Psalms · Chapter 96

V. 1. O sing-Upon this new and great occasion, not the removal of the ark, but the coming of the Messiah.

Verse 1. Sing unto the Lord a new song] A song of peculiar excellence, for in this sense the term new is repeatedly taken in the Scriptures. He has done extraordinary things for us, and we should excel in praise and thanksgiving.

Verses 1-3. O sing unto the Lord a new song — Upon this new and great occasion, not the removal of the ark, wherein there was nothing new but an inconsiderable circumstance of place, but the coming of the Messiah, the confirming of the new covenant by his blood, and the calling of the Gentiles; bless and praise the name of the Lord, by singing a new, that is, an excellent song, the product of new affections, clothed with new expressions. Show forth his salvation from day to day — That great work of the redemption and salvation of the world by the Messiah. Declare his glory among the heathen — You who shall be appointed his messengers to the Gentile nations, and all you who shall be called out of those nations to the knowledge of God and of Christ, publish this glorious and wonderful work to all the heathen among whom you live, or to whom you may come.

1. A new song— “Besides the psalms and songs which have been written.”—Kimchi. But more than this, “new” in the sense of unusual, out of the common course, above the common measure, spiritual, joyful, Messianic. See Psalms 33:3Psalm 33:3; 98:1; Isaiah 42:10; and still more perfectly unfolded in Revelation 5:9, 10.

Verse 2. Show forth his salvation from day to day.] The original is very emphatic, ישועתו ליום מיום wrcb basseru miyom leyom yeshuatho “Preach the Gospel of his salvation from day to day.” To the same effect the Septuagint, Euaggelizesqe hmeran ex hmerav to swthrion autou, “Evangelize his salvation from day to day.”

Verses 1-3. O sing unto the Lord a new song — Upon this new and great occasion, not the removal of the ark, wherein there was nothing new but an inconsiderable circumstance of place, but the coming of the Messiah, the confirming of the new covenant by his blood, and the calling of the Gentiles; bless and praise the name of the Lord, by singing a new, that is, an excellent song, the product of new affections, clothed with new expressions. Show forth his salvation from day to day — That great work of the redemption and salvation of the world by the Messiah. Declare his glory among the heathen — You who shall be appointed his messengers to the Gentile nations, and all you who shall be called out of those nations to the knowledge of God and of Christ, publish this glorious and wonderful work to all the heathen among whom you live, or to whom you may come.

2. Sing unto the Lord—Thrice uttered in verses 1, 2, for strength and intensity. The call is urgent, the occasion extraordinary. Show forth his salvation—Bear tidings of, etc., like a swift messenger, or preach tidings, as Psalms 40:9Psalm 40:9; Isaiah 61:1. The evangelical import of the language is settled by the Lord himself in Luke 4:18, 21. From day to day— Perpetually.

Verse 3. Declare his glory among the heathen.] The heathen do not know the true God: as his being and attributes are at the foundation of all religion, these are the first subjects of instruction for the Gentile world. Declare, wrps sapperu, detail, number out his glory, wdwbk kebodo, his splendour and excellence.

His wonders among all people.] Declare also to the Jews his wonders, wytwalpn niphleothaiv, his miracles. Dwell on the works which he shall perform in Judea. The miracles which Christ wrought among the Jews were full proof that he was not only the Messiah, but the mighty power of God.

Verses 1-3. O sing unto the Lord a new song — Upon this new and great occasion, not the removal of the ark, wherein there was nothing new but an inconsiderable circumstance of place, but the coming of the Messiah, the confirming of the new covenant by his blood, and the calling of the Gentiles; bless and praise the name of the Lord, by singing a new, that is, an excellent song, the product of new affections, clothed with new expressions. Show forth his salvation from day to day — That great work of the redemption and salvation of the world by the Messiah. Declare his glory among the heathen — You who shall be appointed his messengers to the Gentile nations, and all you who shall be called out of those nations to the knowledge of God and of Christ, publish this glorious and wonderful work to all the heathen among whom you live, or to whom you may come.

