Bible Commentaries
Psalms 96

Verse 1

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

a new song. Psalms 96:0 is the call; Psalms 97:0 is the answer. Compare Psalms 98:0 and Psalms 99:0 . The subject is the coming rest for the earth, to which creation looks forward Romans 8:18-23 ).

the earth. This is the subject of Book IV. See notes on p. 809.

Verse 2

His name. See note on Psalms 20:1 .

Verse 3

heathen = nations.

people = peoples.

Verse 4

gods = rulers. Hebrew. 'elohim. App-4 . See note on Exodus 22:9 .

Verse 5

all the gods . . . idols. Figure of speech Paronomasia. App-6 Hebrew. kalelohey . . . 'elilim.

nations = peoples.

idols = nothings. Compare 1 Corinthians 8:4 .

Verse 6

beauty. Some codices read "joy". Compare 1 Chronicles 16:27 .

sanctuary. Some codices read "dwelling-place". as in 1 Chronicles 16:27 .

Verse 8

offering = presence offerings. Hebrew. minchah. App-43 .

come into His courts. Some codices read "enter before Him". Compare 1 Chronicles 16:29 .

Verse 9

the beauty of holiness. See note on 1 Chronicles 16:29 .

Fear = Tremble.

Verse 10

shall be established. Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate read "He hath fixed".

Verse 11

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad. The initials of the four Hebrew words making this sentence form an acrostic ( App-6 , App-60 , and App-63 ), giving the four letters of the word JEHOVAH ( Y, H, V, H ) thus:

Y ismehu H ashshamayim V ethagel H a'arez.

The Massorah ( App-30 ) has a special rubric calling attention to this acrostic.

Verse 12

Then shall. Ginsburg thinks this should be "Yea, let".

Verse 13

Before. See note on "presence" (Psalms 95:2 .

He cometh . . . He cometh. Figure of speech. Epteeuxis ( App-6 ), for emphasis.

the world = the habitable world. Hebrew. tebel. No rest or righteous rule for the world and its inhabitants until He comes. The next Psalm is " the New Song", celebrating this by anticipation.