Psalm 66:4

EXPOSITION

Verse 4. All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee. All men must even now prostrate themselves before thee, but a time will come when they shall do this cheerfully; to the worship of fear shall be added the singing of love. What a change shall have taken place when singing shall displace sighing, and music shall thrust out misery!

They shall sing to thy name. The nature and works of God will be the theme of earth's universal song, and he himself shall be the object of the joyful adoration of our emancipated race. Acceptable worship not only praises God as the mysterious Lord, but it is rendered fragrant by some measure of knowledge of his name or character. God would not be worshipped as an unknown God, nor have it said of his people, "Ye worship ye know not what." May the knowledge of the Lord soon cover the earth, that so the universality of intelligent worship may be possible: such a consummation was evidently expected by the writer of this Psalm; and, indeed, throughout all Old Testament writings, there are intimations of the future general spread of the worship of God. It was an instance of wilful ignorance and bigotry when the Jews raged against the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles. Perverted Judaism may be exclusive, but the religion of Moses, and David, and Isaiah was not so.

Selah. A little pause for holy expectation is well inserted after so great a prophecy, and the uplifting of the heart is also a seasonable direction. No meditation can be more joyous that excited by the prospect of a world reconciled to its Creator.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

None.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 4.

1. Who? All the earth.
   1. All, collectively, all classes and tribes.
   2. All numerically.
   3. All harmoniously.
   4. What? Shall worship and sing.
   5. Humiliation; then,
   6. Exultation.
   7. When? Shall, &c. Denotes
   8. Futurity.
   9. Certainty. God has spoken it. All things are tending towards it. G. R.