Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 96:10
Say among the heathen [that] the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.
10. Say among the nations, Jehovah hath proclaimed himself King. The message to the nations resembles the message to Zion, Isa 52:7. By His recent action He has proclaimed Himself King not of Israel only but of all the world. Cp. Psa 93:1.
The Old Latin Version as preserved in the Psalterium Romanum ( Introd. p. lxxii.) contains the famous reading Dominus regnavit a ligno, ‘The Lord hath reigned from the tree,’ which is quoted by many of the Latin Fathers from Tertullian onwards as a prophecy of Christ’s triumph through death. Justin Martyr appears to be the only certain Greek authority for the addition [53] . He treats the Psalm as a prophecy of Christ’s reign after His crucifixion ( Apol. i. 41), and in the Dialogue with Trypho the Jew (c. 73) he charges the Jews with having falsified the text by erasing the words from the tree ( ). The charge is groundless. Doubtless the words were simply a Christian gloss on the text, which had no wide currency, except through the Old Latin Version. No MSS. of the LXX contain them except the transliterated Graeco-Latin Psalterium Veronense, which has apo xylu, and cod. 156, which has the barbarism . In both cases the reading was probably introduced from the Old Latin.
[53] Possibly there may be an allusion to this reading in the Ep. of Barnabas, c. viii., .
The words have however been familiarised by Dr Neale’s translation of the hymn Vexilla regis prodeunt, ‘The royal banners forward go’ (by Venantius Fortunatus, bishop of Poitiers, a.d. 609),
“Impleta sunt quae concinit
David fideli carmine,
Dicendo in nationibus
Regnavit a ligno Deus.”
“Fulfilled is now what David told,
In true prophetic song of old;
How God the heathen’s king should be,
For God is reigning from the Tree.”
the world also &c.] Yea, the world shall be established that it be not shaken. So Psa 93:1 c. On the reading he hath ordered the world, represented by the LXX, Symm. and Jer., see note there.
he shall judge &c.] He shall minister Judgement unto the peoples in equity. From Psa 9:8 b, cp. Psa 7:8. The first and third lines of this verse are omitted in Chron.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
10 13. Proclaim that Jehovah is King, and let universal Nature rejoice in the prospect of His righteous rule.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Say among the heathen – Among the nations; all nations. Make this proclamation everywhere. This is changed from the parallel passage in 1 Chr. 16. The language there is, Fear before him, all the earth; the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved: let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let people say among the nations, The Lord reigneth. The sense is, however, essentially the same. The idea here is, Make universal proclamation that Yahweh is King.
That the Lord reigneth – See the notes at Psa 93:1.
The world also shall be established … – Under the reign of God. The meaning is, that the world is fixed or immovable. It has its place, and it cannot be moved out of it. The government of God is fixed and stable. It is not temporary, changing, vacillating, like the dynasties of the earth, but is stedfast and abiding, and is well represented by the earth – so fixed and firm that nothing can move it from its place.
He shall judge the people righteously – The people of all lands; the nations of the earth. See the notes at Psa 67:4.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 96:10
Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth.
The message to the heathen world
I. Its meaning.
1. As the utterance of Jewish faith and joy.
(1) The supremacy of Jehovah above all others called gods and worshipped.
(2) His dominion over all the elements and agencies of nature.
(3) His supreme authority over the moral world.
In the procedure of the Divine government there might be much dark to men, but on the principles regulating it they might calmly rely. Its reasons were often concealed; its designs appeared different to what its subjects would have chosen. Confusion and disorder not infrequently seemed to prevail, but the Lord on high was King. He sat on the throne, doing right. Over all lands, through all ages, by all agencies, in all things, He ruled absolutely, as not under the power of Fate, righteously as ever doing well.
2. In the announcement of this text by the Christian teacher there is all this and much more. Gods revelation of Himself and of His government has been gradual. The fullest is that made to us in Christ. To us who bow before Christ as Lord of all, the assertion that He reigns means grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life–it means that sin shall not reign in those who submit to Him–it means that He has received power to forgive sin, having suffered the just for the unjust to bring us to God–it means that He can impart a Spirit that shall root out the love of sin, and infuse strength to subdue the power of it, and gain more than victory over that death which was entailed as its curse.
