John Gill Commentary Psalms 96

O sing to the Lord a new song
A famous excellent one, suited to Gospel times, on account of the new benefit and blessing of redemption and salvation lately obtained by the Messiah; which should be sung to him, who is the Lord or Jehovah here designed, by all the redeemed ones, (Revelation 5:9) , (See Gill on Psalms 33:3), the Targum adds, ``sing, you angels on high:''

sing to the Lord all the earth :
not the whole land of Israel only, as Aben Ezra interprets it; though here the Saviour first appeared, taught his doctrines, wrought his miracles, suffered, and died for the salvation of his people; here the angels first began the new song; and here those that believed in him first expressed that spiritual joy which afterwards spread through the whole world, and who are here called upon to sing; namely, all those that are redeemed from among men, throughout all the earth:

believing Gentiles are here intended: the Targum is, ``sing before the Lord, all you righteous of the earth.''

Sing unto the Lord
Which is repeated to show the vehemency of the speaker, and the importance of the work exhorted to: this being the third time that the word Lord or Jehovah is mentioned, have led some to think of the trinity of Persons, Father, Son, and Spirit, the one only Jehovah, to whom the new song of salvation is to be sung, because of their joyful concern in it; the Father has contrived it, the Son has effected it, and the Spirit applies it:

bless his name :
speak well of him, whose name is excellent and glorious, sweet and precious; even every name of his, Jesus, Immanuel, &c. proclaim him the ever blessed God, as he is, as comes before with the blessings of goodness, and made most blessed for ever; as Mediator, ascribe all spiritual blessings to him, and bless him for them, and give him the glory and honour of them:

show forth his salvation from day today ;
the salvation of his people he undertook, and has completed; publish that as a piece of good news, as glad tidings; so the word ^F14 used signifies; even evangelizing, or preaching the Gospel; for this is the Gospel, the sum and substance of it, salvation by Jesus Christ: this may be considered as directed to ministers of the Gospel, whose work it is, more peculiarly, to show forth the salvation of Christ; to point him out as a Saviour to sensible sinners; to declare that this salvation is done, is wrought out for sinners, is full and complete; is to be had freely, and to be had now; and this is to be done

from day today ,
one Lord's day after another, frequently and constantly, when opportunity serves.

FOOTNOTES:

• F14: (wrvb) "evangelizate", Montanus, Tigurine version, Musculus, Cocceius, Michaelis.

Declare his glory among the Heathen
What a glorious Person the Messiah is; the brightness of his Father's glory; having all the perfections of deity in him; how the glory of God appears in him, and in all that he has done; and especially in the work of redemption, in which the glory of divine wisdom, power, justice, truth, and faithfulness, love, grace, and mercy, is richly displayed;

say what glory he is advanced unto, having done his work, being highly exalted, set at the right hand of God, and crowned with glory and honour; and what a fulness of grace there is in him, for the supply of his people; and what a glory is on him, which they shall behold to all eternity:

his wonders among all people :
what a wonderful person he is, God manifest in the flesh; what wonderful love he has shown in his incarnation, obedience, sufferings, and death; what amazing miracles he wrought, and what a wonderful work he performed; the work of our redemption, the wonder of men and angels;

declare his wonderful resurrection from the dead, his ascension to heaven, sitting at the right hand of God, and intercession for his people; the wonderful effusion of his Spirit, and the conquests of his grace, and the enlargement of his kingdom in the world; as also what wonders will be wrought by him when he appears a second time; how the dead will be raised and all will be judged.

For the Lord is great

In the perfections of his nature; in the works of his hands, of creation, providence, and redemption; and in the several offices he bears and executes:

and greatly to be praised ;

because of his greatness and glory; (See Gill on Psalms 48:1),

he is to be feared above all gods ;

the angels by whom he is worshipped; civil magistrates, among whom he presides, and judges; and all the fictitious deities of the Gentiles, who are not to be named with him, and to whom no fear, reverence, and worship, are due.

For all the gods of the nations are idols
Or are "nothings" ^F15 , nonentities; such as have not, and never had, any being, at least many of them, but in the fancies of men; and all of them such as have no divinity in them;

an idol is nothing in the world ,
(1 Corinthians 8:4) ,

but the Lord made the heavens ;
and all the hosts of them, the sun, moon, and stars; these are the curious workmanship of his fingers, and which declare his glory, and show him to be truly and properly God, who is to be feared and worshipped; see (Jeremiah 10:11Jeremiah 10:12) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F15: (Mylyla) "nihila", Tigurine version, Cocceius, Michaelis.