Psalm 96: Declare His Glory Among the Nations
Notes
Transcript
“Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” This is a quote, and the thesis, from John Piper’s book Let the Nations Be Glad. We send people to other cities, nations, countries, continents, all over the world to proclaim the message of God’s goodness so that they might worship God appropriately. The book takes it title from Psalm 67:4, however, the message that missions exists because worship doesn’t is also at the heart of this Psalm as well.
So in this Psalm we see a message, and we see a mission.
The text itself is divided in to three portions. 1-6 - which highlights God as creator, to whom all the earth should sing. 7-10 which highlights God as the king who reigns, to whom all the earth ought to ascribe glory, and 11-13 highlight God as judge to whom all creation should exult. (New American Commentary series)
Context
Context
We do not have the historical background for every Psalm, but when it do it is generally helpful in understanding the context of the Psalm.
And when come across this I will I often will make a note in my Bible to the narrative. So that when I read the Psalm at another time I will know to go read that narrative. That happens in our text this morning. We have this Psalm that is written and developed out of a significant historical event. Sometimes they note it in the description, but this one does not. However, the song that is found in 1 Chronicles 16 is found in parts of three different psalms. Parts of it correspond to parts of Psalm 105 and 106. Psalm 96 however is found almost identically in 1 Chronicles 16:23-33.
The Ark is returned to Jerusalem and David sings that all creation should worship YHWH.
After the ark was returned from the Philistines in 1 Samuel 6, it rested in Kiriath-Jearim for 20 years. This city was part of the allotment to the tribe of Judah. It was about 14 miles west of Jerusalem. In 1 Chron. 13 David makes the plan for the Ark to be brought to Jerusalem. In ch. 15 the ark is brought to Jerusalem, and David celebrates. If you’re familiar with the narrative this is when Michael - his wife, daughter of Saul begins to despise her husband. And David instead of being bothered responds by continuing to worship God. He is far more concerned with appropriately worshiping God than he is with the opinion of his wife.
How is that for an application before we even get into the text? Worship God even when your wife is mad at you. Or more broadly, God is still worthy of the worship he is due even when our dearest relationships begin to crumble. Because God’s glory is not diminished by our circumstances. God is always worthy of praise.
Now additionally related to the context of 1 Chronicles, and the similar events from 2 Samuel 6-7 - the following narratives are where the Lord makes a covenant with David. After the ark is in Jerusalem, David has it placed in the tent of meeting . Soon after he looks around at the kingdom and notes “I live in a nice house - but the Lord lives in a tent. So David thinks “I’m going to build God a house.” And while that sounds a bit weird - the Lord honors him for that.
Here in this Kingly Psalm in Psalm 96, David celebrates the majesty of God, and in 2 Sam 7, the Lord tells David, “You want to make me a house? I will make you into a dynasty. I will give you a son who will eternally reign as King.” While a partial expectation is that this is Solomon, we know that it ultimately points us to Christ Jesus.
Which in turn, also further magnifies God and celebrates his majesty since David’s Son is also David’s Lord.
So while this is another Kingly Psalm. And it is another Psalm that reminds the reader that God is not just the king of Israel, but he is the King of the whole earth. So it is not only a kingly Psalm, it’s also a missions Psalm. In the Psalm, David sings that every nation, all the earth and everything that fills the earth should bring praise to God.
This Psalm developed out of the song that David sung when the Ark was returned to Jerusalem, and then over time to be integrated into the regular worship of the people of God.
The editor of the psalms then placed this Kingly Psalm here in book 4 as a reminder of the hopes that are to be fulfilled in their Messiah while they reflect on their time in exile - and this Psalm is loaded with the anticipation that every tribe, tongue and nation will confess that Jesus is Lord.
As we turn our attention to the first section of the Psalm, verses 1-6, God as creator is highlighted. Creator is called to sing praise to one who created them, and the only one who is worthy of worship.
