Psalms 96:9

9 Bow down before the Holy One when he appears; tremble before him, all the earth!

Psalms 96:9 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 96:9

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness
(See Gill on Psalms 29:2), in this and the three preceding verses there is a manifest allusion to the form of addresses made to kings in the eastern nations; who being arrayed, and seated in a majestic manner, with all the marks of royal honour and dignity about them, whom their subjects approach with ascriptions of glory to them; bringing presents in their hands, and bowing down to the ground before them, as the word F18 for "worship" signifies; expressing the utmost awe and reverence of them, as in the next clause:

fear before him, all the earth;
or, as the Targum,

``all the inhabitants of the earth;''

it is the duty of all men to fear the Lord; but none can fear him aright without his grace, or an heart given them to fear him: this respects the latter day, when the Jews shall seek the Lord, and fear him and his goodness; when all nations shall fear and worship him; when, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the name of the Lord shall be great and tremendous among the Gentiles; see ( Hosea 3:5 ) ( Revelation 15:3 Revelation 15:4 ) ( Malachi 1:11 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F18 (wwxtvh) "incurvate vos", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "prosternite vos", Tigurine version.

Psalms 96:9 In-Context

7 Praise the Lord, all people on earth; praise his glory and might.
8 Praise the Lord's glorious name; bring an offering and come into his Temple.
9 Bow down before the Holy One when he appears; tremble before him, all the earth!
10 Say to all the nations, "The Lord is king! The earth is set firmly in place and cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with justice."
11 Be glad, earth and sky! Roar, sea, and every creature in you;

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. when he appears; [or] in garments of worship.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.