Psalms 96:1-6

A Call to Worship the LORD the Righteous Judge.

1 1Sing to the LORD a 2new song; Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name; 3Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.
3 Tell of 4His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
4 For 5great is the LORD and 6greatly to be praised; He is to be 7feared 8above all gods.
5 For 9all the gods of the peoples are idols, But 10the LORD made the heavens.
6 11Splendor and majesty are before Him, Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

Psalms 96:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 96

This psalm was written by David, as appears from 1Ch 16:7,23 to whom it is ascribed by the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions. This and part of Psalm 105 were first composed and sung at the bringing of the ark from the house of Obededom to the city of David; and here it is detached from that with a new introduction to it, and applied to the times and kingdom of the Messiah, and; with great propriety, since the ark was an eminent type of him. The inscription in the Syriac version is,

``a Psalm of David, a Prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, and of the calling of the Gentiles that believe in him:''

and very rightly, since express mention is made of them in it, and of the publication of the Gospel among them; and clear reference is had to Christ, who is the Jehovah all along spoken of Jarchi well observes, that wherever a "new song" is mentioned, it is to be understood of future time, or the times of the Messiah; and the end of the psalm shows it,

\\he cometh to judge\\

Cross References 11

  • 1. 1 Chronicles 16:23-33
  • 2. Psalms 40:3
  • 3. Psalms 71:15
  • 4. Psalms 145:12
  • 5. Psalms 48:1; Psalms 145:3
  • 6. Psalms 18:3
  • 7. Psalms 89:7
  • 8. Psalms 95:3
  • 9. 1 Chronicles 16:26; Jeremiah 10:11
  • 10. Psalms 115:15; Isaiah 42:5
  • 11. Psalms 104:1

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or "non-existent things"
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