Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 96:13

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 96:13. For he coms, he coms. He coms, fyrste to be man. - Sythen he comes to deme the erth.

He sal deme in evenes the erth: - and folk in his sothfastnes. Nothing is evener, or sothfaster, than that he geder with hym perfyte men; to deme and to deperte to the rig hande (thaim) that did mercy: - pase to the lefte hande (thaim) that did it nogt.

The psalmist here in the true spirit of poetry, gives life and intelligence to universal nature, producing them all as exulting in the reign of the Messiah, and the happiness which should take place in the earth when the Gospel should be universally preached. These predictions seem to be on the eve of complete fulfilment. Lord, hasten the time! For a fuller explanation see the following analysis.

ANALYSIS OF THE NINETY-SIXTH PSALM

Although this Psalm was composed by David at the bringing back of the ark, yet most ancient and modern Christian expositors acknowledge it a prophecy of Christ's kingdom, to be enlarged by the accession of all the Gentiles, and finally, his coming to judgment.

There are two parts in this Psalm: -

I. A general exhortation to both Jews and Gentiles to praise God, Psalms 96:1-3.

II. A prophecy of Christ's kingdom, described by its greatness, Psalms 96:4-5; the honours and glory, Psalms 96:6; of the majesty of the King, Psalms 96:7-8.

1. The amplitude of this kingdom, Psalms 96:10.

2. His judicature in it, Psalms 96:11-13.

I. 1. The invitation to praise God for the benefits conferred on the whole earth by Christ. Psalms 96:1-3. 1. That the praise be full, he thrice repeats, "O sing, sing, sing;" to the honour of the Trinity, says Bellarmine, obscurely intimated in the Old, but plainly to be preached in the New, Testament. 2. "Show forth." Give praise by thanks and singing. 3. "Declare." Carry good news - the Gospel of glad tidings.

2. The song to be sung must be new: "Sing unto the Lord a new song." New, for a new benefit; new, to be sung by new people; new, as being on a most excellent subject.

3. It was to be sung "by the whole earth." By new men, and all the world over; for God was not now to be known in Judea only, but by all nations.

4. It must be continually sung, from day to day, without cessation; for as one day succeeds another, so should there be a continual succession in his praise.

Afterwards he expresses the benefits for which the whole earth is to praise him, which is for the redemption of the world by his Son.

1. He shows forth his salvation, which he has conferred on mankind by Christ.

2. "Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people." Salvation was a glorious work, full of wonders. And this was to be evangelized, as before to the Jews by the prophets, so now to all people by the apostles.

II. And that this exhortation might appear more reasonable, he presents God as a king, and sets down the greatness, amplitude, and equity of his kingdom.

1. "Sing to the Lord all the earth, for he is Lord of the whole earth." 1. "The Lord is great." Great in power, wisdom, goodness, mercy, dominion, riches; great in every way of greatness. 2. "He is greatly to be praised," or worthy of all praise, for his innumerable benefits. He bestows them, spiritually and temporally, in his creation, redemption, and preservation of the world. What is praiseworthy in any king may be found superlatively in him.

2. "He is to be feared above all gods;" for he can cast body and soul into hell. They though called gods, can do neither good nor hurt; the devils, who set them up, believe that he is above them, and they tremble. Sing to him then, for the supremacy is his; he is above all gods. If there be other gods, show their works; produce the heavens they have made, or the earth they have framed. It is our God alone who "made the heavens, and all things that are in them;" fear him, and not them.

The prophet elegantly derides the heathenish gods, and the heathen for fearing them.

1. For the multitude of them, for they were many; which is contrary to the nature of God, who must be but one, for there can be but one Supreme.

2. For their division: one of the Ammonites; another of the Moabites; one of the Philistines; many of the Assyrians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans: their gods were according to the number of their cities; three hundred Jupiters, thirty thousand deities.

3. They were elilim, Dii minores. Moloch had the rule of the sun; Astarte, of the moon; Ceres, of corn; Pluto, of hell; Neptune, of the sea, c. Their power was not universal, as the power of God ought to be.

4. Lastly, in the opposition, which plainly shows the difference between God and idols. They are but the work of men's hands. Our God is a creator he made the heavens, and all that is contained in and under them. He then is terrible, and to be feared; not those diminutive, vain, unprofitable gods of the nations.

And so, having removed out of his way all the gods of the nations, he returns to our God and King. Having said "he was great, greatly to be feared, and praised above all gods," he now sets forth his majesty to the eye of the subject and stranger: Honour, majesty, strength, beauty; so says our prophet: "Honour and majesty are before him, strength and beauty are in his sanctuary." God is invisible; but his honour and majesty, strength and beauty, may be easily observed in his ordering, governing, and preserving the whole world and his Church; both which may be justly called his sanctuary, and the last his holy place.

