Psa 96:2 | KingComments | STEP | The call to the people of Israel in Psalm 95 to praise the LORD as a great King ( ) is also made to the nations in the now following psalms (Psalms 96-100) (cf. ; ). In these, it is not the kingship of David that is sung, but that of the LORD, that is, the Lord Jesus: Psalm 96 begins with: “Sing to the LORD a new song” ( ). Psalm 97 begins with: “The LORD reigns” [literally “the LORD is King”] ( ). Psalm 98 begins with: “O Sing to the LORD a new song” ( ). Psalm 99 begins with: “The LORD reigns” [literally “the LORD is King”] ( ). Psalm 100 begins with: “Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth” ( ). David’s kingship and that of the Lord Jesus are very closely connected with each other, for the great Son of David is the LORD of hosts. These verses look forward to the fulfillment of the promises when the LORD openly exercises His authority over the nations. Psalm 96 is almost word for word the middle part of the song of praise in 1 Chronicles 16 ( ). Because of this, we know that this psalm was written by David. David instructs in 1 Chronicles 16 to thank and praise the LORD through the service of Asaph and his brethren ( ). This song of praise is a compilation of portions from various psalms, including Psalm 96. 1 Chronicles 16 concludes the description of the great event of placing the ark in Jerusalem, the king’s city. This confirms the public worship of God during the reign of David. In bringing the ark up to Jerusalem we see a picture of the Messiah coming to earth to reign. That the ark was brought in ( ), prophetically means that in Psalms 96-100 Christ is seen to have already come and taken His place as King! God brought His firstborn Son into the world ( ; ). The Septuagint – the Greek translation of the Old Testament – has as heading above this psalm: ‘When the house was built after the exile, a song of David.’ [The house is the tabernacle and the exile is the exile of the ark during the time it had fallen into the hands of the Philistines.] The call sounds to the nations to “sing to the LORD a new song” ( ). The first song sung in the Bible is the song of Moses ( ). It is sung immediately after the deliverance from Egypt. Again, in Psalms 96-100, all people are called to sing because the LORD’s salvation has come in and through the Lord Jesus: Jesus means the LORD, Yahweh, saves. A song comes after redemption, as in Exodus 15. A new song comes after a new redemption from the LORD (cf. ). The phrase “new song” occurs seven times in the Old Testament, six of which occur in Psalms ( ), and once in Isaiah ( ). In the New Testament it occurs twice in Revelation ( ). The call comes from Israel, who are God’s people. They have been rescued from distress and introduced into blessing by the coming of the Messiah. It is a new situation in the history of the world. Christ reigns and God is acknowledged by the nations. This calls for a new song from the nations (cf. ). A new song is then already being sung in heaven ( ). “All the earth” is called to sing to the LORD. The people are overwhelmed by the great goodness that is their portion. In this they want the nations to share who have been brought into connection with them. The glorious consequences of Christ’s coming are sung about and all are called to sing along. In , the call to sing to the LORD and praise His Name is heard again. The motive is the salvation of God that He has wrought for His people. The nations are to bring the message of this “from day to day”, that is, they are to do so continuously, unceasingly. Just as the people of Israel must bring the burnt offering daily, in the morning and in the evening, to the LORD ( ), so also in the realm of peace the offering of praise ( ) will ascend daily from the mouth of Israel (Psalm 95) and the nations (Psalm 96). Yes, the book of Psalms ends in Psalm 150 with the words: “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Hallelujah!” ( ). Likewise, we are called to tell of God’s salvation every day, wherever He gives us the opportunity to do so. This is to His glory and possibly to the eternal blessing of someone who hears our testimony. The command is to “tell His glory among the nations” ( ). His honor is seen in “His wonderful deeds”. We can think of the wonders He did in Egypt in delivering His people from slavery. We can apply it to the wonder of our deliverance from the power of sin and the numerous wonders He has done in our lives. The LORD is indeed “great … and greatly to be praised” ( ). He is not ‘greater than’, but He alone is great in an absolute sense, He is infinitely, incomparably great ( ). Therefore, He alone is worthy of great praise. He is certainly “above all gods” and at the same time “to be feared above” them (cf. ). His greatness inspires awe. By “gods”, given the context here, we can best think of angels or persons of law, beings with a certain authority. But they are dwarfed by Him. They are extremely limited creatures, both in terms of their person and their abilities. Angels can be powerful, but God is Almighty. He has all authority in heaven and on earth ( ). The nations have their gods ( ; ; cf. ). These gods are apostate angels or demons. Idols are dead pieces of matter ( ). Behind them are demons ( ). God created matter. Man in his great folly takes dead matter to worship it. Idols are nothing, nullities ( ). They are creatures of man’s imagination ( ; cf. ) under the inspiration of demons. Opposed to man’s imagination is the LORD Who “made the heavens”. He has made the whole area of heaven and therefore only He may be worshiped. He gives His glory to no other ( ). Everything that is “before Him”, that is, everything that is in His presence, radiates “splendor and majesty” ( ). Whatever is in His presence reflects the features of His Being. He places His majesty and glory on everything around Him. So it is also “in His sanctuary” in the midst of His people. The parallel section in 1 Chronicles 16 says “in His place”, and that means ‘heaven’ ( ). When the Lord Jesus returns, that fourfold glory mentioned here in will also be visible from Zion, His sanctuary on earth. There are “strength and beauty” there, which means that His sanctuary is the source of strength and becomes visible from there. And when His power becomes visible, the splendor, the all-transcending glory of God becomes visible.