II. Its proclamation. Tell it out among the heathen, the people outside the Church, all the nations beyond the covenanted people–The Lord reigneth. Why so?
1. The kingdom of heaven upon earth, into which men are received to be blessed, has never been proclaimed, much less established amongst them; and the people are perishing from lack of knowledge. They must know it to become partakers of its blessings. Many blessings the whole family of man partake of through the bounty of God and the mediation of Christ, though they know nothing of either of them; but the great blessings of redemption from sin, deliverance from the kingdom of darkness, life eternal, are given to those who believe (Rom 10:14).
2. We have the command, and it is important to us that we obey it. Objections–
(1) I can do but little. I could not speak in a language the heathen understand. I cannot leave my home and duties here to teach them. Very true. The Church must find its messengers, as the nation finds its soldiers. Every one may not go out to the battle, but all the nation take part in it.
(2) I must think of heathen at home. Doubtless. They are many, and they need to know all about these great things as much as the heathen abroad. They have been much more thought of, and taught Divine truth, since men have been more interested in those of other lands. Attempts to enlighten others will never excuse your neglect of these.
(3) I do not think it is much good to preach to the heathen. They are unfit to receive it. You do no good by it. Civilize them first, say some, by education, by commerce. Great agencies, doubtless, the one in destroying superstitions and making infidels, the other in circulating spirits and gunpowder, and showing men that many think gain is godliness. Alone they have not done much else.
(4) You increase the responsibility of those who refuse to receive the truth. Truly, so we do whenever we teach the truth at home; so we do in educating our children if they use not education aright; so you do in warning a criminal charged with a first offence if he should do wrong again; but what then? We are to obey, do good, and communicate, and leave the results with God.
(5) We shall not do much till Christ come. Will it not be well to be found doing the Masters work when He comes? (John Trafford, M.A.)
Proclaiming Christs reign to the heathen
The Rev. E. P. Scott, while labouring as a missionary in India, saw in the street one of the strangest-looking heathens his eyes had ever lit upon. Upon inquiry, he found that he was a representative of the inland tribes that lived in the mountain districts, and which came down once a year to trade. Upon further investigation he found that the Gospel had never been preached to them, and that it was hazardous to venture among them because of their murderous propensities. He went to his lodging-place and pleaded for Divine direction. Arising from his knees, he packed his handbag, took his violin, with which he was accustomed to sing, and started in the direction of the tribe. As he bade his fellow-missionaries farewell, they said, We shall never see you again; it is madness for you to go. But he said, I must preach Jesus to them. For two days he travelled without scarcely meeting a human being, until at last he found himself in the mountains and suddenly surrounded by a crowd of savages. Every spear was instantly pointed at his heart. He expected that every moment would be his last. Not knowing of any other resource he tried the power of singing the name of Jesus to them. Drawing forth his violin, he began with closed eyes to sing and pray,
All hail the power of Jesus name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.
On commencing the third verse he opened his eyes to see what they were going to do, when lo! the spears had dropped from their hands, and the big tears were falling from their eyes. They afterwards invited him to their homes. He spent two and a half years among them. His labours were so richly rewarded that when he was compelled to leave them because of impaired health to return home, they followed him for thirty miles. Oh, missionary, they said, come back to us again! After visiting America, he went back again to continue his labours till he sank into the grave among them.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 10. Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth] Justin Martyr, in his dialogue with Trypho the Jew, quotes this passage thus: , , “Say among the nations, the Lord ruleth by the wood,” meaning the cross; and accuses the Jews of having blotted this word out of their Bibles, because of the evidence it gave of the truth of Christianity. It appears that this reading did exist anciently in the Septuagint, or at least in some ancient copies of that work, for the reading has been quoted by Tertullian, Lactantius, Arnobius, Augustine, Cassiodorus, Pope Leo, Gregory of Tours, and others. The reading is still extant in the ancient Roman Psalter, Dominus regnavit a ligno, and in some others. In an ancient MS. copy of the Psalter before me, while the text exhibits the commonly received reading, the margin has the following gloss: Regnavit a ligno crucis, “The Lord reigns by the wood of the cross.” My old Scotico-Latin Psalter has not a ligno in the text, but seems to refer to it in the paraphrase: For Criste regned efter the dede on the crosse. It is necessary, however, to add, that no such words exist in any copy of the Hebrew text now extant, nor in any MS. yet collated, nor in any of the ancient Versions. Neither Eusebius nor Jerome even refer to it, who wrote comments on the Psalms; nor is it mentioned by any Greek writer except Justin Martyr.