V. 4. Gods-The gods of the nations, as the next verse expounds it.

Verse 4. He is to be feared above all gods.] I think the two clauses of this verse should be read thus:—

Jehovah is great, and greatly to be praised.

Elohim is to be feared above all.

I doubt whether the word אלהים Elohim is ever, by fair construction, applied to false gods or idols. The contracted form in the following verse appears to have this meaning.

Verses 4-6. For the Lord — Hebrew, Jehovah, is great — Infinite in his nature and attributes; and greatly to be praised — All our most exalted praises fall infinitely short of his greatness. He is to be feared above all gods — The gods of the heathen, as the next words expound it. For all the gods of the nations are idols — Or, nothing, as they are called 1 Corinthians 8:4, and 10:19; and, as µylyla, elilim, here rendered idols, signifies; or, vain things, as others translate the word. The sense is, Though they have usurped the name and place of the Divine Majesty, yet they have nothing of his nature or power in them. Honour and majesty are before him — That is, in his presence, like beams shot from his face, who is the Sun of righteousness. There is an inconceivable glory and majesty in his countenance, and in the place of his presence. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary — Or, in his holy place; that is, where he records his name, and vouchsafes his presence, there are the manifestations of his power and grace, or goodness, and of all his perfections.

Verse 5. All the gods of the nations are idols] yhla elohey. All those reputed or worshipped as gods among the heathens are אלילים elilim, vanities, emptinesses, things of nought. Instead of being Elohim, they are elilim; they are not only not GOD, but they are nothing.” “Jehovah made the heavens.” He who is the creator is alone worthy of adoration.

Verses 4-6. For the Lord — Hebrew, Jehovah, is great — Infinite in his nature and attributes; and greatly to be praised — All our most exalted praises fall infinitely short of his greatness. He is to be feared above all gods — The gods of the heathen, as the next words expound it. For all the gods of the nations are idols — Or, nothing, as they are called 1 Corinthians 8:4, and 10:19; and, as µylyla, elilim, here rendered idols, signifies; or, vain things, as others translate the word. The sense is, Though they have usurped the name and place of the Divine Majesty, yet they have nothing of his nature or power in them. Honour and majesty are before him — That is, in his presence, like beams shot from his face, who is the Sun of righteousness. There is an inconceivable glory and majesty in his countenance, and in the place of his presence. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary — Or, in his holy place; that is, where he records his name, and vouchsafes his presence, there are the manifestations of his power and grace, or goodness, and of all his perfections.

5. Idols—The name is one of contempt: µylyla (eleeleem,) images, nothings, vanities, in opposition to µyhla, (Eloheem,) God. The former word is a play upon the latter, (by paronomasia;) by altering the letters a little the similarity of sound is retained with a sense satirically opposite. Thus, the heathen gods are called “no gods,” (2 Chronicles 13:9,) in opposition to the true God, (chap. 15:3;) “nothing,” (1 Corinthians 8:4,) “vanity,” (Jeremiah 14:22,) and “devils,” from the character and effect of their worship. 1 Corinthians 10:19, 20; Revelation 9:20. The Lord made the heavens—He is to be judged of by his works. They are his “glory,” his “wonders,” (verse 3,) and the appeal is made to show that the Author of nature and of salvation is one and the same God. Psalms 95:4Psalm 95:4, 5.

V. 6. Before him-In his presence.

Verse 6. Honour and majesty are before him] Does this refer to the cloud of his glory that preceded the ark in their journeying through the wilderness? The words strength and beauty, and glory and strength, Psalms 96:7Psalm 96:7, are those by which the ark is described, Psalms 78:61Psalm 78:61.

