The Psalms - Psalm 96
King and Judge
by Rev. Jim Jester
September 14, 2025
SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Chr. 16:23-24
“Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation. 24 Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvelous works among all nations.”
INTRODUCTION
The call to the people of Israel in the previous psalm to praise the LORD as a great King (Ps. 95:1-7) is also now made to the nations in the following psalms (96-100). In these psalms, it is not the kingship of David that is sung, but that of the Lord Jesus Christ. The kingships of David and of Jesus are very closely related to each other, for the great Son of David is the Lord of hosts. Psalm 96 looks forward to the fulfillment of these promises when God openly exercises His authority over the nations.
There is no author attributed in the Hebrew text, but Psalm 96 contains the middle verses of the psalm David sang for the entrance of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, suggesting that David was the author.
The Septuagint and the Vulgate has the following note, “When the house was built after the captivity. An ode by David.” There is a great similarity between this psalm and the hymn which, “David delivered to thank the LORD, into the hand of Asaph and his brethren” (1 Chr. 16:7), on the day when the ark was brought into the sanctuary. It almost exactly corresponds to that part of the psalm which is recorded in 1 Chronicles 16:23-33. It is likely that the original psalm was composed by David, for use on the occasion of bringing the ark to Zion (1 Chr. 16:8-36), and that this psalm (96) was selected from it for use at the dedication of the second temple.
WORSHIPPING GOD (v. 1-3):
“Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!
Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all people.” (Ps. 96:1-3, NKJV)
Sing to the LORD a new song: The word “new” here implies that there was some fresh occasion for celebrating the praises of God; that some event had occurred. That event must have been when David sang this song at the time when the Ark of the Covenant entered Jerusalem (ref. 1 Chr. 16). So, at this “new” or fresh event, they were actually singing an older song. And isn’t this exactly what we do when we sing in church? Usually.
God loves the praise of His people expressed in song. A “new song” is meant as a song of new character, not just one that is new in respect to time. Adam Clarke said of this newness: “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.”
“The LORD” is the grand object of worship. “Sing” is mentioned three times here. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He has a claim to our worship, so we ought to worship Him. He is supremely great and glorious, and His glory consists of His goodness. His worship should be attractive and pleasant. His worship is quickening and purifying.
Sing to the LORD, all the earth: Praise is due from “all the earth.” Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the psalmist saw a day when all the earth would sing a “new song” to the LORD, described in fulfillment of Rev. 5:9,
“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”
Is this verse to be taken to teach universalism? No! For it says “out of” (Grk. ek) not “from” every kindred, tongue, people, and nation. The “new song” could also be a prophetic hint at the coming “new covenant” age. The New Covenant is based on the Old Covenant, which means the same racial stock is included; it is not universally all races, nations, kindred.
Proclaim the good news of His salvation: These songs to the Lord were not only celebrations; they were also proclamations. They proclaimed “His salvation,” declared “His glory” and “His wonders” to the entire world of Israel’s nations. “From day to day” means we should never stop proclaiming “the good news of His salvation.” Our God deserves praise for the assurance that salvation is provided for us, His covenant people.
Declare His glory among the nations: The KJV renders these “nations” as “heathen.” Truly, many of our people, our race, live like heathens: Pagans, non-believers, unenlightened, idolaters, even atheistic. All the more reason to publish God’s praise to the ends of the earth. Let all of Adamkind hear the joyful news.
WHY GOD DESERVES PRAISE (v. 4-6):
“For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the LORD made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are before Him;
Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.” (Ps. 96:4-6, NKJV)
For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised: The psalmist would not give God empty praise. He first spoke regarding the greatness of God, and then after a second thought, noticed that God’s greatness made Him “greatly to be praised.”
He is to be feared above all gods: The Almighty deserves worship from the entire earth because He isn’t like the gods and idols of the pagans. He is the awesome Creator.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols: These gods are vanities and nothings. The Apostle Paul said, “We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.” (1 Cor. 8:4)
But the LORD made the heavens: That which is nothing can do nothing and can make nothing. How far superior is the Almighty, who “made the heavens.”
Honor and majesty are before Him: God’s greatness and power give Him a regal bearing. He is marked by “strength and beauty.” The original phrase used seems to have been, “Strength and gladness are in his place” (1 Chr. 16:27) — terms suiting the simplicity of David’s time.
Strength and beauty: The glory of God does not consist in the outward show of parade in costly robes; such things are tricks of the state with which the ignorant are dazzled. But holiness, justice, wisdom and grace are the splendors of God’s courts.
CALLING ISRAEL TO GLORIFY GOD (v. 7-9):
“Give to the LORD, O families of the people,
Give to the LORD glory and strength.
Give to the LORD the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!
Tremble before Him, all the earth.” (Ps. 96:7-9, NKJV)
O families of the people: God promised Abraham, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3), and that promise would be fulfilled in Abraham’s greatest descendant, Jesus the Messiah. The same word for families found in Genesis 12:3 is used in verse 7: “Give to the LORD, O families of the people, give to the LORD glory and strength.” So this verse may refer to the fulfillment of that promise given to Abraham’s family.