The world also shall be established] The word tebel signifies the habitable globe, and may be a metonymy here, the container put for the contained. And many think that by it the Church is intended; as the Lord, who is announced to the heathen as reigning, is understood to be Jesus Christ; and his judging among the people, his establishing the holy Gospel among them, and governing the nations by its laws.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Say among the heathen: you converted Gentiles, declare this to those who yet remain in the darkness of heathenism.
That the Lord reigneth; that God hath now set up his throne and kingdom in the world. And as that kingdom shall never be destroyed, but shall stand for ever, as is said, Dan 2:44; so the nations of the world shall by the means of it enjoy an established and lasting peace; which is every where mentioned as one of the blessings which the Messiah shall give to the world, as Psa 72:3,7; Isa 9:6,7; 66:12; Mic 5:5; Zec 9:10.
He shall judge the people righteously; he shall not abuse his invincible power and established dominion to the oppression of his people, as other princes frequently do, but shall govern them by the rules of justice and equity, which is the only foundation of a true and solid peace. See Isa 32:17.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. Let all know that thegovernment of the world is ordered in justice, and they shall enjoyfirm and lasting peace (compare Psa 72:3;Psa 72:7; Isa 9:6;Isa 9:7).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Say among the Heathen,…. This is a direction to such as were converted to Christ among the Jews, or were first called out from among the Gentiles; or to the ministers of the word, the apostles and first preachers of the Gospel more especially, who were sent into all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature, that a people from among them might he taken for the Lord:
that the Lord reigneth; whose Gospel should be received and obeyed, and his ordinances submitted to; who now reigns in heaven, at his Father’s right hand, and must reign till all enemies are put under his feet; he reigns in the hearts of his people by his Spirit and grace; will reign more gloriously in his churches in the latter day, and with his saints for a thousand years in the New Jerusalem church state; and, after that, to all eternity in heaven: this is one part of the Gospel, or good tidings to be published among the Gentiles, Isa 52:7,
the world also shall be established, that it shall not be moved; not the natural material world; for that shall flee, and pass away, and be no more; it shall be burnt up, and all things in it; though that, and mankind on it, will be continued till all the elect of God are gathered in; Christ will uphold it, it being by his power that it shall not be moved till the work is effected: moreover, the church, in however fluctuating and unsettled a condition it may be now, sometimes in one place, and sometimes in another, yet ere long will be established on the top of the mountains, so that it shall not be moved; and the Gospel dispensation is what will remain unto the end of time, and the Gospel is an everlasting one; the ordinances of it will continue to the second coming of Christ; and he will be with his churches to the end of the world; he is reigning King of Zion; has set up a government, of which, and the peace of it, there shall be no end: during the spiritual reign of Christ, the world will be in such stable tranquillity as to have no commotions in it, nor to be moved with wars, and rumours of wars; and when the Millennium shall take place, the new heavens and new earth shall never pass away:
he shall judge the people righteously: he reigns over his people in a righteous manner, with a sceptre of righteousness, according to the rules of righteousness, by righteous laws and ordinances; he justifies his people with his own righteousness; he forms the new man in them, which is created in righteousness, and sets up a kingdom within them, which consists of righteousness; and he protects and defends them, and keeps them in safety from all their enemies.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
That which is to be said among the peoples is the joyous evangel of the kingdom of heaven which is now come and realized. The watchword is “Jahve is King,” as in Isa 52:7. The lxx correctly renders:
(Note: In the Psalterium Veronense with the addition apo xylu, Cod. 156, Latinizing ; in the Latin Psalters (the Vulgate excepted) a ligno , undoubtedly an addition by an early Christian hand, upon which, however, great value is set by Justin and all the early Latin Fathers.)