Verses 4-6. For the Lord — Hebrew, Jehovah, is great — Infinite in his nature and attributes; and greatly to be praised — All our most exalted praises fall infinitely short of his greatness. He is to be feared above all gods — The gods of the heathen, as the next words expound it. For all the gods of the nations are idols — Or, nothing, as they are called 1 Corinthians 8:4, and 10:19; and, as µylyla, elilim, here rendered idols, signifies; or, vain things, as others translate the word. The sense is, Though they have usurped the name and place of the Divine Majesty, yet they have nothing of his nature or power in them. Honour and majesty are before him — That is, in his presence, like beams shot from his face, who is the Sun of righteousness. There is an inconceivable glory and majesty in his countenance, and in the place of his presence. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary — Or, in his holy place; that is, where he records his name, and vouchsafes his presence, there are the manifestations of his power and grace, or goodness, and of all his perfections.

6. Honour and majesty—The Hebrew words denote kingly glory. Strength and beauty—Two qualities difficult to combine. They are not spoken so much of the architecture of the sanctuary as of the symbolic significance of its structure and furnishments, as “patterns of things in the heavens,” (Hebrews 9:2, 23;) above all, its worship, and the manifestations of God to his devout worshippers. See Psalms 63:2Psalm 63:2.

Verse 7. Ye kindreds of the people] Ye families, all the tribes of Israel in your respective divisions.

Verses 7-9. Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people — O ye people, from whatsoever family ye come, or, O ye nations of the world, Give unto the Lord glory and strength — Ascribe to Jehovah that incomparable majesty, and supreme dominion and authority, which you have been wont to give to your imaginary gods. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name — Renouncing all your idols, acknowledge Jehovah alone to be the omnipotent king of all the world, and do him honour suitable to the excellence of his majesty. Bring an offering, and come into his courts — The courts of his house. Bring him an oblation, in token of your subjection to him; and humbly worship him in his temple. He speaks of the worship of the New Testament under the expressions of the Jewish worship, as the prophets elsewhere do: see Malachi 1:11. O worship the Lord — O come and cast yourselves down before the Lord, in the beauty of holiness — In his sanctuary, where he hath fixed his glorious residence among us; or, rather, being clothed with all those holy ornaments, those gifts and graces, which are necessary and required in God’s worship. Fear before him, all the earth — Let all the people approach his presence with a holy fear and sacred reverence, standing in awe of, and dreading to offend, their sovereign Lord and King.

7. Give… ye—The “give,” or ascribe, is uttered thrice, corresponding to “sing,” thrice repeated, (verses 1, 2,) expressive of the earnestness of the speaker. See Psalms 29:1Psalm 29:1, 2. The Chaldee has it, “Bring a new song to God.” Kindreds of the people—Hebrew, Families of the nations. This accords with the breadth of the covenant. Compare “families of the earth,” (Genesis 12:3; 28:14,) which is the basis of the New Testament Church, as the family organization is also of the nation. The tendency of modern civilization and nationality is to restore the nations, according to the most ancient law, on the line of language and blood, see Genesis 10:5, 20, 31, 32, against the arbitrary combinations of ambition and conquest. Europe gives an example of this.

Verse 8. Come into his courts.] Probably referring to the second temple. The reference must be either to the tabernacle or temple.

Verses 7-9. Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people — O ye people, from whatsoever family ye come, or, O ye nations of the world, Give unto the Lord glory and strength — Ascribe to Jehovah that incomparable majesty, and supreme dominion and authority, which you have been wont to give to your imaginary gods. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name — Renouncing all your idols, acknowledge Jehovah alone to be the omnipotent king of all the world, and do him honour suitable to the excellence of his majesty. Bring an offering, and come into his courts — The courts of his house. Bring him an oblation, in token of your subjection to him; and humbly worship him in his temple. He speaks of the worship of the New Testament under the expressions of the Jewish worship, as the prophets elsewhere do: see Malachi 1:11. O worship the Lord — O come and cast yourselves down before the Lord, in the beauty of holiness — In his sanctuary, where he hath fixed his glorious residence among us; or, rather, being clothed with all those holy ornaments, those gifts and graces, which are necessary and required in God’s worship. Fear before him, all the earth — Let all the people approach his presence with a holy fear and sacred reverence, standing in awe of, and dreading to offend, their sovereign Lord and King.

