John Calvin Commentary Psalms 96:1

"Oh sing unto Jehovah a new song: Sing unto Jehovah, all the earth." — Psalms 96:1 (ASV)

Sing unto Jehovah a new song. This commencement shows that, as I have already observed, the Psalmist is exhorting the whole world, and not the Israelites merely, to the practice of devotion. Nor could this happen unless the gospel were universally diffused as the means of conveying the knowledge of God. The saying of Paul must necessarily hold true,

How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? (Romans 10:14).

The same Apostle proves the calling of the Gentiles by citing as testimony, Praise the Lord, ye Gentiles, with his people (Romans 15:11). From this it follows that fellowship in the faith is connected with the joint celebration of praise. Besides, the Psalmist requires a new song, not one that was common and had previously been sung.

He must therefore refer to some unusual and extraordinary display of Divine goodness. Thus, when Isaiah speaks of the restoration of the Church, which was wonderful and incredible, he says, Sing unto the Lord a new song (Isaiah 42:10). The Psalmist therefore suggests that the time had come when God would establish His kingdom in the world in a manner altogether unexpected.

As he proceeds, he suggests even more clearly that all nations would share in the favor of God. He calls upon them everywhere to proclaim His salvation. His desire that they should celebrate it from day to day signifies that it was not of a fading or evanescent nature, but one that would endure forever.