for is intended historically (Rev 11:17). , as in Psa 93:1, introduces that which results from this fact, and therefore to a certain extent goes beyond it. The world below, hitherto shaken by war and anarchy, now stands upon foundations that cannot be shaken in time to come, under Jahve’s righteous and gentle sway. This is the joyful tidings of the new era which the poet predicts from out of his own times, when he depicts the joy that will then pervade the whole creation; in connection with which it is hardly intentional that Psa 96:11 and Psa 96:11 acrostically contain the divine names and . This joining of all creatures in the joy at Jahve’s appearing is a characteristic feature of Isa 40:1. These cords are already struck in Isa 35:1. “The sea and its fulness” as in Isa 42:10. In the chronicler Psa 96:10 ( instead of ) stands between Psa 96:11 and Psa 96:11 – according to Hitzig, who uses all his ingenuity here in favour of that other recension of the text, by an oversight of the copyist.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| The Kingdom of Christ. | |
10 Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. 11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. 12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice 13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
We have here instructions given to those who were to preach the gospel to the nations what to preach, or to those who had themselves received the gospel what account to give of it to their neighbours, what to say among the heathen; and it is an illustrious prophecy of the setting up of the kingdom of Christ upon the ruins of the devil’s kingdom, which began immediately after his ascension and will continue in the doing till the mystery of God be finished.
I. Let it be told that the Lord reigns, the Lord Christ reigns, that King whom God determined to set upon his holy hill of Zion. See how this was first said among the heathen by Peter, Acts x. 42. Some of the ancients added a gloss to this, which by degrees crept into the text, The Lord reigneth from the tree (so Justin Martyr, Austin, and others, quote it), meaning the cross, when he had this title written over him, The King of the Jews. It was because he became obedient to death, even the death of the cross, that God exalted him, and gave him a name above every name, a throne above every throne. Some of the heathen came betimes to enquire after him that was born King of the Jews, Matt. ii. 2. Now let them know that he has come and his kingdom is set up.
II. Let it be told that Christ’s government will be the world’s happy settlement. The world also shall be established, that it shall not be moved. The natural world shall be established. The standing of the world, and its stability, are owing to the mediation of Christ. Sin had given it a shock, and still threatens it; but Christ, as Redeemer, upholds all things, and preserves the course of nature. The world of mankind shall be established, shall be preserved, till all that belong to the election of grace are called in, though a guilty provoking world. The Christian religion, as far as it is embraced, shall establish states and kingdoms, and preserve good order among men. The church in the world shall be established (so some), that it cannot be moved; for it is built upon a rock, and the gates of hell shall never prevail against it; it is a kingdom that cannot be shaken.
III. Let them be told that Christ’s government will be incontestably just and righteous: He shall judge the people righteously (v. 10), judge the world with righteousness, and with his truth, v. 13. Judging is here put for ruling; and though this may be extended to the general judgment of the world at the last day, which will be in righteousness (Acts xvii. 31), yet it refers more immediately to Christ’s first coming, and the setting up of his kingdom in the world by the gospel. He says himself, For judgment have I come into this world (Joh 9:39; Joh 12:31), and declares that all judgment was committed to him,Joh 5:22; Joh 5:27. His ruling and judging with righteousness and truth signify, 1. That all the laws and ordinances of his kingdom shall be consonant to the rules and principles of eternal truth and equity, that is, to the rectitude and purity of the divine nature and will. 2. That all his administrations of government shall be just and faithful, and according to what he has said. 3. That he shall rule in the hearts and consciences of men by the commanding power of truth and the Spirit of righteousness and sanctification. When Pilate asked our Saviour, Art thou a king? he answered, For this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth (John xviii. 37); for he rules by truth, commands men’s wills by informing their judgments aright.
IV. Let them be told that his coming draws nigh, that this King, this Judge, standeth before the door; for he cometh, for he cometh. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, said so. Behold, the Lord cometh, Jude 14. Between this and his first coming the revolutions of many ages intervened, and yet he came at the set time, and so sure will his second coming be; though it is now long since it was said, Behold, he comes in the clouds (Rev. i. 7) and he has not yet come. See 2 Pet. iii. 4, c.
