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Commentary on Psalms 96 verses 1–9
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, Psa 96:1, Psa 96:2. 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. Sing unto the Lord, that is, "Bless his name, speak well of him, that you may bring others to think well of him." (1.) Sing a new song, an excellent song, the product of new affections, clothed with new expressions. We speak of nothing more despicable than "an old song," but the newness of a song recommends it; for there we expect something surprising. A new song is a song for new favours, for those compassions which are new every morning. A new song is New Testament song, a song of praise for the new covenant and the precious privileges of that covenant. A new song is a song that shall be ever new, and shall never wax old nor vanish away; it is an everlasting song, that shall never be antiquated or out of date. (2.) Let all the earth sing this song, not the Jews only, to whom hitherto the service of God had been appropriated, who could not sing the Lord's song in (would not sing it to) a strange land; but let all the earth, all that are redeemed from the earth, learn and sing this new song, Rev 14:3. This is a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles; all the earth shall have this new song put into their mouths, shall have both cause and call to sing it. (3.) Let the subject-matter of this song be his salvation, the great salvation which was to be wrought out by the Lord Jesus; that must be shown forth as the cause of this joy and praise. (4.) Let this song be sung constantly, not only in the times appointed for the solemn feasts, but from day to day; it is a subject that can never be exhausted. Let day unto day utter this speech, that, under the influence of gospel devotions, we may daily exemplify a gospel conversation.
2.With sermons (Psa 96:3): Declare his glory among the heathen, even his wonders among all people. (1.) Salvation by Christ is here spoken of as a work of wonder, and that in which the glory of God shines very brightly; in showing forth that salvation we declare God's glory as it shines in the face of Christ. (2.) This salvation was, in the Old Testament times, as heaven's happiness is now, a glory to be revealed; but in the fulness of time it was declared, and a full discovery made of that, even to babes, which prophets and kings desired and wished to see and might not. (3.) What was then discovered was declared only among the Jews, but it is now declared among the heathen, among all people; the nations which long sat in darkness now see this great light. The apostles' commission to preach the gospel to every creature is copied from this: Declare his glory among the heathen.
3.With religious services, Psa 96:7-9. Hitherto, though in every nation those that feared God and wrought righteousness were accepted of him, yet instituted ordinances were the peculiarities of the Jewish religion; but, in gospel-times, the kindreds of the people shall be invited and admitted into the service of God and be as welcome as ever the Jews were. The court of the Gentiles shall no longer be an outward court, but shall be laid in common with the court of Israel. All the earth is here summoned to fear before the Lord, to worship him according to his appointment. In every place incense shall be offered to his name, Mal 1:11; Zac 14:17; Isa 66:23. This indeed spoke mortification to the Jews, but, withal, it gave a prospect of that which would redound very much to the glory of God and to the happiness of mankind. Now observe how the acts of devotion to God are here described. (1.) We must give unto the Lord; not as if God needed any thing, or could receive any thing, from us or any creature, which was not his own before, much less be benefited by it; but we must in our best affections, adorations, and services, return to him what we have received from him, and do it freely, as what we give; for God loves a cheerful giver. It is debt, it is rent, it is tribute, it is what must be paid, and, if not, will be recovered, and yet, if it come from holy love, God is pleased to accept it as a gift. (2.) We must acknowledge God to be the sovereign Lord and pay homage to him accordingly (Psa 96:7): Give unto the Lord glory and strength, glory and empire, or dominion, so some. As a king, he is clothed with robes of glory and girt with the girdle of power, and we must subscribe to both. Thine is the kingdom, and therefore thine is the power and the glory. "Give the glory to God; do not take it to yourselves, nor give it to any creature." (3.) We must give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name, that is, to the discovery he has been pleased to make of himself to the children of men. In all the acts of religious worship this is that which we must aim at, to honour God, to pay him some of that reverence which we owe him as the best of beings and the fountain of our being. (4.) We must bring an offering into his courts. We must bring ourselves, in the first place, the offering up of the Gentiles, Rom 15:16. We must offer up the sacrifices of praise continually (Heb 13:15), must often appear before God in public worship and never appear before him empty. (5.) We must worship him in the beauty of holiness, in the solemn assembly where divine institutions are religiously observed, the beauty of which is their holiness, that is, their conformity to the rule. We must worship him with holy hearts, sanctified by the grace of God, devoted to the glory of God, and purified from the pollutions of sin. (6.) We must fear before him; all the acts of worship must be performed from a principle of the fear of God and with a holy awe and reverence.