He has proved God to be a universal King, and now he endeavours to persuade his subjects, all kindreds of people, to return to their king his tribute, his honour and worship, which he comprehends in these words: Give - bring an offering - worship - fear - proclaim him to be King.

1. "Give unto the Lord;" and again, "Give unto the Lord glory and strength." Give freely to him, and alone attribute to him the glory of your being and well-being, that he made and redeemed you, and that by the strength of his right hand he has plucked you out of the hands of your enemies. This was the glorious work of his mercy and power.

2. "Give unto the Lord the honour due to his name." It is a debt; and a debt, in equity, must be paid. The honour due to his name is to acknowledge him to be holy, just, true, powerful: "The Lord, the faithful God," - "good, merciful, long-suffering," c. Defraud not his name of the least honour.

3. "Bring an offering, and come into his courts." Appear not before the Lord empty, as the Jews were commanded to which the prophet alludes. "They had their sacrifices, and we also have our spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ," to bring; 1 Peter 2:5. These are the sacrifices of a contrite heart. Bring these when you enter into his courts, and into his house of prayer.

4. "O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." They who enter into the presence of a king presently fall on their knees in token of submission and homage; in the presence of your King do the same. Adore, and remember to do it in the beauty of holiness; referred to the material temple, it is by relation a holy place, and should not be profaned; a beautiful place, and should not be defaced, but kept beautiful. If referred to the spiritual temple, the temple of the Holy Ghost is to be beautiful with holiness; a holy life, holy virtues, beautiful garments, righteousness and true holiness.

5. "Fear before him, all the earth." Join fear to your worship, for a man may be bold in the presence of his king. "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with reverence." There is a fear which arises out, of an apprehension of greatness and excellency in the person, together with our dependence on and our submission to him, which in body and mind makes us step back, and keep at a distance. This kind of fear produces reverence and adoration, and this the prophet here means.

6. "Say among the heathen, the Lord reigns;" or, as some say: "The Lord reigns among the heathen." Be heralds; and proclaim, with the sound of the trumpet, God reigns, God is King.

The prophet begins to set forth the amplitude of Christ's kingdom: -

1. Before, it was confined to Judea, but is now enlarged: "All nations are become his subjects; he reigns among the heathen."

2. Its stability: "The world shall be established, that it shall not be moved." The laws of this kingdom are not to be altered, as were the laws of Moses, but fixed and established for ever. The Gospel is an eternal Gospel, a standing law.

3. The equity to be observed in it: "He shall judge the people righteously," for he shall give to those who observe his laws, rewards; to those who despise them, break them, and say, "We will not have this man to reign over us," condign punishment.

4. The prophet, having described the King, and the state of his kingdom, exults in spirit, as if he had seen him coming to sit upon the throne. He calls, not the Gentiles only, whom it did very nearly concern, but all creatures, to rejoice in him; heaven, earth, sea, trees, fields, c. Although there are who by heaven understand angels by the earth, men; by the sea, troublesome spirits; by trees and fields, the Gentiles who were to believe; yet this need not be thought strange, because such prosopopoeias are frequent in Scripture. The meaning is, that as the salvation was universal, so he would have the joy to be universal: "Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord."

He incites all creatures to rejoice for Christ's coming, both for the first and for the second: for the first, in which he consecrated all things; for the second, in which he will free all things from corruption, Romans 8:19-22.

1. "For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth." - Which first part of the verse the fathers refer to his first coming, when he was incarnate, and came to redeem the world by his death: and was to the end to judge, that is to rule and govern, the world by his word, ordinances, and Spirit.

2. And again: "He shall come to judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth:" which coming, though terrible to the wicked, will be joyful and comfortable to the righteous. For, says our Lord, "Lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth near;' and to comfort them, and terrify the wicked, he tells them he will judge with equity, that is, in justice and in truth, according to his word and promise. He will accept no man's person, but render to every man according to his works.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 95-96 God the creator of the universe

Six psalms, 95 to 100, are grouped so as to form a series for use in temple worship. The first psalm opens by calling people to worship God because he is the saviour (95:1-2), the great God (3), the creator and controller of the universe (4-5), the maker of the human race (6) and, above all, the covenant Lord and shepherd of his people (7). Worship, however, must be joined to obedience. Israel’s experiences in the wilderness show that people might claim to belong to God, but be so complaining, disobedient and stubborn that it is impossible for them to enjoy the inheritance God promised (8-11; cf. Exodus 17:1-7; Numbers 11:1-23; Numbers 20:2-13; Hebrews 3:7-10).