V. Let them be called upon to rejoice in this honour that is put upon the Messiah, and this great trust that is to be lodged in his hand (Psa 96:11Psa 96:12): Let heaven and earth rejoice, the sea, the field, and all the trees of the wood. The dialect here is poetical; the meaning is, 1. That the days of the Messiah will be joyful days, and, as far as his grace and government are submitted to, will bring joy along with them. We have reason to give that place, that soul, joy into which Christ is admitted. See an instance of both, Act 8:4-25; Act 8:26-40 When Samaria received the gospel there was great joy in that city (v. 8), and, when the eunuch was baptized, he went on his way rejoicing, v. 39. 2. That it is the duty of every one of us to bid Christ and his kingdom welcome; for, though he comes conquering and to conquer, yet he comes peaceably. Hosanna, Blessed is he that cometh; and again, Hosanna, Blessed be the kingdom of our father David (Mar 11:9; Mar 11:10); not only let the daughter of Zion rejoice that her King comes (Zech. ix. 9), but let all rejoice. 3. That the whole creation will have reason to rejoice in the setting up of Christ’s kingdom, even the sea and the field; for, as by the sin of the first Adam the whole creation was made subject to vanity, so by the grace of the second Adam it shall, some way or other, first or last, be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God,Rom 8:20; Rom 8:21. 4. That there will, in the first place, be joy in heaven, joy in the presence of the angels of God; for, when the First-begotten was brought into the world, they sang their anthems to his praise, Luke ii. 14. 5. That God will graciously accept the holy joy and praises of all the hearty well-wishers to the kingdom of Christ, be their capacity ever so mean. The sea can but roar, and how the trees of the wood can show that they rejoice I know not; but he that searches the heart knows what is the mind of the Spirit, and understands the language, the broken language, of the weakest.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
10. Say among the heathen, Jehovah reigneth His language again implies that it is only where God rules and presides that he can be worshipped. The Gentiles could not possibly profess the worship of God, so long as his throne was only in the small corner of Judea, and they were not acknowledging his government. Accordingly, the Psalmist speaks of his extending his kingdom to all parts of the world, with the view of gathering unto himself in one, those who had formerly been divided and scattered. The expression, Say among the heathen, signifies that God would enlarge the boundaries of his kingdom by his word and doctrine. What is said of the world being established, is particularly worthy of our observation. So far as the order of nature is concerned, we know that it has been Divinely established, and fixed from the beginning; that the same sun, moon, and stars, continue to shine in heaven; that the wicked and the unbelieving are sustained with food, and breathe the vital air, just as do the righteous. Still we are to remember that so long as un-godliness has possession of the minds of men, the world, plunged as it is in darkness, must be considered as thrown into a state of confusion, and of horrible disorder and misrule; for there can be no stability apart from God. The world is very properly here said therefore to be established, that it should not shake, when men are brought back into a state of subjection to God. We learn this truth from the passage, That though all the creatures should be discharging their various offices, no order can be said to prevail in the world, until God erect his throne and reign amongst men. What more monstrous disorder can be conceived of, than exists where the Creator himself is not acknowledged? Wicked and unbelieving men may be satisfied with their own condition, but it is necessarily most insecure, most unstable; and destitute as they are of any foundation in God, their life may be said to hang by a thread. (92) We are to recollect what we have seen taught, (Psa 46:5) “God is in the midst of the holy city, she shall not be moved.” Very possibly there may be an indirect allusion to the imperfect and uncompleted state of things under the Law, and a contrast may have been intended between the perfect condition of things which should obtain under Christ, and the prelude to it under the former period. Next he predicts that the kingdom to be introduced should be distinguished by righteousness, according to what we have seen, (Psa 45:6) “A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.” The term judging, in the Hebrew, includes government of any kind. If God’s method of governing men be to form and regulate their lives to righteousness, we may infer, that however easily men may be satisfied with themselves, all is necessarily wrong with them, till they have been made subject to Christ. And this righteousness of which the Psalmist speaks has not reference merely to the outward actions. It comprehends a new heart, commencing as it does in the regeneration of the Spirit, by which we are formed again into the likeness of God.
