“Great is the Lord” from the lesson series Royal Psalms, October 2021
our Scripture
Sing a new song to the Lord;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to Yahweh, praise His name;
proclaim His salvation from day to day.
3 Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonderful works among all peoples.4 For the Lord is great and is highly praised;
He is feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are 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, you families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory of His name;
bring an offering and enter His courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness;
tremble before Him, all the earth.10 Say among the nations: “The Lord reigns.
The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.
He judges the peoples fairly.”
11 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and all that fills it resound.
12 Let the fields and everything in them exult.
Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy
13 before the Lord, for He is coming—
for He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with His faithfulness.Psalm 96:1-13 NET
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| NASB Psalm 96:1-13 NASB | NIV Psalm 96:1-13 NIV | NLT Psalm 96:1-13 NLT | NCV Psalm 96:1-13 NCV | MSG Psalm 96:1-13 MESSAGE |
| KJV Psalm 96:1-13 KJV | NKJV Psalm 96:1-13 NKJV | HCSB Psalm 96:1-13 HCSB | ESV Psalm 96:1-13 ESV | SPANISH Psalm 96:1-13 RVA60 |
our Lesson
Singer/songwriter Michael W. Smith has made his impression on the world of Christian music for decades. One of the first worship songs that he wrote was titled, “Great is the Lord.” Composed in 1982 with his wife Debbie, Smith was an active member of the Bethel Church in Nashville at the time. The inspiration for the lyrics were drawn from the Psalms, especially Psalm 145:3 and Psalm 96:4.
Great is the Lord
He is holy and just
By His power we trust in His love
Great is the Lord
He is faithful and true
By His mercy He proves He is love
Debbie told the story of the writing of this song. “Sometimes at night we would light a candle and would open the Bible and God would inspire our hearts with a particular passage of Scripture. We wrote many praise choruses and worship songs during these evening sessions. In 1982, God led us to a particular passage of Scripture that we both thought would be the base for a good song. I wrote a few lines of the lyric as Michael was working on the music. We worked very closely together and the words and the musical setting came together at the same time.”
Great is the Lord!
Chronicling the Context
No doubt the life of David was filled with moments of joy and jubilation. There probably was no greater incident than when the Ark of the Covenant was brought from its resting place in the house of Obed-Edom. Thousands of people were assembled. Priests dressed in fine, white linen were gathered. There were choirs and orchestras. As the priests brought the Ark, each step was announced by blaring sounds of ram’s horns and trumpets, clashes of symbols, and music from harps and lyres. This is the occasion for which David danced before the Lord.
He composed a psalm for the occasion, found in 1 Chronicles 16:23-33. The psalm David wrote is also used in parts of Psalm 105 and Psalm 106. It was common for Jewish leaders to combine portions of psalms to build their own psalm for a special occasion.
In the Chronicle version, the psalm (probably all three) are attributed to David. The heading of the Septuagint contains the same inscription. David is appointing some of the Levites to minister before the Ark of the Covenant. Some theologians see this combination being used again at the rededication of the Temple after Babylon.
Ultimately the psalm looks ahead to the Kingdom when the Messiah reigns among the Gentiles. The Psalm is a prophecy that a day is coming when God will judge the entire world in righteousness. David saw the coming of the Ark as a pledge by God that He would come in the future to reign as King over all the earth. H.C. Leupold (1892-1972) writes that the psalm “throbs with the hope of the Lord’s coming.”
The Lord Reigns
While the words “the Lord reigns” are not mentioned, the concept of God’s place as King is evident throughout. The position of God to us becomes evident as we approach God. We notice immediately that He is worthy of our worship. There is a sense that we need to proclaim His salvation everywhere that we go, day after day. In addition, we should declare God’s glory to everyone, as well as telling his marvelous deeds (compare also Psalm 98:1).
Many theologians see a relationship between Psalm 96 and Isaiah. Themes in both this psalm and Isaiah include teaching against idolatry (Isaiah 40:18-31, Isaiah 41:21, Isaiah 44:6-8), creation (Isaiah 40:22, Isaiah 42:5, Isaiah 44:24, Isaiah 45:12), nature responding to God’s redemption (Isaiah 49:13, Isaiah 55:12) and the nations (Isaiah 45:20, Isaiah 49:7, Isaiah 56:3-8, Isaiah 60:9-12).
Notice the command in verse 10. We are to proclaim among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” Denying God’s existence breaks this imperative.
