Psalms 96:6

6 Acknowledging and fairness is in his sight; holiness and worthy doing is in his hallowing. (Majesty and glory surround him; strength and beauty be in his sanctuary.)

Psalms 96:6 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 96:6

Honour and majesty are before him
He being set down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, and having honour and majesty laid upon him; being arrayed in robes of majesty, crowned with glory and honour, sitting on the same throne of glory with his Father, and having a sceptre of righteousness in his hand, and all the forms and ensigns of royalty and majesty about him; rays of light and glory darting from him; as well as those glorious and bright forms before him; the holy angels continually praising him; which is a much more noble sense than that of Kimchi's, who interprets them of the stars:

strength and beauty are in his sanctuary;
the Targum is,

``the house of his sanctuary,''

the temple; the Gospel church, of which the temple or sanctuary was a figure: the strength of Christ is seen here, in the conversion of sinners by his Gospel, which is the rod of his strength, the power of God unto salvation, when it comes not in word only; and by which he also strengthens his people to the more vigorous exercise of grace and discharge of duty; here they go from strength to strength: the "beauty" of Christ is seen here; the King is held in the galleries of Gospel ordinances, and is beheld in his beauty; his people appear here in the beauties of holiness, and as a perfection of beauty, through the righteousness of Christ upon them; and as they observe the order of the Gospel, and do all things decently, and with a good decorum: or else, as Kimchi interprets it, heaven may be meant by the sanctuary, of which the holy place, made with hands, was a figure; here Christ reigns, girded with "strength"; here he rules as the Lord God omnipotent, having all power in heaven, and in earth, and doing according to his will in both; and from hence he shows himself strong on the behalf of his people; here. He, who is beauty itself, fairer than the children of men, dwells; here those beauteous forms of light and glory, the holy angels, are; and here the spirits of just men made perfect, who are without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, have their abode: in ( 1 Chronicles 16:27 ) , it is,

strength and gladness are in his place;
among his people and worshippers there.

Psalms 96:6 In-Context

4 For the Lord is great, and worthy to be praised full much; he is fearedful above all gods (he should be feared above all gods/he should be revered above all gods).
5 For all the gods of heathen men be fiends; but the Lord made heavens. (For all the gods of the heathen be but idols; but the Lord made the heavens.)
6 Acknowledging and fairness is in his sight; holiness and worthy doing is in his hallowing. (Majesty and glory surround him; strength and beauty be in his sanctuary.)
7 Ye countries of heathen men, bring to the Lord, bring ye glory and honour to the Lord; (Ye countries of the heathen, acknowledge to the Lord, acknowledge ye the glory and the strength of the Lord;)
8 bring ye to the Lord glory to his name. Take ye sacrifices, and enter ye into the halls of him; (give ye to the Lord the glory due his name. Bring ye your sacrifices, and enter ye into his courtyards;)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.