James Boice says, “In this stanza the worship of God is described as our bringing something to God rather than our coming to God to get something from him. We usually think of it the other way around. We think of coming to church to receive either: (1) knowledge through the teaching or (2) specific gifts from God as his answers to our prayers. But here worship is chiefly our bringing praise and offerings to God.”
Give to the LORD the glory due His name: The theme is repeated three times: Give, give, give! God is worthy of praise from the entire world of Israelites, from all “families of the people.” In this context, “give” means to recognize and to declare the “glory and strength” that belong to God. The triple repetition of this phrase emphasizes that we cannot thank Him enough for what He has done for His people.
Worship is not optional, but binding. It is due to Him because of what He is: He is supremely great and should be reverenced; He is gracious and should be loved; He is truly glorious and should be humbly adored. He owns the glory of creation, providence, and redemption. Oh how much He has done for us, His family, and how much gratitude we owe Him!
Bring an offering, and come into His courts: Sacrifice is appropriate for the worshipper. True worship is often revealed by sacrifice in some way. This also confirms that the people here are Israelites since Israel always brought offerings to God.
In the beauty of holiness: The psalmist calls all of Israel to worship God in recognition of His holiness, and to see that there is beauty in it. “Beauty” and “holiness” are not usually connected ideas in popular culture. Yet in reality, there is a surpassing allure to true holiness.
Tremble before Him: The fear of God is constantly instilled by the psalmists, not only as “the beginning of wisdom” (Ps. 111:10), but as required of every man during his whole life. “O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him” (Ps. 34:9).
WHAT TO SAY AMONG THE NATIONS (v. 10):
Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns;
The world also is firmly established,
It shall not be moved;
He shall judge the people righteously.” (Ps. 96:10, NKJV)
Say among the nations: The theme of speaking to the entire earth continues, calling the people of the world to honor and respect God as they should. As we have seen, the word “nations” (H1471, goy, people or nation) is sometimes translated as “heathen.”
The LORD reigns: This is a powerful message for God’s people to proclaim. Whether others recognize His reign or not, the LORD nevertheless does so reign, and that reign will one day be openly and obviously imposed upon the whole world. Indeed, for us it cannot come soon enough.
Adam Clarke has reported: “Justin Martyr, in his dialogue with Trypho the Jew, quotes this passage thus: ‘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 world also is firmly established: God’s people are meant to tell the world that His work as Maker of the earth is good and lasting. He didn’t make the world in a careless way; it is “firmly established,” so that “it shall not be moved.” The flat-earth people have used this verse to support their theory that the planet cannot move in its orbit, nor is it rotating. However, the context doesn’t support this idea. The concept here is the kingship of God. When God takes his kingdom, he firmly establishes his sway over the whole earth, including its inhabitants, in such a way that “it cannot be moved” or changed; it cannot allow any form of disturbance (rebellion).
He shall judge the people righteously: The world also needs to hear that God is a righteous judge, before whom the whole world must give account. When the world hears and believes this, they will rightly want to prepare themselves for that day.
MESSAGE OF JOY TO CREATION (v. 11-13):
“Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.
Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the LORD.
For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.
He shall judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with His truth.” (Ps. 96:11-13, NKJV)
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad: The thought introduced in the previous line is used as reason for all creation to be glad. The fact that God is a righteous judge and will call all things into account is good for creation. The thought that even inanimate nature will share in the joy of God’s kingdom has inspired many prophetic statements, such as those of Isaiah:
“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus 2 it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.
And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the ‘Holy Way;’ the unclean shall not pass over it, and fools shall not err therein. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. 10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isa. 35:1-2a, 8-10, RSV)
Paul had this concept in mind in Romans 8:21, “Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”
For He is coming to judge the earth: The psalm ends with the joyful confidence that God will judge and set things right (as in verse 10 above). The goodness of this is apparent to those who love God, love His ways, and hurt over the injustices of the present age. “The world of men may be glad also, because the reign of Jesus means equity for the oppressed, equal-handed justice for the poor, peace among the nations.” (Meyer) This is given as the reason for the burst of joy. God’s coming to judgment is the establishment of moral order in the place of moral disorder on the earth.
CONCLUSION
Let it be told everywhere that Christ’s government will be the happy settlement of all things, and that it will be incontestably just and righteous. He will be both King and Judge.
We are looking toward that day when the Lord is going to come and judge the earth. In Matthew 24, the disciples said, “Lord, what will be the sign of Your coming? And the end of the age?” And Jesus began to tell them the things to watch for. Then in chapter 25, Jesus referred to His coming:
“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.” (Matt. 25:31-32)
And so, the Lord’s day of judgment referred to here is also spoken of with parallel ideas in both psalms 96 and 98 (almost identical). Furthermore, if we are His sheep, we have nothing to worry about. We the redeemed certainly have a reason to sing with everlasting joy. “Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.” (1 Chr. 16:23)