‏ Psalms 96:2

Introduction

The call to the people of Israel in Psalm 95 to praise the LORD as a great King (Psa 95:1-7) is also made to the nations in the now following psalms (Psalms 96-100) (cf. Mt 24:14; Isa 12:4). In these, it is not the kingship of David that is sung, but that of the LORD, that is, the Lord Jesus:

Psalm 96 begins with: “Sing to the LORD a new song” (Psa 96:1).

Psalm 97 begins with: “The LORD reigns” [literally “the LORD is King”] (Psa 97:1).

Psalm 98 begins with: “O Sing to the LORD a new song” (Psa 98:1).

Psalm 99 begins with: “The LORD reigns” [literally “the LORD is King”] (Psa 99:1).

Psalm 100 begins with: “Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth” (Psa 100:1).

David’s kingship and that of the Lord Jesus are very closely connected with each other, for the great Son of David is the LORD of hosts. These verses look forward to the fulfillment of the promises when the LORD openly exercises His authority over the nations.

Psalm 96 is almost word for word the middle part of the song of praise in 1 Chronicles 16 (1Chr 16:23-33). Because of this, we know that this psalm was written by David. David instructs in 1 Chronicles 16 to thank and praise the LORD through the service of Asaph and his brethren (1Chr 16:7). This song of praise is a compilation of portions from various psalms, including Psalm 96.

1 Chronicles 16 concludes the description of the great event of placing the ark in Jerusalem, the king’s city. This confirms the public worship of God during the reign of David. In bringing the ark up to Jerusalem we see a picture of the Messiah coming to earth to reign. That the ark was brought in (1Chr 16:1), prophetically means that in Psalms 96-100 Christ is seen to have already come and taken His place as King! God brought His firstborn Son into the world (Heb 1:6; Psa 89:27).

A New Song to the LORD

The Septuagint – the Greek translation of the Old Testament – has as heading above this psalm: ‘When the house was built after the exile, a song of David.’ [The house is the tabernacle and the exile is the exile of the ark during the time it had fallen into the hands of the Philistines.]

The call sounds to the nations to “sing to the LORD a new song” (Psa 96:1). The first song sung in the Bible is the song of Moses (Exo 15:1-18). It is sung immediately after the deliverance from Egypt. Again, in Psalms 96-100, all people are called to sing because the LORD’s salvation has come in and through the Lord Jesus: Jesus means the LORD, Yahweh, saves.

