Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 96:4

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 96:4. He is to be feared above all gods. — I think the two clauses of this verse should be read thus: -

Jehovah is great, and greatly to be praised.

Elohim is to be feared above all.

I doubt whether the word אלהים Elohim is ever, by fair construction, applied to false gods or idols. The contracted form in the following verse appears to have this meaning.

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

UNREALITY OF THE IDOL GODS OF THE GENTILES

"For great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols; But Jehovah made the heavens."

The major prophets, especially, exposed the futility of the worthless gods of the Gentiles. Isaiah especially excelled in doing so. See Isa. 2,8,18,20; 40:19ff; 41:21-24; and 44:12ff.

Contrasted with the feeble, helpless gods of the pagan Gentiles is the majestic power and holiness of the true God, Creator of the heavens and everything else in the universe. The galaxies themselves unfurled as a banner in the night sky proclaim God's glory. "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork" (Psalms 19:1).

"To be feared above all gods" Leupold remarked that, "If any of the entities commonly called gods produced fear in the minds and hearts of their worshippers, how much more would the knowledge of God Most High do so? This naturally implies that the fear which the knowledge of Almighty God evokes is wholesome and true; it is a godly reverence."H. C. Leupold, p. 683.

"All the gods of the peoples are idols" And what is an idol? It is a man-made device resembling some human being or some allegedly mythical character, and it supposedly represents a "god." An idol cannot see, cannot hear, cannot move itself, is utterly helpless, having no abilities whatever. This writer once visited the temple of the Diabhutsu in Japan, and a number of the niches surrounding the great idol were adorned in posters, printed with red and black letters, carrying the message, "THESE GODS ARE OUT OF REPAIR!" The near-insanity of idol-worship is surely indicated by this.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

For the Lord is great - Yahweh is great. See the notes at Psalms 77:13. This verse is taken literally from 1 Chronicles 16:25.

And greatly to be praised - Worthy of exalted praise and adoration.

He is to be feared above all gods - He is to be reverenced and adored above all that are called gods. Higher honor is to be given him; more lofty praise is to be ascribed to him. He is Ruler over all the earth, and has a claim to universal praise. Even if it were admitted that they were real gods, yet it would still be true that they were local and inferior divinities; that they ruled only over the particular countries where they were worshipped and acknowledged as gods, and that they had no claim to “universal” adoration as Yahweh has.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

4.For Jehovah is great, and greatly to be praised. He particularly describes that God, whom he would have men to celebrate, and this because the Gentile nations were prone to merge into error upon this subject. That the whole world might abjure its superstitions, and unite in the true religion, he points out the one only God who is worthy of universal praise. This is a point of the greatest importance. Unless men are restrained by a due respect to it, they can only dishonor him the more that they attempt to worship him. We must observe this order if we would not profane the name of God, and rank ourselves amongst unbelieving men, who set forth gods of their own invention. By gods in the verse may be meant, as I observed already, (Psalms 95:3,) either angels or idols. I would still be of opinion that the term comprehends whatever is, or is accounted deity. As God, so to speak, sends rays of himself through all the world by his angels, these reflect some sparks of his Divinity. ⁽⁷⁸⁾ Men, again, in framing idols, fashion gods to themselves which have no existence. The Psalmist would convince them of its being a gross error to ascribe undue honor either to the angels or to idols, thus detracting from the glory of the one true God. He convicts the heathen nations of manifest infatuation, upon the ground that their gods are vanity and nought, for such is the meaning of the Hebrew word אלילים , elilim, ⁽⁷⁹⁾ which is here applied to idols in contempt. The Psalmist’s great point is to show, that as the Godhead is really and truly to be found in none but the one Maker of the world, those religions are vain and contemptible which corrupt the pure worship of him. Some may ask, Are angels then to be accounted nothing and vanity, merely because many have been deceived in thinking them gods? I would reply, that we do injury to the angels when we give them that honor which is due to God only; and, while we are not on this account to hold that they are nothing in themselves, yet whatever imaginary glory has been attached to them must go for nothing. ⁽⁸⁰⁾ But the Psalmist has in his eye the gross delusions of the heathen, who impiously fashioned gods to themselves.

