Rise Up and Sing!

Rise Up and Sing! Psalm 96:1–13 THEME: The Call to Worship the Lord with a New Song

INTRODUCTION

Beloved, every now and then, God gives His people a reason to rise up and sing. Psalm 96 is not just a psalm — it’s a summons. It’s a divine invitation for all creation to lift its voice in praise to the One who reigns above all. This psalm echoes through eternity — it was sung in David’s time, it resounded in Solomon’s temple, and it still rings in the hearts of believers today.

This psalm reminds us that when the world is dark, when times are troubled, when hearts are heavy — that’s not the time to sit silent. That’s the time to rise up and sing! Because praise shifts our focus from the problem to the Provider, from the storm to the Savior, from worry to worship!

Sermon in a Sentence: When we recognize God’s greatness, goodness, and glory, we can’t stay silent — we must rise up and sing a new song of praise that declares His salvation, honors His name, and invites all creation to rejoice in His reign.

TEXT: Psalm 96 (KJV)

1 O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. 2 Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. 4 For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. 6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7 Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. 8 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. 10 Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. 11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. 12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice 13 Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

POINT 1 — SING A NEW SONG (Verses 1–2)

“O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.”

David begins with a command: Sing! Not a recycled song, not a stale song, but a new song. A song that rises from fresh gratitude, from new mercy, from a renewed heart.

God gives us new mercies every morning (Lamentations 3:22–23). And new mercies deserve a new melody.

That means your praise should evolve as God keeps blessing. You can’t live on yesterday’s hallelujah. You need a fresh one for today!

Cross Reference:

Isaiah 42:10 — “Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth.”

Revelation 5:9 — “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy... for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.”

Modern Illustration: A smartphone needs regular updates to function properly. When it runs on an old system, it freezes, glitches, or slows down. Likewise, our praise must be updated — a new song keeps our worship fresh and our spirit in tune with heaven’s rhythm!

So, Rise Up and Sing — because your God is doing something new in you.

POINT 2 — TESTIFY DAILY (Verse 2–3)

“Bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.”

Worship isn’t just what happens in the sanctuary — it’s a daily declaration. God wants His people to show forth His salvation. The Hebrew means “to publish good news.” In other words, be a walking billboard for God’s grace!

Cross References:

Matthew 28:19 — “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…”

Psalm 107:2 — “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.”

Modern Illustration: In our social media age, people “share” what they love — a meal, a moment, or a meme. But how many of us “share” our salvation? God’s people ought to post His praises daily — not just online, but in our lives. Every kind act, every forgiving word, every faithful stand is a testimony that says, “Look what the Lord has done!”

Rise Up and Sing — and don’t just sing it, show it.

POINT 3 — GOD DESERVES ALL THE GLORY (Verses 4–6)

“For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods…”

David shifts from what we do to why we do it. The Lord is great — and greatly to be praised. His greatness demands great praise. Not average, not half-hearted, but great praise.

Why? Because “the gods of the nations are idols.” The Hebrew word for “idols” means “nothings.” They have eyes but cannot see, mouths but cannot speak. But our God — made the heavens.

Cross References:

Psalm 145:3 — “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.”

Jeremiah 10:11–12 — “The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish… He hath made the earth by his power.”

Modern Illustration: People today worship celebrities, technology, money, and fame — but those things fade. Only God remains eternal. When everything else loses its shine, His glory still glows.

Rise Up and Sing — because He alone is worthy of your worship!

POINT 4 — BRING YOUR BEST (Verses 7–9)

“Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.”

True worship is giving, not just getting. We give God glory, honor, strength, and our offering — not because He needs it, but because He deserves it.

When you enter His courts, don’t come empty-handed. Bring your offering — not just money, but your heart, your time, your service, your obedience.

Cross References:

Romans 12:1 — “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Malachi 1:7–8 — God rebuked Israel for offering blemished sacrifices — because He deserves our best.

Modern Illustration: Imagine attending a birthday party and forgetting the gift. That’s what it’s like to enter worship without offering praise. We come not as consumers, but as contributors.

Rise Up and Sing — and bring God your best.

POINT 5 — THE WHOLE EARTH REJOICES (Verses 10–13)

“Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth…”

Now the song expands — it’s not just Israel, but the whole world that must sing! Even creation joins the chorus. The heavens rejoice, the sea roars, the trees clap their hands (Isaiah 55:12). Why? Because the King is coming!

He comes to judge the world with righteousness. That’s good news for the righteous — because the Judge is just.

Cross References:

Revelation 19:6 — “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”

Romans 8:19–22 — “The whole creation groaneth and travaileth… waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God.”

Modern Illustration: When a great athlete returns to their hometown, the crowd rises in celebration — not just because of who they are, but because of what they’ve accomplished. One day, the King of Glory will return, and all creation will rise up and sing!

CONCLUSION — RISE UP AND SING!

When you think of His goodness, When you remember His mercy, When you recall His faithfulness — You can’t stay silent.

You’ve got to Rise Up and Sing!

Because the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting. His truth endures to all generations.

EXTENDED CLOSE

I wonder, is there anybody here… Who’s got a new song in their heart today?

You ought to rise up and sing!

If He woke you up this morning — rise up and sing! If He made a way out of no way — rise up and sing! If He healed your body — rise up and sing! If He kept your mind — rise up and sing!

David said, “I will bless the Lord at all times, and His praise shall continually be in my mouth!”

So let the redeemed of the Lord say so! Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord! Praise Him in the morning, Praise Him in the noonday, Praise Him when the sun goes down!

Because one day — every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess — That Jesus Christ is Lord!

So until that day… I’ll rise up and sing! I’ll sing because He saved me! I’ll sing because He raised me! I’ll sing because He keeps me! I’ll sing because He loves me!

Tell your neighbor: “I’ve got a reason to sing!”

Hallelujah! Glory to God!