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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 96:7

Verse 7 7Give to Jehovah, etc. Since praise waited for God in Zion, (Psalms 65:1,) and that was the place devoted to the celebration of his worship, and the posterity of Abraham were alone invested with the privilege of priesthood, we cannot doubt that the Psalmist refers here to that great change which was to take place in the Church upon the advent of Christ. An opposition or distinction is intended between God’s ancient people and the Gentile tribes, which were to be afterwards adopted into... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 96:9

Verse 9 9Worship before Jehovah The Psalmist prosecutes the same train of sentiment. In requiring oblations of his people, God was not to be considered as standing in need of the services of the creature, but as giving them an opportunity of professing their faith. The true reason, therefore, is here mentioned why the oblation was enjoined, That his people might prostrate themselves before him, and acknowledge that they and all belonging to them were his. Mention is made of the beauty of the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 96:10

Verse 10 10.Say among the heathen, Jehovah reigneth His language again implies that it is only where God rules and presides that he can be worshipped. The Gentiles could not possibly profess the worship of God, so long as his throne was only in the small corner of Judea, and they were not acknowledging his government. Accordingly, the Psalmist speaks of his extending his kingdom to all parts of the world, with the view of gathering unto himself in one, those who had formerly been divided and... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 96:11

Verse 11 11Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad. With the view of giving us a more exalted conception of the display of God’s goodness in condescending to take all men under his government, the Psalmist calls upon the irrational things themselves, the trees, the earth, the seas, and the heavens, to join in the general joy. Nor are we to understand that by the heavens he means the angels, and by the earth men; (93) for he calls even upon the dumb fishes of the deep to shout for... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 96:1

O sing unto the Lord a new song (comp. Psalms 33:3 ; Psalms 98:1 ; Psalms 144:9 ; Psalms 149:1 ; Isaiah 42:10 ). This clause does not occur in 1 Chronicles 16:1-43 . It seems to belong to the second recension of the psalm, when it was recast to suit some "new" occasion. Sing unto the Lord, all the earth. So in Isaiah 42:10 , "Sing unto the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth. " The psalmist at once makes known his "universalism" by calling on the whole... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 96:1

The call for a new song. "The series of psalms to which this belongs is by nearly all commentators assigned to the period immediately succeeding the seventy years' captivity. The joyous feelings, the glorious expectations, the marked repetition (both in matter and style) of the later prophecies of Isaiah, their rhythmical character suggesting that they were intended for liturgical purposes, combine to identify them with this period." Take this idea of historical connection, and the ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 96:1-3

Songs and sermons. We have both in these verses. There is a threefold summons to sing unto the Lord, and a similar threefold summons to speak for the Lord. Such psalms as this never contemplate a religion which can be hid away and held in secret. The passionate love which breathes in this psalm must have vent or die. There is here no coming to the Lord by night, or being secretly a disciple for fear of the Jews, but the psalm is an open, full, joyous confession of the soul's delight in the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 96:1-13

Metrically, the psalm consists of four stanzas, the first three of three verses each, and the last of four. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 96:1-13

How and why Jehovah is to be worshipped. I. WITH A NEW SONG . ( Psalms 96:1 .) Praise that shall celebrate the new revelation of himself, which he is about to make in a new era of the world. Constantly new revelation. II. BY CELEBRATING THE SAVING WORK WHICH GOD IS DOING IN THE WORLD . ( Psalms 96:2 .) His coming to judge the people righteously, and thus to save them. Saving men every day. III. BY PUBLISHING HIS CHARACTER AND WORK ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 96:2

Sing unto the Lord, bless his Name (cf. Psalms 100:4 ; Psalms 145:1 , Psalms 145:10 , Psalms 145:21 , etc.). Show forth his salvation from day to day; or, publish his salvation ( εὐαγγελίζεσθε , LXX .); i.e. "make it known"—"spread the good tidings." read more

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