Before refuting their absurd notions, he very properly remarks of God that he is great, and greatly to be praised — insinuating that his glory as the infinite One far excels any which they dreamt of as attaching to their idols. We cannot but notice the confidence with which the Psalmist asserts the glory of the true God, in opposition to the universal opinion which men might entertain. The people of God were at that time called to maintain a conflict of no inconsiderable or common description with the hosts and prodigious mass of superstitions which then filled the whole world. The true God might be said to be confined within the obscure corner of Judea. Jupiter was the god every where received — and adored throughout the whole of Asia, Europe, and Africa. Every country had its own gods peculiar to itself, but these were not unknown in other parts, and it was the true God only who was robbed of that glory which belonged to him. All the world had conspired to believe a lie. Yet the Psalmist, sensible that the vain delusions of men could derogate nothing from the glory of the one God, ⁽⁸¹⁾ looks down with indifference upon the opinion and universal suffrage of mankind. The inference is plain, that we must not conclude that to be necessarily the true religion which meets with the approbation of the multitude; for the judgment formed by the Psalmist must have fallen to the ground at once, if religion were a thing to be determined by the suffrages of men, and his worship depended upon their caprice. Be it then that ever so many agree in error, we shall insist after the Holy Ghost that they cannot take from God’s glory; for man is vanity himself, and all that comes of him is to be mistrusted. ⁽⁸²⁾ Having asserted the greatness of God, he proves it by reference to the formation of the world, which reflects his perfections. ⁽⁸³⁾ God must necessarily exist of himself, and be self-sufficient, which shows the vanity of all gods who made not the world. The heavens are mentioned — a part for the whole — as the power of God is principally apparent in them, when we consider their beauty and adornment.

(78) “Quia Deus per angelos irradiat totum mundum, in illis refulgent Deitatis scintillae.” — Lat. “Pource que Dieu jette comme ses rayons sur tout le monde par les anges, des estincelles de Divinite reluisent en iceux.” — Fr.

(79) אליל,elil, signifies a thing of nought; as if from אל,not, the ל being doubled to denote extreme nothingness. Thus a false vision or prophecy, on which no dependence can be placed, is called אליל, elil, “a thing of nought,” Jeremiah 14:14, and a shepherd that leaves the flock, and instead of visiting, healing and feeding them, devours and tears them in pieces, is called in Zechariah 11:15, “a pastor, האליל, haelil, of no value. ” In this sense the word is used of the false gods of the heathen. Instead of being אלהים, elohim, gods, they are אלילים, elilim, mere nothings Accordingly, Paul, in 1 Corinthians 8:4, speaks of an idol as being “nothing in the world.”

(80) “Sed quicquid imaginarium illis affingitur, nihilum esse.” — Lat.

(81) “Quia eorum vanitas nihil derogat unis Dei gloriae.” — Ib.

(82) “Car tout ainsi qu’ils sont vanite aussi tout ce qui procede d’eux est vain et plein de deception.” — Fr.

(83) “The argument of God’s superiority over all other beings, drawn from his creation of the world, is sublimely expressed in the following lines ascribed by Justin Martyr (de Monarchid. page 159, ed. Oxon. 1703) to Pythagoras, —

Εἴ τις ἐρεῖ, Θεός εἰμι πάρεξ ἑνὸς, οὗτος ὀφείλει
Κόσμον ἴσον τούτῳ στήσας εἰπεῖν ἐμὸς οὗτος.

“One God our hearts confess: whoe’er beside
Aspires with Him our homage to divide,
A world as beauteous let him first design,
And say, its fabric finished, ‘This is mine.’”
— Merrick’s Annotations.

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

1. An invitation to all people to honor Yahweh 96:1-6

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

The reason everyone should praise the Lord is He is greater than all the so-called gods that are only lifeless idols. Yahweh is the creator of all things. Therefore He is strong and glorious.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

For the Lord is great,.... In the perfections of his nature; in the works of his hands, of creation, providence, and redemption; and in the several offices he bears and executes:

and greatly to be praised; because of his greatness and glory;

:-,

he is to be feared above all gods; the angels by whom he is worshipped; civil magistrates, among whom he presides, and judges; and all the fictitious deities of the Gentiles, who are not to be named with him, and to whom no fear, reverence, and worship, are due.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.   2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day.   3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.   4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.   5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.   6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.   7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.   8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.   9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

      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, Psalms 96:1; Psalms 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,Revelation 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 (Psalms 96:3; Psalms 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, Psalms 96:7-9; Psalms 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,Malachi 1:11; Zechariah 14:17; Isaiah 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 (Psalms 96:7; Psalms 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 in to his courts. We must bring ourselves, in the first place, the offering up of the Gentiles,Romans 15:16. We must offer up the sacrifices of praise continually (Hebrews 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 (Psalms 96:4; Psalms 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,Revelation 14:6; Revelation 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 nationsPsalms 96:5; Psalms 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,1 Corinthians 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 (Psalms 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 (Psalms 96:6; Psalms 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.