Sounds of Glory
Three psalms start with the same words – “Sing to the Lord a new song” (Psalm 96:1, Psalm 98:1, Psalm 149:1)! Isaiah tells us the same thing (Isaiah 42:10). Psalm 33:3 encourages us with a similar message. The psalmist adds, “I will sing a new song to you, O God” (Psalm 144:9).
Why is there such an emphasis upon singing? There may actually be a context found in Psalm 40.
I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him (Psalm 40:1-3 NIV).
The psalmist describes the circumstances of life. We pray to the Lord for deliverance and then wait. Sometimes patiently, sometimes frantically. Our timetable is often far from God’s. Of course, God hears us immediately, but sometimes His answer seems to tarry. God rescues us.
A New Song
It is at the moment of rescue that God puts a new song in the mouth. The evidence of God’s continuing expressions of grace should prompt us to sing. There is no “oldies music” when describing the providential care of God. The story may be old, but the melody in our heart is fresh and inspired.
In Hebrew, this psalm is known as Shiru Lashem (“sing to the Lord”). The word “sing” is repeated three times and signifies the three daily prayers when Israel sings praises to God. The Shacharit is the morning prayer and corresponds with verse one. The Mincha speaks to the afternoon prayer and the Maariv is the evening prayer.
In Christianity, the psalm is a part of the liturgies of many denominations. The Latin conclusion, “Laetentur caeli” is used during the Christmas night liturgy. Matthew Henry (1662-1714) believed that verses 10 to 13 provide instructions for what preachers should preach, what anyone who shares the gospel should present.
Six Imperatives
There are six imperatives in the first few verses of the Psalm 96. There are three commands to “sing” to the Lord – twice in verse one and once in verse two. In addition, we are called to “praise” His name (verse two), to “proclaim” His salvation day after day (verse two), and to “declare” His glory (verse three).
It is interesting that we are first to praise His name, and then we are to proclaim His name. G. Campbell Morgan (1863-1945) wrote, “If the song of the Lord begins in the heart, it always grows into the chorus in which others are included in the music.”
Martin Luther once said, “Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise.” Songs are a critical part of the experience of life.
The Hebrew word for worship means to prostrate oneself, to fall flat on your face to the ground. This understanding is so different than what the English word worship conveys. Probably your image of worship is standing and lifting your hands in praise to God. Praise is a part of the Hebrew concept, but it is a praise that falls in reverence and awe before the Father.
Glory: Great is the Lord
Glory is a difficult word to define. It represents a majestic aura of the amazing presence of God, but that seems to only grasp a portion of the word. There is something of weight and impressiveness about the glory of God. Indeed, in some way, what we do is to “give” God glory.
Giving God glory recognizes God for who He is and what He has done. When we understand God as Creator, rather than explaining the universe as a result of random chance, we are giving God glory. When we recognize Jesus as God’s Son, our Savior and the promised Messiah rather than a good teacher or prophet, we are giving God glory. As we apply God’s truth and apply it to daily decisions rather than making choices on our own, we are giving God glory.
In this psalm, we are to declare his glory to the nations. We are to ascribe glory to God, as well as proclaim His glory to others.
John Piper, preacher at Bethlehem Church in Minneapolis, says “Jesus Christ has been the key and goal of all the Psalms. They are not complete without Him.”
Ascribe Glory
The repetition of a word three times impresses upon us the urgency and importance of the command. Like singing, we are given an imperative to “ascribe.” The word “ascribe” means to attribute a quality to a cause or a person. When we ascribe glory to the Lord, we are saying glory belongs to Him. Glory is defined by Him. Notice the similarities with the 1 Chronicles 16 passage and Psalm 29.
Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come before him.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
30 Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved (1 Chronicles 16:28-30 NIV).
Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness (Psalm 29:1-2 NIV).
An Invitation
The invitation extends to all nations to come to God’s sanctuary, bring a sacrifice, and worship Him. The Psalms (Psalm 65:4, Psalm 84:2, Psalm 92:13, Psalm 100:4, Psalm 116:19, Psalm 135:2) clearly demonstrates this concept. The people who worship God can expect Him to cleanse them before they worship Him (Hebrews 10:19-25). We approach God through the righteousness through Christ Jesus.
A very important theological concept dictates the teaching presented in this verse. We are to give God the glory that is due His name. Several of the Ten Commandments stress the importance of God’s name. To even use the name in a frivolous manner fails to give God glory. Putting another god on the same level as God fails to give God glory.
Proclaim Glory
We are to proclaim among the nations “The Lord reigns.” Let’s look at three things that the psalmist says that God’s people – you and I – should do among the nations.
