Psalms 96:4

a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. 4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. These verses will be best expounded by pious and devout affections working in our souls towards God, with a high veneration for his majesty and transcendent excellency. The call here given us to praise God is very lively, the expressions are raised and repeated, to all which the echo of a thankful heart should make agreeable returns. I. We are here required to honour God, 1. With songs, v. 1, 2. Three times we are here called to sing unto the Lord; sing to the Father, to the Son, to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, when the morning stars sang together, is now, in the church militant, and ever shall be, in the church triumphant. We have reason to do it often, and we have need to be often reminded of it, and stirred up to it.

96:1-9 When Christ finished his work on earth, and was received into his glory in heaven, the church began to sing a new song unto him, and to bless his name. His apostles and evangelists showed forth his salvation among the heathen, his wonders among all people. All the earth is here summoned to worship the Lord. We must worship him in the beauty of holiness, as God in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. Glorious things are said of him, both as motives to praise and matter of praise.

For the Lord is great,.... In the perfections of his nature; in the works of his hands, of creation, providence, and redemption; and in the several offices he bears and executes: and greatly to be praised; because of his greatness and glory; See Gill on Psalm 48:1, he is to be feared above all gods; the angels by whom he is worshipped; civil magistrates, among whom he presides, and judges; and all the fictitious deities of the Gentiles, who are not to be named with him, and to whom no fear, reverence, and worship, are due.

Psalm 96:4-6 . 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 ; 1 Corinthians 10:19 ; and, as אלילים , 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 4. - For the Lord is great (comp. Psalm 95:3 a), and greatly to be praised. Whatever is "great" excites our admiration, and naturally calls forth our praise. God's greatness is such that he needs to be " greatly praised." He is to be feared above all gods (comp. Psalm 95:3 b , and the comment ad loc. ). Psalm 96:4

For the Lord is great - Yahweh is great. See the notes at Psalm 77:13 . This verse is taken literally from 1 Chronicles 16:25 . And greatly to be praised - Worthy of exalted praise and adoration. He is to be feared above all gods - He is to be reverenced and adored above all that are called gods. Higher honor is to be given him; more lofty praise is to be ascribed to him. He is Ruler over all the earth, and has a claim to universal praise. Even if it were admitted that they were real gods, yet it would still be true that they were local and inferior divinities; that they ruled only over the particular countries where they were worshipped and acknowledged as gods, and that they had no claim to "universal" adoration as Yahweh has.

Confirmation of the call from the glory of Jahve that is now become manifest. The clause Psalm 96:4 , as also Psalm 145:3 , is taken out of Psalm 48:2 . כל־אלהים is the plural of כּל־אלוהּ, every god, 2 Chronicles 32:15 ; the article may stand here or be omitted ( Psalm 95:3 , cf. Psalm 113:4 ). All the elohim, i.e., gods, of the peoples are אלילים (from the negative אל), nothings and good-for-nothings, unreal and useless. The lxx renders δαιμόνια, as though the expression were שׁדים (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:20 ), more correctly εἴδωλα in Revelation 9:20 . What Psalm 96:5 says is wrought out in Isaiah 40 , Isaiah 44 , and elsewhere; אלילים is a name of idols that occurs nowhere more frequently than in Isaiah. The sanctuary ( Psalm 96:6 ) is here the earthly sanctuary. From Jerusalem, over which the light arises first of all ( Isaiah 60 ), Jahve's superterrestrial doxa now reveals itself in the world. הוד־והדר is the usual pair of words for royal glory. The chronicler reads Psalm 96:6 עז וחדוה בּמקמו, might and joy are in His place (הדוה( ecalp siH ni era yoj d a late word, like אחוה, brotherhood, brotherly affection, from an old root, Exodus 18:9 ). With the place of God one might associate the thought of the celestial place of God transcending space; the chronicler may, however, have altered במקדשׁו into במקמו because when the Ark was brought in, the Temple (בית המקדשׁ) was not yet built.

So that I swore in mine anger, that they should not enter into my rest. Chapter 96 Sing ye unto Jehovah a new song: sing unto Jehovah, all the earth. Sing unto Jehovah, bless his name; publish his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all the peoples. For Jehovah is great and exceedingly to be praised; he is terrible above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols; but Jehovah made the heavens. Majesty and splendour are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto Jehovah, ye families of peoples, give unto Jehovah glory and strength; Give unto Jehovah the glory of his name; bring an oblation and come into his courts; Worship Jehovah in holy splendour; tremble before him, all the earth. Say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth! yea, the world is established, it shall not be moved; he will execute judgment upon the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; Let the field exult and all that is therein. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy, Before Jehovah, for he cometh; for he cometh to judge the earth: he will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness. Chapter 97 Jehovah reigneth: let the earth be glad, let the many isles rejoice. Clouds and darkness are round about him; righteousness and judgment are the foundation of his throne. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his adversaries round about.