A song comes after redemption, as in Exodus 15. A new song comes after a new redemption from the LORD (cf. Lam 3:22-23). The phrase “new song” occurs seven times in the Old Testament, six of which occur in Psalms (Psa 33:3 ; Psa 40:3 ; Psa 96:1 ; Psa 98:1 ; Psa 144:9 ; Psa 149:1), and once in Isaiah (Isa 42:10). In the New Testament it occurs twice in Revelation (Rev 5:9 ; Rev 14:3).

The call comes from Israel, who are God’s people. They have been rescued from distress and introduced into blessing by the coming of the Messiah. It is a new situation in the history of the world. Christ reigns and God is acknowledged by the nations. This calls for a new song from the nations (cf. Psa 33:3). A new song is then already being sung in heaven (Rev 5:9-10).

“All the earth” is called to sing to the LORD. The people are overwhelmed by the great goodness that is their portion. In this they want the nations to share who have been brought into connection with them. The glorious consequences of Christ’s coming are sung about and all are called to sing along.

In Psa 96:2, the call to sing to the LORD and praise His Name is heard again. The motive is the salvation of God that He has wrought for His people. The nations are to bring the message of this “from day to day”, that is, they are to do so continuously, unceasingly. Just as the people of Israel must bring the burnt offering daily, in the morning and in the evening, to the LORD (Exo 29:38-42), so also in the realm of peace the offering of praise (Psa 50:14) will ascend daily from the mouth of Israel (Psalm 95) and the nations (Psalm 96). Yes, the book of Psalms ends in Psalm 150 with the words: “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Hallelujah!” (Psa 150:6).

Likewise, we are called to tell of God’s salvation every day, wherever He gives us the opportunity to do so. This is to His glory and possibly to the eternal blessing of someone who hears our testimony.

The command is to “tell His glory among the nations” (Psa 96:3). His honor is seen in “His wonderful deeds”. We can think of the wonders He did in Egypt in delivering His people from slavery. We can apply it to the wonder of our deliverance from the power of sin and the numerous wonders He has done in our lives.

The LORD is indeed “great … and greatly to be praised” (Psa 96:4). He is not ‘greater than’, but He alone is great in an absolute sense, He is infinitely, incomparably great (Psa 77:13). Therefore, He alone is worthy of great praise. He is certainly “above all gods” and at the same time “to be feared above” them (cf. Psa 66:3 ; 5). His greatness inspires awe.

By “gods”, given the context here, we can best think of angels or persons of law, beings with a certain authority. But they are dwarfed by Him. They are extremely limited creatures, both in terms of their person and their abilities. Angels can be powerful, but God is Almighty. He has all authority in heaven and on earth (Mt 28:18).

The nations have their gods (Psa 96:5; 1Cor 8:5-6; cf. Deu 4:19). These gods are apostate angels or demons. Idols are dead pieces of matter (Isa 2:8 ; Isa 44:9-20). Behind them are demons (1Cor 10:19-20). God created matter. Man in his great folly takes dead matter to worship it. Idols are nothing, nullities (1Cor 8:4). They are creatures of man’s imagination (Isa 40:19-20; cf. Rom 1:21) under the inspiration of demons. Opposed to man’s imagination is the LORD Who “made the heavens”. He has made the whole area of heaven and therefore only He may be worshiped. He gives His glory to no other (Isa 2:17-18 ; Isa 42:8).

Everything that is “before Him”, that is, everything that is in His presence, radiates “splendor and majesty” (Psa 96:6). Whatever is in His presence reflects the features of His Being. He places His majesty and glory on everything around Him. So it is also “in His sanctuary” in the midst of His people.

The parallel section in 1 Chronicles 16 says “in His place”, and that means ‘heaven’ (1Chr 16:27). When the Lord Jesus returns, that fourfold glory mentioned here in Psa 96:6 will also be visible from Zion, His sanctuary on earth. There are “strength and beauty” there, which means that His sanctuary is the source of strength and becomes visible from there. And when His power becomes visible, the splendor, the all-transcending glory of God becomes visible.