After the worshippers have heeded the warning of the previous psalm and prepared their hearts in a right attitude of worship, they are urged to praise God with further singing. Besides praising him for his great works, they are to proclaim his wonders to others (96:1-3). Idol-gods cannot be known, because they have no life. The living and true God can be known, both through the created universe and through the worship of the sanctuary (4-6). People everywhere should therefore bring him worship, praise and sacrificial offerings (7-9). Because he is Lord of the universe, all creation joins in bringing him praise. Because he is Lord of the world of humankind, he will establish his righteous kingdom on the earth (10-13).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH

"Say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth: The world also is established that it cannot be moved: He will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; Let the field exult, and all that is therein; Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy Before Jehovah; for he cometh, For he cometh to judge the earth: He will judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with his truth."

"This passage expresses the Messianic hope (Psalms 96:13)… but here, as in Malachi 4:6, there is no thought of any personal Messiah. Yahweh himself is the deliverer."W. E. Addis, p. 389. Once more, we have an example of scholarly blindness apparently due to lack of a knowledge of the New Testament. Jesus Christ the Messiah, indeed a `Personal Messiah' was none other than God Himself in the person of his only begotten Son, who in the New Testament is declared to be "God" in no less than a dozen passages (John 1:1; John 1:18; John 20:28; Acts 20:38; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; James 1:1; Revelation 5:13; Revelation 6:16).

"Jehovah reigneth… he will judge the peoples with equity" The reign of Jehovah was announced by John the Baptist as, "The Kingdom of God" and declared to be at hand in the year 26 A.D. That reign began on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ and is in progress at the present time.

"He will judge the peoples" This judgment is progressing continually, as typified in Revelation 6:2 under the emblem of the Conquering Saviour on the White Horse. This judgment is being accomplished by the sacred inspired words of the Holy Apostles of Christ, in a spiritual sense, "Sitting upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of the children of Israel" (the New Israel, which is the Church) (Matthew 19:28). That this interpretation is correct appears in the fact that this judgment of mankind through the word of the Apostles of Christ will take place "in the times of the regeneration," that is, in the times when men are being saved, which is, without any doubt whatever, the present age.

"Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice" At the coming of the Messiah, on the night that Christ was born, the heavens themselves burst into song when the chorus of the angelic host sang, "Glory to God in the Highest; peace on earth to men of good will" (Luke 2:14); and the rejoicing of the earth is continuing throughout the ages in the hearts of those obeying the gospel, who go "on their way rejoicing," as did Philip the eunuch (Acts 8:39).

"Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof" This is most likely a reference to the unbelieving populations of mankind, often represented in Scripture as the sea (Revelation 13:1), and in the passage here. It is the equivalent of the rage of the heathen mentioned in Psalms 2:1. The meaning is, "Let the heathen rage," God's judgment of mankind through the gospel of Christ is steadily going forward.

"Let the fields exult… the trees of the wood sing for joy" The joyful sentiment of this verse was captured in Isaac Watts' famed hymn, "Joy to the World," set to music by Handel.

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns, Let men their songs employ,
While fields, and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy.Great Songs of the Church, No. 429.

"Before Jehovah, for he cometh… to judge… he will judge the people by his truth" We have already noted the application of this to the coming of the Messiah and the subsequent judgment of all nations by the Holy Gospels; but there are also overtones here of the Eternal Judgement of the Last Day. In all of the prophecies, there is a tendency to telescope the first judgment of Christ's Messianic coming that produced, among many other things, the destruction of Jerusalem, with that of the final Great White Throne Judgment of the Day of Jehovah. This occurred, because both of these judgments pertain to "the last times," of which Peter declared that "These present days" indeed belong to those last times (Acts 2:16-17).

Both of these judgments, the one proceeding now by means of the Word of God and the other to come at the end of the age, are tied together in the fact that the basis of judgment in both will be exactly the same. As Jesus said:

"He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I speak, the same shall judge him in the last day" John 12:48.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Before the Lord - This is altered from 1 Chronicles 16:0. The language there is simply, “Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord, because he cometh to judge the earth.” The meaning here is, that all these things have occasion to praise the Lord whenever he appears; to rejoice in the presence of Him who has made them what they are.

For he cometh - That is, he will come. He will manifest himself as a righteous judge. He will come to reign over the world, and there will be in his reign universal occasion for joy. The allusion would seem to be to some future time when God would come to reign among people; to dispense justice; to vindicate his people, and to establish truth. The “language” is such as would properly refer to the anticipated reign of the Messiah, as a reign of righteousness, and is such language as is frequently employed in the Old Testament to denote the character of his reign. There is no reason to doubt that this psalm may be “designed” to describe the reign of the Messiah, and that the psalmist in this language may have looked forward to that future kingdom of righteousness and peace.