- First, we are to declare to the nations the truth about God’s glory and works and salvation. What is the heart of the message? We proclaim “the Lord reigns” by our words and our obedience. The story may be personal – what is God doing with me, how do I live because I understand that the Lord reigns.
- Second, we are invite the nations to praise God with us. We begin by gently showing the world the presence of God as a Creator. We then help them see that God’s glory can be seen throughout His creation. Explain to them the role of the Messiah in God’s covenant with us.
- Finally, we help the nations see that God is eventually going to judge the world. His judgment – even to those nations – will be fair and necessary. He judges people with equity (verse 10).
What to Speak to the Nations
Declaring God’s glory among the nations” is a vital command. What content do we need to include? How do we go about presenting a message when the task is so great? Here are a few ideas:
- Pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers into the harvest (Matthew 9:38). The task is huge and will need divine assistance.
- Count the cost of being a disciple (Luke 14:25-33). Culture has made membership at a church little more than membership at the YMCA. Understand the cost that Jesus paid for your membership dues.
- Place Jesus at the center of any message that you present. People will not receive salvation because their name was on the record at your church. The gospel is good news because a relationship is restored – theirs with the Creator. The mediator making peace between the two parties is Jesus.
- Begin to declare to the nations by serving others, start with your local congregation. Actions speak louder than words.
- Keep joy in your heart (Psalm 100:2).
The New Testament Fulfills an Old Testament Dream
This truth is not simply an Old Testament dream. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul to the Romans.
I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised (the Jews) to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles (the nations) might glorify God for His mercy. As it is written:
I will praise you among the Gentiles (nations), and sing to your name. Again it is said, Rejoice, O Gentiles (nations), with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles (nations), and let all the peoples extol him. And again, Isaiah says, The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles (nations); in him will the Gentiles (nations) hope (Romans 15:8-12 ESV).
Who Are the Nations?
Who are the nations? The group “The Joshua Project” claims 1569 groups of people stand unengaged (no missionaries or churches in their area). Another 6747 areas of the world qualify as barely reached (less than 2% evangelical). Make these statistics come alive in your area. How many unchurched or unreached people live where you live? How will you reach them – since a sign indicating that your church is “user-friendly” probably does not even catch their attention?
Maybe singing a new song means genuinely finding new ways to sing to the Lord in a way that the nations will still hear. As culture slips further away from the truth and from God, your song doesn’t need to blend in with what the nations are singing. Your song needs to stand out.
Coming in Glory
Let’s conclude our thoughts on this psalm by looking at a phrase in the last verse: “For He comes, He comes to judge the earth.” Through the Old Testament, God’s people looked for the coming of a Messiah. The New Testament anticipates the Messiah coming again.
A Triumphant Return
The king comes. The prophet Zechariah foretold the king was coming. It is easy to see the arrival of the baby in the manger. The words from the prophet fit snuggly into the narrative of the Christmas story. The passage can fit into the story of the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
Rejoice greatly, people of Jerusalem!
Shout for joy, people of Jerusalem!
Your king is coming to you.
He does what is right, and he saves.
He is gentle and riding on a donkey,
on the colt of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9 NCV).
The 96th Psalm celebrates the kingship of the Lord throughout its verses. The concept stands joyfully before us once again. The king comes to judge the earth. The people did not often see impartial and righteous judges. Corrupt judges accepted bribes in order to assure a particular decision.
A Coming Judgment
Some people see the judgment of God as a reason for fear. If you were concerned about the integrity of the judge, if you knew you were guilty, or if you did not have the amount of money necessary to bribe the judge toward your favor, there would be ample reason to fear the appearance before a judge.
To a point, we stand before God in that kind of dire need. We ARE guilty. But we don’t stand before the judge with guilt. The atonement of Jesus washes the books and the heart clean of guilt. The believer stands before God, given a righteousness that none of us deserve.
We also stand before a judge who acts with righteousness and faithfulness. Bribery fails to sway this righteous Judge. I imagine that Satan has already begun to try to bribe God. We trust God’s integrity, but also His love. We are to celebrate and anticipate the coming judgment from God because we are confident of the outcome.
Great is the Lord
As we read through the Royal Psalms in general, and through Psalm 96 in particular, an appreciation of the majesty of God permeates the teaching. Our response to this quality of God is to proclaim, “Great is the Lord” and we bow to the reign of the Lord. We ascribe glory to Him by acknowledging what He has done, and looking ahead to His return.