8. Glory due unto his name—Literally, The glory of his name; that is, ascribe to him the “glory” of his self-manifestations, whether in creation, providence, or redemption. See on verse 5. Bring an offering—The call is still to the nations. See the anticipation of their conversion further delineated, Isaiah 60. There is no religion without worship; and worship, to be acceptable, must include an offering to God and a public confession according to our relations to him. See on Psalms 50:14Psalm 50:14; 51:16, 17.

V. 9. Beauty-Cloathed with all the gifts and graces, which are necessary in God’s worship.

Verse 9. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness] I think vdq trdhb behadrath kodesh, signifies holy ornaments, such as the high priest wore in his ministrations. These were given him for glory and beauty; and the psalmist calls on him to put on his sacerdotal garments, to bring his offering, hjnm minchah, and come into the courts of the Lord, and perform his functions, and make intercession for the people.

Verses 7-9. Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people — O ye people, from whatsoever family ye come, or, O ye nations of the world, Give unto the Lord glory and strength — Ascribe to Jehovah that incomparable majesty, and supreme dominion and authority, which you have been wont to give to your imaginary gods. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name — Renouncing all your idols, acknowledge Jehovah alone to be the omnipotent king of all the world, and do him honour suitable to the excellence of his majesty. Bring an offering, and come into his courts — The courts of his house. Bring him an oblation, in token of your subjection to him; and humbly worship him in his temple. He speaks of the worship of the New Testament under the expressions of the Jewish worship, as the prophets elsewhere do: see Malachi 1:11. O worship the Lord — O come and cast yourselves down before the Lord, in the beauty of holiness — In his sanctuary, where he hath fixed his glorious residence among us; or, rather, being clothed with all those holy ornaments, those gifts and graces, which are necessary and required in God’s worship. Fear before him, all the earth — Let all the people approach his presence with a holy fear and sacred reverence, standing in awe of, and dreading to offend, their sovereign Lord and King.

Verse 9. The beauty of holiness; that is, in the glory or sanctity of his courts. The word vdq kadesh, holy, signifies order, harmony, and perfection, which must pervade the worship of God. Worshippers should think before whom they bow.

9. Beauty of holiness—See notes on Psalms 29:2Psalm 29:2; 110:3.

V. 10. Reigneth-God hath now set up his kingdom in the world. Established-The nations of the world shall by the means of it enjoy an established and lasting peace.

Verse 10. Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth] Justin Martyr, in his dialogue with Trypho the Jew, quotes this passage thus: Eipate en toiv eqnesi, o kuriov ebasileuse apo tou xulou, “Say among the nations, the Lord ruleth by the wood,” meaning the cross; and accuses the Jews of having blotted this word out of their Bibles, because of the evidence it gave of the truth of Christianity. It appears that this reading did exist anciently in the Septuagint, or at least in some ancient copies of that work, for the reading has been quoted by Tertullian, Lactantius, Arnobius, Augustine, Cassiodorus, Pope Leo, Gregory of Tours, and others. The reading is still extant in the ancient Roman Psalter, Dominus regnavit a ligno, and in some others. In an ancient MS. copy of the Psalter before me, while the text exhibits the commonly received reading, the margin has the following gloss: Regnavit a ligno crucis, “The Lord reigns by the wood of the cross.” My old Scotico-Latin Psalter has not a ligno in the text, but seems to refer to it in the paraphrase: For Criste regned efter the dede on the crosse. It is necessary, however, to add, that no such words exist in any copy of the Hebrew text now extant, nor in any MS. yet collated, nor in any of the ancient Versions. Neither Eusebius nor Jerome even refer to it, who wrote comments on the Psalms; nor is it mentioned by any Greek writer except Justin Martyr.

The world also shall be established] The word lbt tebel signifies the habitable globe, and may be a metonymy here, the container put for the contained. And many think that by it the Church is intended; as the Lord, who is announced to the heathen as reigning, is understood to be Jesus Christ; and his judging among the people, his establishing the holy Gospel among them, and governing the nations by its laws.