For he cometh to judge the earth ... - See this language explained in the notes at Psalms 72:2-4; and the notes at Isaiah 11:2-5. What is here stated occurs now, wherever the gospel reigns in the hearts of people; it will be fully accomplished when the Lord Jesus shall come again and judge the world.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 96:1-13

O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. Sing unto the LORD, and bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, and his wonders among all people. For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be reverenced above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the LORD, O ye families of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: reverence him, all the earth. Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; 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 rejoice before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth ( Psalms 96:1-13 ).

Glorious psalm, Psalms 96:1-13 , encouraging us to the praising of the Lord. Singing the praises unto Him. Declaring the glories of God and the wonders of His work. Because of the greatness of God, He is to be greatly praised. He is above all of the gods of the nations, the other gods that people follow after. So give unto Him the glory due His name. Worship Him. And then the anticipation of His coming, "For the Lord cometh."

We are looking now to that day when the Lord is going to come and He's going to come to judge the earth. As you get into the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, the disciples said, "Lord, what will be the sign of Your coming? And the end of the age? And Jesus began to tell them the things to watch for. And then as we get into chapter 25, as He is referring to His coming, "Then shall the kingdom of heaven," or, "Then shall He when He comes again gather together the nations of the earth to judge them: and He shall separate them as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goat" ( Matthew 25:32 ). And so the Lord's day of judgment that is coming, referred to here and also at the end of Psalms 98:1-9 .

In fact, Psalms 96:1-13 and Psalms 98:1-9 are parallel ideas in these psalms. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 96

Here is another psalm that focuses on the reign of God. In it, the psalmist called on all the earth to join Israel in honoring and rejoicing in Yahweh’s sovereign rule.

"By being incorporated into a larger unit in 1 Chronicles 16, the psalm became associated with the glorious entry of the Ark of the covenant into Jerusalem" [Note: VanGemeren, p. 620. Cf. 1 Chronicles 16:23-33.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

3. An invitation to all to rejoice over Yahweh’s reign 96:11-13

The writer returned to his former thought of all creation being under God’s authority (Psalms 96:4-5). He now summoned all creation to praise God at the prospect of His righteous rule. Psalms 96:13 is one of the clearest and most thrilling revelations that God will rule on the earth, not just from heaven. He will do so in the person of His Son when He returns to earth. The Son came the first time to save the world, and He will come the second time to judge it. Therefore all creation may rejoice. Even the world of plants and animals will benefit from His righteous rule (cf. Isaiah 35:1-2; Isaiah 65:25; Romans 8:20-22).

This favorite psalm glories in the righteous Sovereign of the universe. His kingdom will indeed come. He will one day accomplish His will on earth, as today others carry it out in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Before the Lord,.... At the face of him, in his presence; meeting him as he comes, and rejoicing at his coming: this clause is to be joined to everyone in the two preceding verses:

for he cometh, for he cometh; which is repeated to show the certainty of Christ's coming, and the importance of it, and the just reason there was for the above joy and gladness on account of it; and it may be also, as Jerom and others have observed, to point out both the first and second coming of Christ, which are both matter of joy to the saints: his first coming, which was from heaven into this world, in a very mean and abject manner, to save the chief of sinners, to procure peace, pardon, righteousness, and eternal life for them, and therefore must be matter of joy: his second coming, which will be also from heaven, but in an extremely glorious manner, without sin, or the likeness of it, unto the salvation of is people: it will be as follows,

to judge the earth; the inhabitants of it, small and great, high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, quick and dead, righteous and wicked; when all works, words, and thoughts, good and bad, will be brought to account; and every man will be judged, as those shall be, with or without the grace of God:

he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth; according to the rules of justice and equity; he will truly discern and rightly judge; his judgment will be according to his truth; he will approve himself to be the righteous Judge, and his judgment will appear to be a righteous judgment; for which he is abundantly qualified, as being the Lord God omniscient and omnipotent, holy, just, and true; see Acts 17:31.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      10 Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.   11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.   12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice   13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

      We have here instructions given to those who were to preach the gospel to the nations what to preach, or to those who had themselves received the gospel what account to give of it to their neighbours, what to say among the heathen; and it is an illustrious prophecy of the setting up of the kingdom of Christ upon the ruins of the devil's kingdom, which began immediately after his ascension and will continue in the doing till the mystery of God be finished.

