Psalm 96: Yahweh is King of the World

The author of this Psalm is not known. Psalm 96 is also a Hymn psalm in a section of Enthronement Psalms. Ancient kings operated as lawmakers, commanders-in-chief, and the supreme court. Judgment is mentioned in most of these Enthronement Hymns. This psalm moves beyond God’s authority and rule over Israel to all nations. The Gentiles show up in the Israeli Hymn book!

  I. King Yahweh’s glory must be proclaimed (vs. 1–3)

     A. Sing to Yahweh is commanded three times.

     B. This is balanced with three commands: Praise (bless), Proclaim, Declare (tell)

     C. What is to be sung? A new song honoring His deliverance

     D. Who is to sing this song? All the earth, all gentile nations, all peoples (families Gen 10:32)

     E. Why is Yahweh to be praised? For His great salvation (deliverance)

     F. What is to be proclaimed? The good news of Yahweh’s salvation, His glory, His amazing     actions on earth

         1. When? Every day

         2. To whom? All the nations

    G. Are new songs bad? Not if they have biblical content, solid doctrine, good theology

    H. Before you can sing a new song you have to write it

     I. Is there anything in the Old Testament that showed God desired the Gentiles to worship                 Him as well as Israel? Yes, two examples: Genesis 12 and Psalm 96

     J. What are God’s wonderful deeds? Creation and Redemption

 II. King Yahweh’s majesty and uniqueness (vs. 4–6)

      A. God is great and worthy of praise

      B. Yahweh alone is to be feared, reverenced, worshiped, adored

      C. All other gods are fakes, nothings, rocks with demons, worthless idols

      D. Because Yahweh is the Creator, He alone rules and sustains the universe

      E. The pagan claims about the power of their fake gods are all false

      F. The Creator - King has given evidence in creation

          1. He is more majestic than the mountains

          2. His splendor is beyond the most beautiful sunset on the beach

          3. He is stronger than an elephant (kingly court)

          4. He is more beautiful than a snow-covered mountain or a delicate flower

III. King Yahweh’s praise, worship, service (vs. 7–9)

      A. Ascribe to Yahweh is commanded three times. (Give, verbally declare, recognize)

      B. Who is to do this? All the families of the earth. A surprising statement for a Jew, the                         original audience

      C. What are we to state in verbal praise about Yahweh?

           1. He is glorious and strong, glorify the Creator King

           2. His name and person are glorious

           3. Verbal praise is followed by acts of submission to the only true God

           4. We are to bring an allowed offering to this great king

           5. We are to enter the court of the Gentiles at Yahweh’s temple in Jerusalem

           6. We are to acknowledge and act according to God’s majestic splendor and awesome                        holiness

          7. All humans are to praise Yahweh for His sovereign rule, and His majesty displayed in                    His mighty supernatural works and in His people    

          8. Yahweh requires reverence, awe, holiness, submission, amazement over majesty and                      holy presence

          9. All the Gentiles are to tremble before this awesome Creator-King

      D. When we fear God, we reverence, honor, respect, acknowledge His power and authority to              judge sin and His hatred of it, along with His supreme authority to rule. So, our love and                 respect are not to be flippant or causal, it is serious business

IV. King Yahweh’s coming to Judge the earth (vs. 10–13)

      A. Tell the pagan nations, Yahweh reigns. He alone is the sovereign God

           1. God has established His right to rule by His work as Creator. It is His world, He made it

           2. God will judge all men with uprightness and the same standard, the moral law written                     on their hearts

      B. All creation rejoices when the Judge arrives to deal with sin and remove the curse

The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Rom 8:19–21 TNIV)

      C. All creation is called upon to rejoice in the Judges coming—heaven, earth, sea, sea                        creatures, fields and wild animals

      D. Yahweh is coming, this is a Day of Yahweh

      E. Yahweh is coming to judge every human being

           1. His judgment will be righteous

           2. His judgment will be in accordance with His faithfulness

      F. He will establish righteousness and truth on the earth

          1. He will punish the ungodly ones

          2. He will deliver the godly ones

          3. Only those who have Jesus’ righteousness legally placed on their account will be                            delivered from everlasting punishment

          4. One day God’s order and personal rule will be brought to the earth. The God’s rule will                  be fully established and be permanent 

Lessons to live by:

• Notice the joy displayed by those who belong to God. They are singing, they are praising Him, and they are satisfied and full of joy. The worlds lie that only sin brings happiness is shown for how foolish it is.

• Be sure to praise God for all the wonders of creation and His mighty acts of redemption. Use this psalm and others like it in your personal worship of God for Who He is and what He has done.

• If you belong to God, the day of Yahweh when the curse is removed and all sin is dealt with is a day for which you desire greatly. Come Lord Jesus, Come!