Verse 10. Say among the heathen — You converted Gentiles, declare to those who yet remain in the darkness of heathenism; that the Lord reigneth — That God hath now fixed his throne, and set up his kingdom in the world. The world also shall be established, &c. — And, as that kingdom shall never be destroyed, but shall stand for ever, Daniel 2:44, so the nations of the world shall, by the means of it, enjoy an established and lasting peace: see Psalms 72:3Psalm 72:3, 7; Isaiah 9:6, 7, and 66:12; Zechariah 9:10. He shall judge the people righteously — He shall not abuse his almighty power and established dominion to the oppression of his people, as other princes frequently do, but shall govern them by the rules of justice and equity, which is the only foundation of a true and solid peace: see Isaiah 32:17.

Ver. 10. Say—the Lord reigneth. Justin Martyr complains that the Jews had in some copies of the LXX, cut off the adjection in this verse: apo tou xulon, by the tree, meaning the wood of the cross. So this text is cited by Tertullian, by Augustine, by Arnobius, and in the old Roman Psalter. Regnavit à ligno Deus, God hath reigned from the tree. This is a grand idea, for on the cross he triumphed over principalities and powers.

10. Say among the heathen—The address is to the Church, as in verse 3. The conversion of the Gentile nations (verses 5, 7, 9, 13) was the psalmist’s theme, of which the Church is the chosen instrument. The Lord reigneth—See on Psalms 93:1Psalm 93:1. “Jehovah reigneth,” in the Hebrew estimation, embodied all that could be said or desired of happiness to the earth and glory to God. Their ideal of millennium was the universal theocracy, as ours is of the Christocracy. To them the coming of Messiah was the “day of Jehovah.” Malachi 4:6.

Verse 11. Let the heavens rejoice] The publication of the Gospel is here represented as a universal blessing; the heavens, the earth, the sea, and its inhabitants, the field, the grass, and the trees of the wood, are all called to rejoice at this glorious event. This verse is well and harmoniously translated in the old Psalter:—

Fayne be hevenes.—and the erth glad;

Styrde be the see,—and the fulnes of it;

Joy sal feldes,—and al that ere in thaim.

And the paraphrase is at least curious:—

Hevens, haly men. Erthe, meke men that receyves lare (learning.) Feldes, that is even men, mylde and softe: they shall joy in Criste. And all that is in thaim, that es, strengh, wyttes & skill.”

I shall give the remaining part of this ancient paraphrase, which is an echo of the opinion of most of the Latin fathers.

Verses 11, 12. Let the heavens rejoice, &c. — These verses are a poetical description of the great causes of joy which this kingdom of Christ would bring to the world. The heavens, and earth, and sea, and trees, and fields, are here put together according to the Scripture style, to denote the whole world, which is here represented as being in a state of the greatest felicity, and as testifying its joy and thankfulness in the most lively and striking manner possible. “Transported,” says Dr. Horne, “with a view of these grand events, and beholding in spirit the advent of King Messiah, the psalmist exults in most jubilant and triumphant strains, calling the whole creation to break forth into joy, and to celebrate the glories of redemption. The heavens, with the innumerable orbs fixed in them, which, while they roll and shine, declare the glory of beatified saints; the earth, which, made fertile by celestial influences, showeth the work of grace on the hearts of men here below; the field which, crowned with a produce of a hundred- fold, displays an emblem of the fruit yielded by the seed of the Word in the church; the trees of the wood, lofty, verdant, and diffusive, apt representatives of holy persons, those trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, Isaiah 61:3, whose examples are eminent, fair, and extensive; all these are, by the prophet, excited to join in a chorus of thanksgiving to the Maker and Redeemer of the world.”