II. In the midst of these calls to praise God and give glory to him glorious things are here said of him, both as motives to praise and matter of praise: The Lord is great, and therefore greatly to be praised (Psa 96:4) and to be feared, great and honourable to his attendants, great and terrible to his adversaries. Even the new song proclaims God great as well as good; for his goodness is his glory; and, when the everlasting gospel is preached, it is this, Fear God, and give glory to him, Rev 14:6, Rev 14:7. 1. He is great in his sovereignty over all that pretend to be deities; none dare vie with him: He is to be feared above all gods - all princes, who were often deified after their deaths, and even while they lived were adored as petty gods - or rather all idols, the gods of the nations Psa 96:5. All the earth being called to sing the new song, they must be convinced that the Lord Jehovah, to whose honour they must sing it, is the one only living and true God, infinitely above all rivals and pretenders; he is great, and they are little; he is all, and they are nothing; so the word used for idols signifies, for we know that an idol is nothing in the world, Co1 8:4. 2. He is great in his right, even to the noblest part of the creation; for it is his own work and derives its being from him: The Lord made the heavens and all their hosts; they are the work of his fingers (Psa 8:3), so nicely, so curiously, are they made. The gods of the nations were all made - gods, the creatures of men's fancies; but our God is the Creator of the sun, moon, and stars, those lights of heaven, which they imagined to be gods and worshipped as such. 3. He is great in the manifestation of his glory both in the upper and lower world, among his angels in heaven and his saints on earth (Psa 96:6): Splendour and majesty are before him, in his immediate presence above, where the angels cover their faces, as unable to bear the dazzling lustre of his glory. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary, both that above and this below. In God there is every thing that is awful and yet every thing that is amiable. If we attend him in his sanctuary, we shall behold his beauty, for God is love, and experience his strength, for he is our rock. Let us therefore go forth in his strength, enamoured with his beauty.
And if they say that they were chosen to act as priests and to offer worship to God, it can be shown that the Word promised that he would give to the Gentiles an equal share in his service, when he said, “Render to the Lord, O you kindreds of the nations, render to the Lord glory and honor: bring sacrifices and come into his courts.” To which the oracle in Isaiah may be conjoined: “There shall be an altar to the Lord in the land of Egypt … and the Egyptians will know the Lord. And they shall sacrifice, and say prayers to the Lord and make offering.” And in this you will understand that it is prophesied that an altar will be built to the Lord away from Jerusalem in Egypt and that the Egyptians will there offer sacrifice, say prayers and give gifts to the Lord. Yes, and not only in Egypt, but in the true Jerusalem itself, whatever it is thought to be, all the nations, including the Egyptians indeed, the most superstitious of them all, are invited to keep the feast of tabernacles, as a feast of the heart.
What then? If "confession and beauty are before Him: holiness and greatness in His sanctification" [Psalm 96:7]. This we declare, when we are building the house; behold, it is already declared unto the heathen; what ought the heathen to do, to whom those who have cleared away the wood have declared the Lord's honour? He now says to the heathen themselves, "Ascribe unto the Lord, O you kindreds of the people: ascribe unto the Lord worship and honour." Ascribe them not unto yourselves: because they also who have declared it unto you, have not declared their own, but His honour. Do ye then "ascribe unto the Lord worship and honour;" and say, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us: but unto Your Name give the praise." Put not your trust in man. If each of you is baptized, let him say: He baptizes me, of whom the friend of the Bridegroom said, "He baptizes with the Holy Ghost." For when you say this, you ascribe unto the Lord worship and honour: "Ascribe unto the Lord worship and honour."
