Psalms 96

This Psalm was composed by David upon occasion, or at the time, of the bringing of the Ark of God into the Tabernacle which David had prepared for it in Zion, as may be gathered by comparing it with 1 Chron. 16. 7. 23, 24 &c. where almost the whole Psalm is to be found. But as the Ark was an evident type of the Messiah, which David very well knew, as has been oft noted before; so Davids thoughts, or at least the design of Gods spirit, which indited this Psalm, was extended beyond and above it, even to the times of the Messiah, and to his glorious and universal Kingdom, in which not the Jews only but the Heathen Nations also should worship the true God and kiss his Son the Messiah.

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, and that not yet fixed; but the coming of the Messiah, and the confirming of the New Covenant by his blood, and the calling of the Gentiles.: sing unto the LORD all the earth All the Nations of the Earth, who shall then partake of those great blessings and priviledges which are now peculiar to Israel..

Sing unto the LORD, bless his name: show forth his salvation That great work of the redemption and salvation of the World by the Messias. from day to day.

Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people You who shall be called out of all the Heathen Nations to the knowledge of God and Christ publish this glorious and wonderful work amongst all the Heathen Nations to whom you belong or may come..

For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods The gods of the nations as the next Verse expounds it..

For all the gods of the nations are idols Or, nothings, as they are called, 1 Cor. 8. 4. and 10. 19. or vain things, as the word signifies and is translated by others. 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.; but the LORD made the heavens.

Honour and majesty are before him i. e. In his presence, like beams shot out from his face, who is the Sun of righteousness. There is an unconceivable 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, where he records his name and affords his presence. There are the manifestations of Gods power and grace, or goodness, and all his perfections..

Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people Or, O ye families of the people of the World. And the word families may be understood either 1. strictly and properly; and so it may be intimated that this great blessing of salvation by Christ should not be imparted to whole Nations, but only to some persons taken out of every people and nation, as it is expressed, Revel. 5. 9. or 2. more largely for nations, as it is taken Gen. 12. 3. Ier. 25. 9. Zech. 14. 18. and so it may be implied that not only some few of the Heathen people should be brought to the acknowledgment and worship of the true God, as was usual in the times of the Old Testament, but that whole Nations should come in to the Church of God together.: give unto the LORD Ascribe to him or acknowledge to be in him. glory and strength.

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering and come into his courts Into the Courts of his House. But under this one part of worship he comprehends the whole of worship of God; and he speaks of the worship of the New Testament under the expressions of legal worship, as the Prophets elsewhere do, as Mal. 1. 11. and elsewhere..

O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness Either in the holy place which he shall appoint to that end: or, clothed with all those holy Ornaments, those gifts and graces, which are necessary and required in Gods worship.: fear before him all the earth.

Say among the heathen You converted Gentiles declare this to those who yet remain in the darkness of Heathenism., that the LORD reigneth That God has now set up his Throne and Kingdom in the World.: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved And as that Kingdom shall never be destroyed but shall stand for ever, as is said Dan. 2. 44. so the Nations of the World shall by the means of it enjoy an established and lasting peace; which is every where mentioned as one of the blessings which the Messiah shall give to the World, as Psal 72. 3, 7. Isa. 9. 6, 7. and 66. 12. Mi.... 5. 5. Zech. 9. 10.: he shall judge the people righteously He shall not abuse his invincible 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 Isa. 32. 17..

Let the heavens rejoyce, and let the earth be glad It is a figure called Prosopopoeia, whereby he signifies the great felicity of those times, which shall be such that even those liveless Creatures would testify their joy and thankfulness for it, if they were in a capacity so to do., let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.

Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoyce,

Before the LORD At the presence and approach of their Lord and Maker.; for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth To take to himself that power and authority which belongs to him, to set up his Throne and Dominion among all the Nations of the Earth.: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth Or, in his faithfulness, i. e. so as he has promised to do. He will certainly and abundantly fulfil all Gods promises made to his people..