandeur and magnificence. The three
last verses in particular have been frequently quoted as a
specimen of sublimity in sentiment and language, which
cannot be surpassed. “Nothing can excel in this respect,”
remarks Bishop Lowth, “that noble exultation of universal
nature in the 96th Psalm, which has been so often commended,
where the whole animate and inanimate creation unite in the
praises of their Maker. Poetry here seems to assume the
highest tone of triumph and exultation, and to revel, if I
may so express myself, in all the extravagance of joy.”7 |
|
|
|
A MISSIONARY HYMN |
|
The Hebrew
Psalms are filled with a
missionary message of outreach to the nations of the world.
"Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds
among all the peoples" (Psalm 96:3). This isn't just a
passing word; it is a dominant theme in the Psalms.
Psalm 96 is "a missionary hymn for all ages." It is
filled with a jubilant note of joy, but there is also a
declaration of impending judgment. The psalm must originally
have been composed for public worship because it is entirely
one of worship. It is devoted to praise to God in the
context of public worship in the Temple. The LORD God is a
wonderful Creator and Ruler and He is coming to judge all
men. People are to be reached with the Good News with the
goal that eventually all may join in God's praise. It is a
great missionary psalm with missionary themes.
You will find 25 quotations in various parts of the
Old Testament in this beautiful psalm.
8 |
|
|
|
|