God as Creator
God as Creator
Similarly to last week’s text, there is an instruction praise to the Lord. The command is given in verses 1 and 2:
The Psalm last week taught us that we were made to worship, God who is worthy of worship. This Psalm picks up with the same idea.
1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
But then in verse three there is a specific command given to the people of God.
3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!
Declare among the nations. This is missionary work. This is an instruction for those who have seen, rejoice, and believe in what God has done. That they might proclaim to others the message.
When we consider how the nations are discussed and described in the Psalms the statements in this Psalm concerning the nations becomes shocking. The nations are said to be judged. It is the nations who destroyed the temple in Psalm 79:1. Psalm 2 tells us that the nations rage, the people plot in vain, God holds them in derision, and that Christ will rule over them with a rod of iron. In much of the Psalter the nations are the enemies of God, who will be conquered by the Son.
1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
But here in Psalm 96, the nations are commanded to bless God, and to worship him, and the people of God are commanded to evangelize the nations.
Similarly we read in Psalm 86:9.
9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
The Christian faith ought not to be a secret. It is not an American religion, or an American faith. Rather it is to be declared to the nations. The Lord is not just a tribal deity… because all of the other deities that are worshipped by people are worthless. This is why we support missions, and why every major denomination and church network has a missions organization. The Venture Network works to send missionaries and church planters, as well as aids in funding missions door.
Worship the Lord. Ascribe to him the glory that he is owed. But do not keep that private. Declare that among the nations. Approach your faith and evangelism in the same excitement that David did.
Then in verses 4-6, David enhances the command to sing to the Lord by demonstrating why. He gives the characteristics of God that make him praiseworthy.
4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
He is to be feared above all gods. Because he is the only true God. David even further states that all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols. Comparing verses 3-4, the statement is look at the mighty works of YHWH… the gods of the nations cannot do these things. David is provoking the nations, he’s stating your gods are impotent, not my God though. He continues “your gods are worthless, idols made of wood that you carved, silver that you mined and fashioned… but YHWH made the heavens.”
The two reasons that David gives for why we ought to praise God.
Praise YHWH for he is mighty. He is mightier than all the other Gods.
Praise YHWH for his is fully of splendor and majesty.
This is what he says in verse 6.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
God is the most mighty.
God is the most majestic.
Now as we approach verses 7-10, the characteristic of God as King who reigns to whom all the earth should ascribe glory comes to the forefront.
God as King
God as King
And again there is a direction given to people to praise God. While there is a message to the nations in verse 10, it begins with families.
7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
Families of the peoples… families ought to worship together. Fathers ought to lead in that. This past week, I read a rather challenging book by Joel Beeke called How To Lead Your Family. He divides the book up with the idea that men ought to model their lives after the offices of Christ. He specifically applies this to Christ is our prophet, priest, and king. Men ought to fill those roles in the home.
While in many cases we think of prophets and prophecy as if they are telling the future that is only about 2% of biblical prophecy. Most of it is declaring what the Lord has said, and urging people to repent of sin.
Beeke thus is arguing that fathers need to lead their families in the instruction of the word, and the pointing out of sin. Mother’s as helpers should aid in this as necessary.
In the home, Fathers are responsible for the 1-6 aspect of this Psalm so the family together can do verses 7-10. Father’s should be teaching families in the ways that God is glorious and worthy of worship. Father’s should be instructing their children to repent of their sins and to trust in Christ.
(If we have fathers of children there: it’s easier than it sounds, it starts with opening the Bible, praying, and interpreting Scripture. If that is still too daunting I will be glad to help you.)
The roles of priest and king also have elements in which the father ought to be the spiritual leader in the home. And they all connect to how families ought to ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
I pray that the future of this church is that it will be filled with men who are leading their families in family worship - father’s instructing their kids in the word and the doctrines of scripture.
“As the men go, so goes the church. As the church goes so goes the nation.” What we do in our homes matters. What we do in our churches matters.
