Journey Through The Scriptures
Psalms of Praise and Worship
Lesson 5: Sing to the Lord
(Scripture to Read: Psalm 96:1–13)
The Bible says that one of the characteristics of the Messianic age will be Jerusalem’s role as a center of worship for all nations (Zechariah 14:16–17).
Psalm 96 seems to anticipate this glorious day when the glory and majesty of God will be celebrated throughout the earth.
The “new song” that Israel is called to sing is clearly an invitation to “all the earth” and to “all peoples” to worship the true God.
This psalm, in an abbreviated format, appears in 1 Chronicles 16:23–33, showing the importance it had in Jewish life and worship in biblical times.
We can see three stanzas in the psalm: a call to the entire earth to worship God, a call to the nations to worship Him, and then a call to nature to join in praise of its Creator.
The first half of verse 11 is a wonderful summary of this psalm’s call to praise our God: “Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad!”
Study Questions
- Why does the psalmist call on all the nations to praise the God of Israel?
- Why is it significant that even the trees, the fields, and the seas are said to praise God?
- Why does verse 13 emphasize that God will “judge the world in righteousness”?
Something to Think About
This psalm expresses a longing that people of faith have felt for generations – the desire to see righteousness, peace, and harmony established among nations and even in the natural creation. This glorious era of peace is coming when Messiah appears, and we can enjoy a foretaste of it as we give God our praise and adoration each day.
