Psalms 96:9

9 Worship the Lord in holy splendor; 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 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in holy splendor; tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, "The Lord is king! The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity."
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.