Psalms 96:4-13

4 Great is the LORD ! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods.

5 The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the LORD made the heavens!

6 Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty fill his sanctuary.

7 O nations of the world, recognize the LORD ; recognize that the LORD is glorious and strong.

8 Give to the LORD the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts.

9 Worship the LORD in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him.

10 Tell all the nations, “The LORD reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly.

11 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!

12 Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy

13 before the LORD, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.

Psalms 96:4-13 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\\