(92) “ Semper tamen fluctuari necesse est, et vitam eoram pendere de filo, quia in Deo fundatus non est eorum status.” — Lat.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) Say among the heathen.The watchword of the Restoration, Jehovah has become King (see Psa. 93:1, note, and comp. Isa. 52:7), is an Evangel not only for Jerusalem but for the world at large. But to it is added (see the difference of arrangement in 1Ch. 16:29-31) the further statement of the stability of the world, emblem of the stability and justice of the Divine Government.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Say among the heathen The address is to the Church, as in Psa 96:3. The conversion of the Gentile nations (Psa 96:5; Psa 96:7; Psa 96:9; Psa 96:13) was the psalmist’s theme, of which the Church is the chosen instrument.
The Lord reigneth See on Psa 93:1. “Jehovah reigneth,” in the Hebrew estimation, embodied all that could be said or desired of happiness to the earth and glory to God. Their ideal of millennium was the universal theocracy, as ours is of the Christocracy. To them the coming of Messiah was the “day of Jehovah.” Mal 4:6
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 96:10 Say among the heathen [that] the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.
Ver. 10. Say among the heathen ] Proclamate undique praecones, &c., Make proclamation everywhere, that now the Lord Christ reigneth; and that there shall be a general jubilee.
The world also shall be established
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
shall be established. Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate read “He hath fixed”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 96:10-13
Psa 96:10-13
THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH
“Say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth:
The world also is established that it cannot be moved:
He will judge the peoples with equity.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof;
Let the field exult, and all that is therein;
Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy
Before Jehovah; for he cometh,
For he cometh to judge the earth:
He will judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with his truth.”
“This passage expresses the Messianic hope (Psa 96:13) … but here, as in Mal 4:6, there is no thought of any personal Messiah. Yahweh himself is the deliverer. Once more, we have an example of scholarly blindness apparently due to lack of a knowledge of the New Testament. Jesus Christ the Messiah, indeed a `Personal Messiah’ was none other than God Himself in the person of his only begotten Son, who in the New Testament is declared to be “God” in no less than a dozen passages (Joh 1:1; Joh 1:18; Joh 20:28; Act 20:38; Rom 9:5; Php 2:6; Col 2:9; 1Ti 3:16; Tit 2:13; Heb 1:8; Jas 1:1; Rev 5:13; Rev 6:16).
“Jehovah reigneth … he will judge the peoples with equity” (Psa 96:10). The reign of Jehovah was announced by John the Baptist as, “The Kingdom of God” and declared to be at hand in the year 26 A.D. That reign began on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ and is in progress at the present time.
“He will judge the peoples” (Psa 96:10). This judgment is progressing continually, as typified in Rev 6:2 under the emblem of the Conquering Saviour on the White Horse. This judgment is being accomplished by the sacred inspired words of the Holy Apostles of Christ, in a spiritual sense, “Sitting upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of the children of Israel” (the New Israel, which is the Church) (Mat 19:28). That this interpretation is correct appears in the fact that this judgment of mankind through the word of the Apostles of Christ will take place “in the times of the regeneration,” that is, in the times when men are being saved, which is, without any doubt whatever, the present age.
“Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice” (Psa 96:11). At the coming of the Messiah, on the night that Christ was born, the heavens themselves burst into song when the chorus of the angelic host sang, “Glory to God in the Highest; peace on earth to men of good will” (Luk 2:14); and the rejoicing of the earth is continuing throughout the ages in the hearts of those obeying the gospel, who go “on their way rejoicing,” as did Philip the eunuch (Act 8:39).
“Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof” (Psa 96:11). This is most likely a reference to the unbelieving populations of mankind, often represented in Scripture as the sea (Rev 13:1), and in the passage here. It is the equivalent of the rage of the heathen mentioned in Psa 2:1. The meaning is, “Let the heathen rage,” God’s judgment of mankind through the gospel of Christ is steadily going forward.
“Let the fields exult … the trees of the wood sing for joy” (Psa 96:12). The joyful sentiment of this verse was captured in Isaac Watts’ famed hymn, “Joy to the World,” set to music by Handel.
