Thursday, July 12, 2012

Psalm 96. King of the world



Psalm 96. King of the world

In recapturing for us the triumphal entry of the ark into Jerusalem, the Chronicler writes out nearly the whole of this psalm, with parts of two others (105, 106), as the centrepiece of his chapter. The symbolism of the march, in which God crowned his victories by planting his throne in the enemy's former citadel, is matched by the theme of the psalm, although 1 Chronicles 16 does not claim that these were necessarily the very words that were sung on that occasion.28
The build-up of repeated words and phrases (e.g. 'sing …', 'ascribe …', 'he comes …') gives the psalm an insistent vigour (see on 93:1) and contributes to the air of almost irrepressible excitement at the prospect of God's coming. The creation's 'eager longing', of which Paul speaks in Romans 8:19, breaks out here into singing at the moment of fulfilment.
On the possibly festal origin of this psalm and its companions, see the comments and references at Psalm 93.

96:1–6. The King's glory
Nothing listless or introverted, nothing stale, befits the praise of God. There is a natural crescendo in the threefold 'Sing …' and the vision of all the earth as God's proper choir will be sustained in every verse. The new song (cf. on 33:3) is not simply a piece newly composed, though it naturally includes such, but a response that will match the freshness of his mercies, which are 'new every morning' (cf. Anderson here).
2, 3. With the word tell, the direction of flow changes from Godward to manward, for this is a messenger's word: 'take the news' (cf. 68:11; Isa. 52:7; 61:1). The LXX, here and elsewhere, translates it by the verb which gave us 'evangelize', used here in almost our modern sense of bringing news of God to the world at large. There may be a lesson hidden in this sequence (first upwards to God, then outwards to man): a corrective to static worship and shallow preaching alike.
4, 5. There are places in the Psalter where gods are a term for angels and potentates (see on Psalm 82; also on 8:5; 95:3), but here they are clearly the unreal gods of the heathen. The term idols is ʾĕlîlîm, which the Old Testament treats as a mere parody of ʾĕlōhîm (God). It is the word translated 'worthless' in Job 13:4 ('worthless physicians') and Jeremiah 14:14 ('worthless divination'). Its robust challenge to the accepted ideas of the day invites the Christian to be equally unimpressed by currently revered nonsense, whatever its pedigree or patronage. The second line of verse 5 is still a valid retort to those who would shelve the question of creation, and start their thinking at some secondary point.
6. If we ask whether this sanctuary is earthly or heavenly, the probable answer is both. The earthly one was a 'copy and shadow' of the heavenly (Heb. 8:5); but its outward strength and beauty (cf. Exod. 28:2; 31:3ff.) were to be outshone by the inward glory of Christ, the true earthly sanctuary (John 1:14; 2:21). There is also a telling contrast in Isaiah 28:1–6 between the fading glamour of human display and the abiding beauty and strength with which God crowns the steadfast.

96:7–9. The King's due
The threefold Ascribe … (lit. 'give'), like the threefold 'Sing …' of verses 1 and 2, makes a stirring call which repeats almost exactly the opening of Psalm 29. But this time it is mankind, not the angelic host, which is summoned; hence the bidding, bring an offering. The latter word (minḥâ) is used both of the gifts which a king expected (cf. 45:12 [13, Heb.]; 2 Kgs 17:4) and of those which God appointed as a passport, for the time being, to his presence (20:3 [4, Heb.]; but 40:6 [7, Heb.]; Hebrews 10:5–10).
9. On holy array, or 'the splendour of holiness' (NEB), see on 29:2. Notice that the two aspects of worship which were discussed at 95:6 are both present in this group of verses. The NEB sees a third here, translating tremble before him as 'dance in his honour'; but while this is a valid concept (cf. 150:4), it is an unlikely meaning at this point.29

96:10–13. The King's coming
So the psalm moves to its climax. If the cry, 'The Lord reigns!' was a message first of all to Israel (cf. 93:1, and comment) like that of the lone runner in Isaiah 52:7, here a host of messengers spreads it to the world. The decisiveness of the Hebrew verb and the exultant response in 11–13 point to a new and overwhelming assertion of sovereignty rather than a timeless theological truth. It announces God's advent, the Day of the Lord.
What it will mean to the world, to be established and never … moved (10), is best seen against the welter of raging nations and collapsing régimes depicted in e.g. 46:6. The first and last lines of verse 10 make it additionally clear that this is a prophecy of perfect government, not a pronouncement on—of all things!—the earth's rotation, as an old controversy suggested.30 The disastrous freedom of the fall will be replaced by the only 'perfect freedom', which is serving God.
11ff. This ecstatic welcome had its human counterpart on Palm Sunday, with a hint, as well, that given half a chance 'the very stones would cry out'. How much more the teeming seas, fields and forests. The belief of fallen man that righteousness, truth (i.e. dependability), the rule of justice, and the Lord himself are the enemies of joy, is scouted by this passage. Where God rules (it implies), his humblest creatures can be themselves; where God is, there is singing. At the creation. 'the morning stars sang together'; at his coming, the earth will at last join in again; meanwhile the Psalter itself shows what effect his presence has on those who, even through a glass, darkly, already see his face.


Kidner, D. (1975). Vol. 16: Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (379–382). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

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Regards,
Ryan Chia

Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Mission exists
because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is
ultimate, not man.

*From John Piper, Let The Nations Be Glad*


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