11. Let the heavens rejoice—Fulfilled when, in prophetic vision, heaven saw the kingdom of Christ established over the nations. Revelation 11:17-19. But the righteous dominion of Christ over the earth implies, not only the worship of one God and one Saviour, but the downfall of despotism, the abrogation of unjust laws, the administration of justice, the overthrow of antichrist, the uprooting of superstition, the destruction of idols, the universal rights of man, and the peace of the earth. These have never yet been accomplished by the gentle influence of moral suasion alone, without the concurring judgments of God to break the arm of the wicked.

Verse 12. Thou sal glad al the trese of woddes.—Thou, that is in another Iyfe. Trese of woddes.—Synful men that were fyrst withouten frut, and sithen taken into God’s temple.

Verses 11, 12. Let the heavens rejoice, &c. — These verses are a poetical description of the great causes of joy which this kingdom of Christ would bring to the world. The heavens, and earth, and sea, and trees, and fields, are here put together according to the Scripture style, to denote the whole world, which is here represented as being in a state of the greatest felicity, and as testifying its joy and thankfulness in the most lively and striking manner possible. “Transported,” says Dr. Horne, “with a view of these grand events, and beholding in spirit the advent of King Messiah, the psalmist exults in most jubilant and triumphant strains, calling the whole creation to break forth into joy, and to celebrate the glories of redemption. The heavens, with the innumerable orbs fixed in them, which, while they roll and shine, declare the glory of beatified saints; the earth, which, made fertile by celestial influences, showeth the work of grace on the hearts of men here below; the field which, crowned with a produce of a hundred- fold, displays an emblem of the fruit yielded by the seed of the Word in the church; the trees of the wood, lofty, verdant, and diffusive, apt representatives of holy persons, those trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, Isaiah 61:3, whose examples are eminent, fair, and extensive; all these are, by the prophet, excited to join in a chorus of thanksgiving to the Maker and Redeemer of the world.”

Ver. 12. Then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice. When the Hebrew choir played and sung in the country, the rocks and woods echoed back the song, anticipating the future joys of the church, when the gentiles shall be converted to the faith.

V. 13. Before-At the presence and approach of their Lord and Maker. Cometh-To set up his throne among all the nations of the earth.

Verse 13. For he coms, he coms. He coms, fyrste to be man.—Sythen he comes to deme the erth.

He sal deme in evenes the erth:—and folk in his sothfastnes. Nothing is evener, or sothfaster, than that he geder with hym perfyte men; to deme and to deperte to the rig hande (thaim) that did mercy:—pase to the lefte hande (thaim) that did it nogt.

The psalmist here in the true spirit of poetry, gives life and intelligence to universal nature, producing them all as exulting in the reign of the Messiah, and the happiness which should take place in the earth when the Gospel should be universally preached. These predictions seem to be on the eve of complete fulfilment. Lord, hasten the time! For a fuller explanation see the following analysis.

Verse 13. Before the Lord — At the presence and approach of their Lord and Maker. For he cometh to judge the earth — To take to himself that power and authority which belong to him, and to set up his throne and dominion above all the nations of the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness — He shall reform the earth, and govern mankind by righteous and merciful laws; and the people with his truth — Or, in his faithfulness; that is, so as he has promised to do. He will certainly and abundantly fulfil all his promises made to his people, and faithfully keep his word with all those that observe his commandments. “The coming of Christ,” says the last-mentioned author, “is two-fold; first, he came to sanctify the creature, and he will come again to glorify it. Either of his kingdoms, that of grace or that of glory, may be signified by his judging the world in righteousness and truth. If creation be represented as rejoicing at the establishment of the former, how much greater will be the joy at the approach of the latter, seeing that notwithstanding Christ be long since come in the flesh, though he be ascended into heaven, and have sent the Spirit from thence, yet the whole creation, as the apostle speaks, Romans 8:22, groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, expecting to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, &c., yea, we ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan within ourselves, waiting for the redemption of the body; when, at the renovation of all things, man, new made, shall return to the days of his youth, to begin an immortal spring, and be for ever young.”

13. He shall judge the world with righteousness—This description of the happy state of the earth accords with that of John, (Revelation 20:4:) “I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.” Comp. Daniel 7:22, 27.