For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psalm 96

1 Sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
    proclaim his salvation day after day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvellous deeds among all peoples.

4 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
    he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendour and majesty are before him;
    strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

7 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name;
    bring an offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendour 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 moved;
    he will judge the peoples with equity.

11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
    let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
    let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
13 Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
    he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
    and the peoples in his faithfulness.

A. Find Out:    

1. What is the opening exhortation? v.1,2a
2. What content is there to be to that? v.2b,3
3. How does the Lord differ from gods and idols? v.4-6
4. So what are we to do? v.7-9
5. What are we to declare to the nations? v.10
6. Who will rejoice and why? v.11-13

B. Think:

1. What is the progression observed? v.1,3,7,9,10
2. What reason for worship is given in v.1-9?
3. What reason for worship is given in v.10-13?

C. Comment:

There is a steady progression through this psalm. First of all, sing (v.1). Singing is an emotional act. Second, there is declaring (v.3). Declaring is an intellectual act, speaking out knowledge. Third, there is ascribing (v.7). Ascribing is a logical conclusion following observation. Fourth, there is worship (v.9). Worship is an act of will, an act of submission to the observed greatness of God. Fifth, there is testimony (v.10), declaration to others, conveying what you know to others.

Having just said there is an order, it isn’t, perhaps, so neat as that. The singing a new song (v.1) only comes after the recognition of the truths about God, who He is (v.2) and what He has done (v.3). It only comes after recognising that he is quite unlike gods and idols (v.4,5), He is the Creator of the world (v.5) and is majestic, glorious and incredibly powerful (v.6-8). This should evoke the singing (v.1,2) and worship (v.9). The testimony we spoke of (v.10) is also evident through the singing (v.3). Israel and the Church are called to be lights to the nations. As we worship so we testify to the world that God lives.

But there is yet more about the Lord. He’s the Ruler over all things (v.10a) and therefore His will prevails and He holds the earth in place (v.10b) and He is the one who assesses the people of the earth (v.10a) and will yet come to judge the earth (v.13)

D. Application:

1. Worship the Lord from all you know of Him.
2. Worship is the response of knowledge and experience.