      I. Let it be told that the Lord reigns, the Lord Christ reigns, that King whom God determined to set upon his holy hill of Zion. See how this was first said among the heathen by Peter, Acts 10:42. Some of the ancients added a gloss to this, which by degrees crept into the text, The Lord reigneth from the tree (so Justin Martyr, Austin, and others, quote it), meaning the cross, when he had this title written over him, The King of the Jews. It was because he became obedient to death, even the death of the cross, that God exalted him, and gave him a name above every name, a throne above every throne. Some of the heathen came betimes to enquire after him that was born King of the Jews,Matthew 2:2. Now let them know that he has come and his kingdom is set up.

      II. Let it be told that Christ's government will be the world's happy settlement. The world also shall be established, that it shall not be moved. The natural world shall be established. The standing of the world, and its stability, are owing to the mediation of Christ. Sin had given it a shock, and still threatens it; but Christ, as Redeemer, upholds all things, and preserves the course of nature. The world of mankind shall be established, shall be preserved, till all that belong to the election of grace are called in, though a guilty provoking world. The Christian religion, as far as it is embraced, shall establish states and kingdoms, and preserve good order among men. The church in the world shall be established (so some), that it cannot be moved; for it is built upon a rock, and the gates of hell shall never prevail against it; it is a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

      III. Let them be told that Christ's government will be incontestably just and righteous: He shall judge the people righteously (Psalms 96:10; Psalms 96:10), judge the world with righteousness, and with his truth,Psalms 96:13; Psalms 96:13. Judging is here put for ruling; and though this may be extended to the general judgment of the world at the last day, which will be in righteousness (Acts 17:31), yet it refers more immediately to Christ's first coming, and the setting up of his kingdom in the world by the gospel. He says himself, For judgment have I come into this world (John 9:39; John 12:31), and declares that all judgment was committed to him,John 5:22; John 5:27. His ruling and judging with righteousness and truth signify, 1. That all the laws and ordinances of his kingdom shall be consonant to the rules and principles of eternal truth and equity, that is, to the rectitude and purity of the divine nature and will. 2. That all his administrations of government shall be just and faithful, and according to what he has said. 3. That he shall rule in the hearts and consciences of men by the commanding power of truth and the Spirit of righteousness and sanctification. When Pilate asked our Saviour, Art thou a king? he answered, For this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth (John 18:37); for he rules by truth, commands men's wills by informing their judgments aright.

      IV. Let them be told that his coming draws nigh, that this King, this Judge, standeth before the door; for he cometh, for he cometh. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, said so. Behold, the Lord cometh,Jude 1:14. Between this and his first coming the revolutions of many ages intervened, and yet he came at the set time, and so sure will his second coming be; though it is now long since it was said, Behold, he comes in the clouds (Revelation 1:7) and he has not yet come. See 2 Peter 3:4, c.

      V. Let them be called upon to rejoice in this honour that is put upon the Messiah, and this great trust that is to be lodged in his hand (Psalms 96:11; Psalms 96:12): Let heaven and earth rejoice, the sea, the field, and all the trees of the wood. The dialect here is poetical; the meaning is, 1. That the days of the Messiah will be joyful days, and, as far as his grace and government are submitted to, will bring joy along with them. We have reason to give that place, that soul, joy into which Christ is admitted. See an instance of both, Acts 8:4-25; Acts 8:26-40 When Samaria received the gospel there was great joy in that city (Acts 8:8; Acts 8:8), and, when the eunuch was baptized, he went on his way rejoicing,Acts 8:39; Acts 8:39. 2. That it is the duty of every one of us to bid Christ and his kingdom welcome; for, though he comes conquering and to conquer, yet he comes peaceably. Hosanna, Blessed is he that cometh; and again, Hosanna, Blessed be the kingdom of our father David (Mark 11:9; Mark 11:10); not only let the daughter of Zion rejoice that her King comes (Zechariah 9:9), but let all rejoice. 3. That the whole creation will have reason to rejoice in the setting up of Christ's kingdom, even the sea and the field; for, as by the sin of the first Adam the whole creation was made subject to vanity, so by the grace of the second Adam it shall, some way or other, first or last, be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God,Romans 8:20; Romans 8:21. 4. That there will, in the first place, be joy in heaven, joy in the presence of the angels of God; for, when the First-begotten was brought into the world, they sang their anthems to his praise, Luke 2:14. 5. That God will graciously accept the holy joy and praises of all the hearty well-wishers to the kingdom of Christ, be their capacity ever so mean. The sea can but roar, and how the trees of the wood can show that they rejoice I know not; but he that searches the heart knows what is the mind of the Spirit, and understands the language, the broken language, of the weakest.