Background to Psalms 96

Sing a new song to the Lord!

Everyone on this earth,

    sing praises to the Lord,

    sing and praise his name.

Day after day announce,
    “The Lord has saved us!”
Tell every nation on earth,
“The Lord is wonderful
    and does marvellous things!

The Lord is great and deserves
    our greatest praise!
    He is the only God
    worthy of our worship.
Other nations worship idols,
    but the Lord created
    the heavens.
Give honor and praise
    to the Lord,
    whose power and beauty
    fill his holy temple.”

Tell everyone of every nation,

    “Praise the glorious power
    of the Lord.
He is wonderful! Praise him
    and bring an offering
    into his temple.
Everyone on earth, now tremble
    and worship the Lord,
    majestic and holy.”

Announce to the nations,

    “The Lord is King!
The world stands firm,
    never to be shaken,
    and he will judge its people
    with fairness.”

Tell the heavens and the earth
    to be glad and celebrate!
Command the ocean to roar
    with all of its creatures
    and the fields to rejoice
    with all of their crops.
Then every tree in the forest
    will sing joyful songs
    to the Lord.
He is coming to judge
all people on earth
    with fairness and truth.

Today we can include Jesus in our celebration of how marvellous God is. Pray psalm 96 and include a marvel at the redeeming work of Christ.

Interesting features

Climactic parallelism: the second line refines, develops and completes the thought of the first: