Declaring God's Glory in Song - Psalm 96

Introduction

In the last sermon I preached, we began to explore the subject of worship in the Bible

As we defined the word worship, we saw that it carries with it a sense of bowing down.

Worshiping God implies humility and a heart that lays prostrate before God.

All worship that we give to God is done through lowering ourselves and raising Him up.

While it is important that we have a clear understanding of the heart of worship, and how we should approach it, it is more important that we understand and know who we are worshiping and why we are worshiping.

We must have a clear understanding of who God is because He is the focus of our worship.

If we do not know him, and why He is to be worshipped then we cannot rightly worship Him.

This is because we do not worship an idea or an emotion.

We worship a relational being.

We worship a God who has done so much for us and is deserving of all praise regardless of who we are and what we do.

If we do not know Him, our worship will be void of emotion.

Without this knowledge, it becomes an act without feeling and thought, and reverence.

So we must know who God is and what he has done for us. We must think about Him.

We must dwell on Him. We must meditate on Him.

I want to look at Psalm 96 because it is such a guide of who we are worshiping and why.

Turn to your Bible Psalm 96.

Psalm 96 ESV

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. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! 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. 6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! 8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! 9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! 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.” 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.

While we do not know for 100% certainty who this psalm was written by, it is often attributed to David and highly probably that it is him.

Some of the earliest translations of the Bible say that David is the author.

Many commentators attribute this Psalm to David because of the historical account in I Chronicles 16 where David returns the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.

David gives a song of thanks, quoting Psalm 96 and Psalm 105 nearly verbatim.

As we look at this Psalm, it is quite clear that this is a prophetic and Messianic Psalm because of the focus of the Lord’s salvation and His presence.

There is also a call to tell all people of his Salvation which echos the Great Commission.

We will talk more about at in a minute but first, there are several words in this Psalm that we need to be made aware of and really pay attention to.

They are sing, bless, tell, declare, ascribe, bring, come, worship, tremble, and say.

Psalm 96 (ESV)

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. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! 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. 6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! 8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! 9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! 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.” 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.

I am terrible at grammar but I know that these words are verbs.

They are calling us to action and inviting us to do something.

These words are so important because when you look at the sense of the original Hebrew, they are verbs that are in what is called the imperative form, which means they are commands.

We are not just being lightly told to do something, we are being commanded to do something.

By paying attention to these commands, we begin to see the “who” and “why” of our worship.

We are called to “sing” to the Lord.

We are called to “bless” his name.

We are called to “tell”, to “declare” and to “say” His glory among the nations and among all the peoples.

We are called to “ascribe” glory to God.

We are called to “come” into the Lord’s presence and worship.

We are called to “tremble” before Him.

While there is much to learn from this Psalm, and a sermon on each one of these words but I want to focus on singing.

The Call to Sing

Psalm 96:1–2 ESV

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.

It is very obvious that we are called to sing to the Lord.

We are to sing to Yahweh.

Verses 1 and 2 repeat the call to sing 3 times.

We see this repetition again down in verse 7 and 8 when we are thrice called to “ascribe” to the Lord.

Commentator Robert Hawker suggests that this is a “reference to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Hawker also points out the significance of the phrase “New Song”.

He goes on to say:

Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary, Vol. 4: Job–Psalms Contents

The song itself is a new song, such as the redeemed in heaven are said to sing, and which none could sing but the redeemed from the earth.

He is saying all this to show that this is a messianic Psalm that is pointing to Jesus and the work of the Father and the Holy Spirit.

This Psalm is prophetic because he praises the Lord for His salvation which is to be told of daily with a new song.

We are to sing all the time because every moment is a moment where God is showing us new mercies.

He is giving us grace up on grace in every second.

Why Is So Important About Singing

Now, with that in mind, I want to talk about why we are called to sing.

Why is it so important?

Have you ever considered this?

I fear, we don’t give much thought as to why we sing in church because singing is one of those things we grow up doing in church, so we just do it without thought.

But the Bible references music and commands us to sing so many times we cannot ignore its importance.

It is one of many ways we worship God but it is perhaps the most significant way.

There is a reason for this and it is a very important one.

While I am not going to get into the science of song and sound waves, philosophy, or psychology, I do want to quote Yip Harburg who wrote the lyrics to all the songs in the Wizard of Oz. Though he was not a theologian, I think he gives us a foundation upon which to build.

He said this:

‘Words make you think a thought; music makes you feel a feeling; a song makes you feel a thought.”

I like this because it helps illustrate the mysterious and yet important power of singing which is really key to understanding the “why” we are called to sing.

When you think of instrumental music without singing, there exists a power to evoke feelings and emotions.

Some more than others, and though styles and cultures can differ, the effect is universal.

I remember the feelings I felt once when I sat by the ocean and listened to a piece of music that was meant to portray the ocean. It was magical.

There is something that happens inside of us when we hear music.

The minor keys tend to evoke sad feelings and the major keys tend to evoke happiness and joy.

Rhythm gets your feet tapping.

But when we combine the power of words and content with melody, the power of music is magnified greatly because it combines the heart and the mind.

We have within song, the mystical ability to not only declare something true about God but also feel that truth within our heart and spirit in a way that we feel differently if we were to simply speak the same words.

I think it is the fullest range of human expression there can be where the cognitive and emotive aspects of humans come together in one form.

Our Worship is Our Witness

As Christians we are called to go beyond the melody.

We are called to declare the truth about God.

The content of our song is important because it ascribes God glory but it is also telling others of God.

In essence, our worship can also be our witness.

We are called to tell of His salvation daily in vs 2.

In vs 3 we are called to declare his glory among all the peoples.

We are to say among the nations, that the Lord reigns in vs. 10.

There is certainly something that happens within us when we sing and when we say the words out loud, but one of the reasons we are to sing the words out loud, is because others hear the testimony of what God has done.

Worship through song is more than just feeling our thoughts about God, but it is a declaration of the Gospel.

I have seen some through the years who have claimed they don’t sing in church because they say they can’t sing, or they are afraid of what they sound like.

They will often say they like to think and meditate instead.

While I get that, and think meditation and prayer is important, we can’t negate the fact that we are called to sing and declare with our mouth.

Of course, you can worship God in your mind without singing, and of course there are those who literally cannot sing because of physical impairments.

But singing is a gift.

It is way in which we can express praise to God like no other.

And if we limit ourselves to silent prayer and meditation, we actually find that meditation has to more to do with speaking and declaring than we might think.

In Joshua 1:8 we read this.

Joshua 1:8 ESV

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

The word that is used for “meditate” is “haga” - and can mean to ponder but it can also means to coo, growl, mutter, speak, or proclaim.

When God says the “Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it”, He is showing us that meditating should be more than simply sitting and thinking.

The same form of this word is used in:

Psalm 71:24 (ESV)

24 And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disappointed who sought to do me hurt

Psalm 37:30 (ESV)

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

Psalm 63 also brings our meditation and praise in close connection with each other.

Psalm 63:5–7 (ESV)

5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

There are many other examples of this in the Bible.

This shows us that the life of a Christian cannot and should not be simply a life of meditation and silence.

We are called to declare God’s glory among the nations.

The word nations in verse 3 is a Hebrew word that is sometimes translated as heathens.

The Psalmist is calling us to declare God’s glory among those who are not yet saved or a part of God’s nation. They are not yet God’s people.

How will the world know of Jesus unless we declare the glory of God with words?

And when combined with music and song, we are participating in the mysterious gift that reaches the depths of the mind and the heart like no other medium.

Singing is one of many ways that we proclaim the glory of God but it is a powerful one that effects us and others.

Not only have we been given the gift to sing praise to God but we have been invited to do so in his presence because He has made us Holy.

Singing in God’s Presence

Psalm 96:8–9 (ESV)

8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! 9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!

Remember this Psalm was sung when returning the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.

For the Israelites the Ark was a symbol of God’s throne representing His presence here on earth.

It was placed inside the holy of holies of the tabernacle where only a priest could enter and be in God’s presence.

There was a separation between man and God.

But, if you recall, when Jesus died the veil of the temple was torn.

It just so happens that veil, was the curtain that separated the holy of holies from the the rest of the temple, symbolizing that we can now come into His courts.

Again, this Psalm points to Jesus and what He has done for us.

Because of Jesus we are now able to come into God’s presence and not only that but in the splendor of holiness.

That phrase the splendor of holiness can also be translated holy attire. Meaning we have been clothed with holiness. We are made holy.

So we have a lot to sing about!

The glory of God, his salvation, his strength, his righteous judgement - How can we not help but break out into song?

Conclusion

I want to encourage us all this morning to see the importance of singing not just here in church but in our own lives, around our children, and with others.

When we walk through those doors and we come together and the songs begin, we are being given a chance to worship the Lord and declare His glory together.

I think we can sometimes read the Bible with an individualistic viewpoint because we could look at this Psalm and only think of applying it to ourself.

But all the earth is called to sing.

The “families of the peoples” are called to ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

God’s people are called to sing together.

We find in music a symbol of togetherness and unity as we sing together in melody and harmony, and rhythm.

It is a picture of God’s people united in one message and one voice.

But there is more at stake than trying to sound good and stay on pitch.

We are fulfilling a calling that is commanded over and over in the Bible to glorify God.

Of course, you cannot expect to walk into church and begin to feel the presence of God wash over you just by singing words and staying in tune.

Worship is an overflow of praise that comes from a heart that knows God and abides in His presence.

You cannot expect to sing to the Lord, or declare His glory if you do not know Him or have a relationship with Him.

You cannot tell of his salvation if you are not saved.

I like how Hebrews put it.

Hebrews 13:15 ESV

15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Our song, whether in tune or not, should be the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Our song, comes from a heart that knows deep down inside what to say because that heart has so much joy, and reverence, and thankfulness to God, it cannot help but sing.

We declare God’s glory in many ways in this life...... but song is a gift that allows us to utilize our whole heart and mind.

May God help us sing to declare his glory here, at home , at work, and everywhere for in doing so, we worship him and declare His glory to those around us.

He is the “who” we sing to........ and who He is and what He does....... is the “why” we sing.

Isaiah 12:5 ESV

5 “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.