Context No. 3966 of 4322 · Psalms

Psalms 96:1-13: in context

1Sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth. 2Sing to the LORD! Bless his name! Proclaim his salvation from day to day! 3Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. 4For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised! He is to be feared above all gods. 5For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. 6Honor and majesty are before him. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7Ascribe to the LORD, you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 8Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9Worship the LORD in holy array. Tremble before him, all the earth. 10Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.” The world is also established. It can’t be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity. 11Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice. Let the sea roar, and its fullness! 12Let the field and all that is in it exult! Then all the trees of the woods shall sing for joy 13before the LORD; for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, the peoples with his truth.

This psalm is a call to worship that reaches out to the whole world. Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth; declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. The praise of God is not meant to stay within one people but to be carried out to all nations, for the LORD is great and greatly to be praised, above all the idols the nations worship.

And the psalm swells to include all creation in the coming celebration: let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice, let the sea roar, let the fields exult and the trees sing for joy, before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. Two things stand out. Worship is meant to overflow into mission; those who know God's glory are to declare it among the nations, that all peoples might come to praise him. And the whole creation is caught up in it; the psalm pictures seas and fields and forests joining the song before the coming King, who will judge the world with righteousness.

Am I singing God's praise and declaring his glory to those around me, joining the song that is meant to reach all nations and, one day, all creation before the coming King?

Sources

Psalm 96:3: "Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples."
Psalm 96:11-12: "Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice... Let the field and all that is in it exult!"
Psalm 96:13: "For he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness."