Initial Impressions: Psalm 96

A first take on this section of the Scriptures:

Oh sing to the Lord a new song;

sing to the Lord, all the earth!

Sing to the Lord, bless his name;

tell of his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous works among all the peoples!

For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

he is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,

but the Lord made the heavens.

Splendor and majesty are before him;

strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

bring an offering, and come into his courts!

Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;

tremble before him, all the earth!

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!

Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;

he will judge the peoples with equity.”

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

let the field exult, and everything in it!

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy

before the Lord, for he comes,

for he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness,

and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Psalm 96 is a call to worship, just like a majority of the psalms. Wielding hebraic parallelism, or a constant repeating of phrases such as, "bless the Lord," "praise the Lord," etc. the psalmist tries to create in the audience a sense of worship that he himself clearly holds. Touching on the idea of restoration, the psalmist calls on the listeners to, instead of holding onto the "old song" (whether that be their tradition, their lifestyle, or their attitude) centered on themselves, sing "to the LORD a new song" (v. 1). One can imagine an individual reading this and understanding that the purpose they've held their whole lives has been futile, and God, through the words of this psalm, offers them a new, lasting, and fulfilling purpose.

He repeats the same phrases. "...sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day." Upon reading this, one can see that the purpose of the psalmist in writing this is to stir the audience's affections. Using pretty, lofty words such as "bless," "salvation," "glory," and "marvelous," the psalmist attempts to set his readers minds on heavenly things (v. 1-3). The psalmist continues, listing the awesome attributes of God with powerful words. "For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary." One mark of genuine worship in someone is the lifting up of the Lord and his glory while simultaneously denouncing other gods as worthless. The psalmist plainly proclaims that the LORD, the God of Israel, is: 1) the only real and living God, and 2) the only true path to fulfillment and ultimate salvation (v. 4-6).

This is how you should think of him, the psalmist then describes. When you are pondering God, dwell on how he is strong; let your mind meditate on the fact that he is worthy of your worship and sacrifice. Worship the LORD through your thoughts, he says. Don't stop there, though. As you think rightly of him, tell him. As you linger over the richness of his character and the glory of his name, let your thoughts be transformed into words, into song. Band together with others, he urges, and unite all of the correct, beautiful images you have of him, and let him know (v. 7-10)!

The psalmist, in conclusion, lays out a promise. His promise begins with statements about how the whole earth, even nature, should "exult." All that God has painted upon the canvas of the planet should be happy in God, should praise him with gladness. This should happen because, soon, the LORD will come. "...he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness." He, the psalmist, sees worship as the most logical thing to do because, shortly, the whole earth, sentient and non-sentient beings alike, will see their Creator in the fullness of his majesty. For those created in his image, God will make them answer for every thought and deed (v. 11-13).

May the Lord himself convict you as you meditate on these truths.

-AJR