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SUMMARY
Psalms 96:7 issues a profound and universal summons, urging all human families and nations to actively acknowledge and ascribe fitting honor to the Lord. This verse commands a recognition of God's inherent splendor, majesty, and omnipotence, setting the stage for a global chorus of praise that rightly attributes to Him the glory and strength that are His alone.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 96:7 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message with force and clarity. The most prominent is Repetition, specifically the anaphora of "Give unto the LORD," which serves to emphasize the command's urgency, its divine origin, and the singular, non-negotiable object of worship. This repetition creates a rhythmic, insistent tone. The use of the Imperative Mood (from the Hebrew habu') transforms the verse from a mere suggestion into a direct, forceful command, demanding an active response from its audience rather than merely inviting one. The phrase "O ye kindreds of the people" functions as a powerful declaration of Universalism or Inclusivity, dramatically expanding the scope of God's worship beyond any single nation or group to encompass all humanity, highlighting God's global sovereignty. While not strict parallelism of clauses, the pairing of "glory and strength" can be seen as a form of Merism, where two complementary terms are used to represent a comprehensive reality—in this case, the totality of God's inherent being and His active power, encompassing both His majestic nature and His omnipotent actions.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 96:7 stands as a powerful theological statement regarding God's universal sovereignty and the proper response of all creation. It asserts that true worship is not merely an emotional experience but a deliberate act of ascribing to God what is inherently His: His glory and His strength. This command underscores that God lacks nothing and is not dependent on human "gifts," but rather, humanity's role is to acknowledge and declare His intrinsic worth and omnipotence. This verse fuels the missionary impulse, reminding believers that God's plan of salvation extends to "all kindreds of the people," anticipating a future where every tongue and tribe will worship Him. It challenges any ethnocentric view of God, proclaiming His reign over all nations and calling them to turn from idols to the living God. The call to ascribe glory and strength is a call to recognize God's absolute supremacy and to live in alignment with that truth.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 96:7 serves as a profound reminder for believers today, calling us to an intentional and expansive understanding of worship. It challenges us to move beyond a self-centered faith and embrace a God-centered, global perspective. To "give unto the LORD glory and strength" means to live lives that visibly declare His supreme worth and power, not just in our words of praise, but in our actions, our priorities, and our dependence on Him. This involves recognizing His sovereignty over all aspects of life, acknowledging His power in our weakness, and living in a way that reflects His character to a watching world. Furthermore, the universal scope of this command compels us to participate actively in God's mission to draw all "kindreds of the people" to Himself, whether through prayer, giving, or direct involvement in sharing the Gospel. Our worship is incomplete if it does not extend to a passionate desire for all nations to know and glorify the King of kings, actively seeking to fulfill the Great Commission.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does the psalm command "giving" glory and strength to God, as if He lacks them?
Answer: The term "give" (Hebrew: yâhab, H3051) in this context does not imply that God is deficient in glory or strength and requires humans to supply them. Rather, it means to "ascribe," "attribute," "acknowledge," or "render due homage." God inherently possesses infinite glory and strength; they are intrinsic to His nature. The command is for humanity to recognize, declare, and publicly affirm these attributes that are already His. It's an act of worship, submission, and proper alignment with reality, acknowledging God's supreme sovereignty and worth. It's about giving Him the honor and recognition He is due, not about augmenting His being. This concept is consistent with other scriptures that affirm God's self-sufficiency and infinite perfections, such as Acts 17:25, which states that God "is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything."
What is the significance of the phrase "kindreds of the people"?
Answer: The phrase "kindreds of the people" (Hebrew: mishpachot ammim, H4940 and H5971) is profoundly significant because it expands the scope of worship beyond a single nation or chosen people (like Israel) to encompass all humanity. Mishpachot refers to families, clans, or tribes, while ammim refers to peoples or nations. Together, they signify every distinct human grouping, from the smallest familial unit to the largest national entity. This highlights God's universal claim over all creation and His redemptive plan that extends to every tribe and tongue. It anticipates the global reach of the Gospel and the ultimate vision of a multi-ethnic multitude worshipping God, as prophesied in passages like Revelation 7:9. It underscores that God's kingdom is not limited by human boundaries but is destined to encompass all peoples.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 96:7 finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. While the psalm issues a universal call to ascribe glory and strength to Yahweh, it is through Christ that this global worship becomes a reality. Jesus is the embodiment of God's glory, the "radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being" (Hebrews 1:3). In Him, the invisible God is made visible, and His inherent glory is revealed to humanity, as John 1:14 proclaims, "the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." Furthermore, all strength and authority in heaven and on earth have been given to Him (Matthew 28:18), making Him the one through whom God's omnipotence is fully manifested. The vision of "all kindreds of the people" coming to worship finds its eschatological realization in the exaltation of Christ, where "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10-11). It is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), who is declared "worthy to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:12). Thus, the universal call to give glory and strength to the Lord is ultimately a call to worship the Father through the Son, who perfectly embodies and reveals both.