Matthew Henry’s Modern English CommentaryPsalms 96

An Invitation to Praise and Honour God; A Call to Glorify God.This section is a joyful call for everyone to praise and honor God. The psalmist uses strong and repeated words to encourage us to worship God with deep respect and love. He explains that praising God should come from a thankful heart, and that everyone, everywhere, is invited to join in this praise. The passage also describes how we should worship God and gives reasons why He deserves our praise.v. 1–2: The psalmist says, Sing to the Lord

v. 3: The psalmist urges, Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples . We should not keep God’s greatness to ourselves. Instead, we must tell everyone about His wonderful works, especially the salvation He gives. This is a prophecy that the good news about God will go to all nations, not just to the Jews.

v. 4–5: He explains why: For great is the Lord

v. 6: The psalmist says, Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary . God’s presence is full of glory and power. In His house, we see both His strength and His beauty. When we come to worship, we should be amazed by how wonderful and powerful God is.

v. 7–9: He calls out, Ascribe to the Lord

The Kingdom of Christ.This section gives instructions for sharing the good news about God’s kingdom with all people. It is a prophecy about the coming of Christ’s kingdom, which would replace the power of evil in the world. The psalmist explains what we should tell others about Jesus, His reign, and His justice. The passage also shows how the whole world can rejoice because of Christ’s rule.v. 10: The message to share is, Say among the nations, "The Lord

v. 11–12: The psalmist calls for all creation to rejoice: Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy (Psalm 96:11–12 ). The coming of Christ’s kingdom is such good news that even nature is pictured as celebrating. The whole world, in some way, will benefit from the rule of Christ. This joy is for everyone who welcomes Him as King (Mark 11:9–10; Romans 8:20–21 ).

v. 13: Finally, the psalmist says, For he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness (Psalm 96:13 ). Christ is coming again as Judge. His judgment will be perfectly fair and true. This is a reason for everyone to be glad, because Jesus will make everything right when He returns (Revelation 1:7; Jude 14 ).