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns,
Let men their songs employ,
While fields, and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy.
“Before Jehovah, for he cometh … to judge … he will judge the people by his truth” (Psa 96:13). We have already noted the application of this to the coming of the Messiah and the subsequent judgment of all nations by the Holy Gospels; but there are also overtones here of the Eternal Judgement of the Last Day. In all of the prophecies, there is a tendency to telescope the first judgment of Christ’s Messianic coming that produced, among many other things, the destruction of Jerusalem, with that of the final Great White Throne Judgment of the Day of Jehovah. This occurred, because both of these judgments pertain to “the last times,” of which Peter declared that “These present days” indeed belong to those last times (Act 2:16-17).
Both of these judgments, the one proceeding now by means of the Word of God and the other to come at the end of the age, are tied together in the fact that the basis of judgment in both will be exactly the same. As Jesus said:
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I speak, the same shall judge him in the last day” Joh 12:48.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 96:10. The heathen were the foreign nations surrounding the land of the Israelites. They were to be made to understand that the Lord, not the dumb idols, must be recognized as king and ruler of the world. And it was to be affirmed that the rule of this great Being would be righteous, hence the whole world was assured of the firmness of all things because they were to be supported by the divine foundation.
Psa 96:11. All of the things named in this verse are inanimate and hence cannot exhibit the emotions mentioned. But intelligent creatures everywhere can and should feel the sentiments because of all that the Lord has done in heaven and earth.
Psa 96:12. The comments on the preceding verse will apply to this.
Psa 96:13. The rejoicing should be in the presence of the Lord since he is the creator of all things named. He cometh means the judgment of the Lord will come upon the earth. That judgment will consist in righteous punishment upon the world of wicked people, and all of His decrees will be according to truth.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Say: Psa 18:49, Psa 46:6, Psa 46:10, Psa 126:2, Mal 1:11, Mal 1:14, Gal 1:16
the Lord: Psa 2:8-12, Psa 59:13, Psa 93:1, Psa 97:1, Psa 99:1, Dan 2:44, Mat 3:2, Rev 11:15, Rev 19:6
the world: Isa 49:8, Col 2:7, Heb 1:3
judge: Psa 96:13, Psa 9:8, Psa 67:4, Psa 98:9, Isa 11:3-5, Act 17:31, Rom 2:5, Rom 2:6, Rom 3:5, Rom 3:6, Rev 19:11
Reciprocal: 1Ch 16:31 – The Lord Psa 9:11 – declare Psa 24:2 – and Psa 33:8 – the earth Psa 47:8 – reigneth Psa 104:5 – that it Psa 108:3 – praise Psa 145:11 – the glory Isa 34:1 – Come Isa 45:21 – Tell ye Isa 52:7 – Thy God Isa 65:18 – General Joe 3:9 – Proclaim Luk 2:31 – General Act 8:8 – General 2Co 5:10 – we Tit 2:11 – hath appeared
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 96:10. Say among the heathen You converted Gentiles, declare to those who yet remain in the darkness of heathenism; that the Lord reigneth That God hath now fixed his throne, and set up his kingdom in the world. The world also shall be established, &c. And, as that kingdom shall never be destroyed, but shall stand for ever, Dan 2:44, so the nations of the world shall, by the means of it, enjoy an established and lasting peace: see Psa 72:3; Psa 72:7; Isa 9:6-7; Isa 66:12; Zec 9:10. He shall judge the people righteously He shall not abuse his almighty power and established dominion to the oppression of his people, as other princes frequently do, but shall govern them by the rules of justice and equity, which is the only foundation of a true and solid peace: see Isa 32:17.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
96:10 Say among the {g} heathen [that] the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people {h} righteously.
(g) He prophecies that the Gentiles will be partakers with the Jews of God’s promise.
(h) He will regenerate them anew with his Spirit, and restore them to the image of God.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
It is only reasonable that all tribes acknowledge Yahweh, since He reigns over all the earth. From later revelation, we know that Jesus Christ will judge the peoples fairly when He returns to this earth and sets up His millennial kingdom. Then every knee of every person will bow to His authority (Psa 96:6; cf. Php 2:10).