If we are to declare his glory the nations, including our own, then it needs to start in the home. But it needs to leave the home as well.
This Psalm again, like last week, brings to the forefront the significance of the worship of God. Loud, bold, public, courageous worship of God.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!
As we read in verse 8 we are to give God the the glory that he deserves. Worship is what he is owed.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!
And verse 9, once again further demonstrates that all the earth is called to worship the Lord. In the splendor of his holiness. God’s holiness… holy holy holy is the Lord God almighty who was and is and is to come… each of the narratives in scripture where a prophet is given a picture of the throne room of God - they are overwhelmed by the sight before them - but they report that the Lord is constantly being praised for his holiness.
Tremble…
The text demonstrates that there is no place for pluralism in the church. Last week, or a week and a half ago, Jim sent me an article concerning of a woman “pastor” stating “There are people who are perfectly happy in other faiths who don't need converting to ours.” As we can clearly see by this text statements like that are COMPLETELY CONTRARY to Scripture.
However, how many of us live like that? We may look at false teachers who make statements contrary to the great commission and appropriately label them as wolves - but do we look at the lost around us and think “well, if they are happy - do I need to really need to evangelize them?” YES, absolutely! Happiness is not the goal in life. Righteousness is. And that is only found in Christ. The Scriptures tells us just that:
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”
The God who has established the Earth, set it in the place, causes it to spin on its axis and revolve around the sun - is also the God who will righteously judge everyone for their sins. So even if someone seems happy in their faith tradition - if they are dead in their trespasses and sins - then they need to hear of the King who reigns eternal. The King to whom everyone will give an account for everything that they have done or said.
Everyone who has ever lived is stained by sin, willing sin that they have committed and the sin that we have each inherited from Adam. We need a savior to bring us back to God. That is the message that we need to declare to the nations.
In the final part of verse 10, we see that verse 10 introduces the idea of God as judge, and the Psalm will end with that same characteristic.
God as Judge
God as Judge
David here expands from families and a declaration to the nations to the entire planet. Let me read 11-13.
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 12 let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy 13 before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.
He has in that description covered every thing.
All the earth is commanded bless his name. Everything that fills the earth… the heavens, the seas, and everything that fills them. The birds, the fish, the critters. Everything from the tiny microscopic water bear to a massive polar bear… all of those things bring glory to God - and they ought to sing for joy. Even the trees of the forest.
And verse 13 closes with a promise of God’s coming. While that is an understanding of God coming to judge the earth, we understand that this is Christ’s second coming when he will come to judge the living and the dead. He will judge the world in righteousness. The metric for his judgement will be worship.
Who do you worship? And on what terms?
At the beginning I mentioned this Psalm breaks down to a message and a mission - and that is where I will return as I close:
The message that we have to proclaim is that the Lord reigns, and that he will judge with equity. The problem is that for those who are in sin - that is bad news. We have all committed sin that is enough to damn each and everyone of us to hell. But the God who alone is worthy of worship, who is robed in splendor and majesty,
Gospel…
The mission is to proclaim that message to the nations, that all the earth may worship the Lord. That those who are far off from God because of their trespasses and sins. And the Lord, having all authority on heaven and on earth has commissioned us to go to all nations
Matthew 28:19–20 “19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””
Though when we speak of missions we are referring to those who are leaving their homes, their comforts, their families and we celebrate those people. We regularly pray for, and should continue to pray for the Edmondson’s and the Mann’s who are training pastors all over the world, and evangelizing all over the world - they are aiding in the declaring his glory to the nations… but we also ought to do that in our homes, and in our neighborhoods. This text shows us how we ought to do that… the evangelism method of Psalm 96 is:
Tell of his salvation from day to day…
Tell others how God has saved you.
Declare his marvelous works among the peoples.
Tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare to the nations that: Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.
Desire for worship to exist among the nations so that missions no longer needs to.
Alternate ending to This is My Father’s World…
This is my Father's world:
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King: let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let earth be glad!
