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Psalms 96

13 verses

TL;DR

Psalm 96 is an exhortation to praise God with a new song, proclaiming His supremacy, holiness, and righteous judgment across the earth.

Summary

The psalm opens with a call for all peoples to sing a new song to the Lord, celebrating His continual salvation. It urges proclamation of His glory and wonders among the nations, reminding listeners that the LORD is greater than all idols. The psalm emphasizes God’s honor and majesty, His creative power over heaven, and the beauty of His sanctuary. Worshipers are invited to offer praise and gifts, to fear Him in holiness, and to proclaim His reign over the earth. It ends with a vision of universal rejoicing in heaven, earth, and sea as the Lord comes to judge the world righteously and truthfully.

Outline
  1. 1-3: Call to sing a new song and proclaim God's salvation and wonders
  2. 4-8: Praise God's greatness, holiness, and invitation to worship
  3. 9-13: Declaring God's reign, universal joy, and His righteous judgment
Themes
Glory of GodRighteous JudgmentUniversal Worship
Keywords
singblessgloryheavenearthjudgmentrighteousnesstruthholinessoffering
People
LORD
Places
heavenearth
Things
songblessingsalvationgloryofferingholinessrighteousnesstruth
Key Verses
  • Psalms 96:1: Introduces the central call to a new song of praise.
  • Psalms 96:4: Affirms the LORD’s supremacy over all idols.
  • Psalms 96:10: Declares the LORD’s reign and the certainty of His judgment.
  • Psalms 96:11: Describes the cosmic rejoicing that accompanies the Lord’s presence.
  • Psalms 96:13: Summarizes the Lord’s righteous and truthful judgment of all.
Questions
  • What does the ‘new song’ symbolize in the context of Israel’s covenant relationship with God?
  • How does Psalm 96 challenge contemporary worship practices to address the universality of God’s reign?
  • In what ways does the psalm’s portrayal of judgment differ from other biblical texts that discuss judgment?
  • How can the image of cosmic rejoicing in verses 11–12 inform our understanding of eschatological hope?
  • What practical implications does the psalm’s emphasis on offering and worship have for modern believers?
Sentiment

positive
The psalm is an exuberant praise and confident proclamation of God’s power, holiness, and righteous judgment.