Psalm 96--Worship in the Splendor of Holiness

Psalm 96
World English Bible

96 Sing to Yahweh a new song!
    Sing to Yahweh, all the earth.
2 Sing to Yahweh!
    Bless his name!
    Proclaim his salvation from day to day!
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples.
4 For Yahweh is great, and greatly to be praised!
    He is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
    but Yahweh made the heavens.
6 Honor and majesty are before him.
    Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to Yahweh, you families of nations,
    ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name.
    Bring an offering, and come into his courts.
9 Worship Yahweh in holy array.
    Tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns.”
    The world is also established.
    It can’t 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 its fullness!
12     Let the field and all that is in it exult!
    Then all the trees of the woods shall sing for joy
13     before Yahweh; for he comes,
    for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
    the peoples with his truth.

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We focus on Psalm 96 this week as it shows God's plan for the nations--to call all of them to worship Him and to become His servants.  The LORD is great not only in Zion (Jerusalem), but in all the earth and is greatly to be praised above all the so-called "gods" of the Gentiles, which are nothing more than impotent, mute, blind, and deaf idols.

They are all called to worship the LORD for His glory and majesty and to fear Him and obey Him.  They are to tremble before Him in holy fear, for He has the right and the power to judge them and condemn them to utter destruction.  It is good they recognize that He is their judge, but this should drive them to ask for the salvation that only He can provide, and that He will provide freely to people of all nations.

The heavens and earth see the glory of God and rejoice and worship Him, so why do the nations not do the same?  Certainly we were made to worship Him.  We are created to recognize His existence and desire to know Him and have a relationship with Him and to praise Him in ways that the other created beings could not.  The "worship" of the earth is mindless with earth shaking, the trees "clapping" as the wind blows through them and the stars "singing" the song they have been given (radio telescopes have shown this to be true), but they don't learn a new song like this Psalm encourages men to do.  Men see and respond in worship.

What are we expected to see and respond to?  That He is the Righteous Judge of all the earth and that we should therefore fear and obey Him, no matter what nation we come from or what language we speak.  There is only one God who is real, and all others are fake and powerless to save us from the day of judgment when the LORD will sit in judgment over all men.  This judgment is not something we fear if we belong to Him because He has already judged our sin at the cross by taking it upon Himself and putting it to death.  However, it is good and right for the unrighteous to fear this day and fear is an excellent motivator to help them run into the arms of a God that is not only the Judge, but their Savior.