Psalms 96:1

PSALM 96

CALLING FOR THE GENTILES TO WORSHIP THE RIGHTEOUS GOD

"This psalm develops a larger view that is not restricted to Israel. Israel is not even mentioned, and the call to worship is addressed to `all nations and all creatures.'"[1] Whereas, in Psalms 95, Israel appears as the "sheep of the Good Shepherd's pasture," that viewpoint is replaced here with, "The more general knowledge that God is the Creator of the heavens and the source of all righteousness and truth."[2]

The Septuagint (LXX) ascribes this psalm to David; and "Significantly, Psalms 95 is written again, with very little change, in 1 Chronicles 16:23-33."[3] In the Chronicles rendition of Psalms 96, not only is David declared as the author, but the very time of his writing it was given as the occasion, namely, when David appointed Asaph and his brethren for certain musical responsibilities in the tabernacle (1 Chronicles 16:7).

We must inquire, therefore, what basis is it upon which scholars boldly declare the psalm to have been written "in the times of the later Hebrew?" Rawlinson identified that basis as, "The style, phraseology and iteration, especially of Psalms 96:1,2,7,8, and 13."[4] To us this is simply ridiculous. In the first place, modern scholars simply do not know that much about the linguistic abilities of King David; and secondly their `conclusion' based upon what they claim to know, is a very poor basis indeed for contradicting a plain statement in the Word of God. We may be absolutely certain that David wrote the psalm, and that he did so upon the occasion outlined in God's Word. Now, it might be true of course, that later copyists, translators, or compilers of the psalms might have reworked it to produce changes which have led to some false scholarly conclusions, but it is still true that David wrote it.

How do the radical critics get around their contradiction of the Old Testament in their denials of Davidic authorship? A good example of how they do it is provided in the opinion of Addis, "This psalm was inserted in Chronicles, not by the Chronicler himself, but by a later hand."[5]

This, of course, appeals to an "interpolator," and degrades almost an entire chapter of 1Chronicles to an interpolation. Where is the evidence of any such thing? What manuscripts or versions omit that part of Chronicles? No evidence is cited; none exists. A mere man's allegation is supposed to nullify a chapter of the word of God.

INTERPOLATIONS, ETC.

There are indeed examples in the Bible of interpolations, as in the instance of Acts 8:37, which is properly omitted in the ASV and subsequent versions. Even in that instance of it, however, the interpolation is absolutely the truth. Any thoughtful person is appreciative of the scholarship which strives to delete genuine interpolations, etc. from the Bible.

However, we shall express a word of caution about the blind acceptance of the claims and allegations of certain schools of interpreters whose a priori disbelief of the Bible and their evident purpose of destroying every word of it as a genuine revelation from Almighty God cast grave doubt upon many of their assertions.

Given the unbelief of many writers and their avowed enmity against the Bible, the careful student should always remember that there are a host of weapons in the arsenal of Biblical enemies.

These are copyists, redactors, editors, compilers, interpolators, translators, glossaters, revisionists, arrangers, etc.

Now our word of caution is simply this. Can we depend upon men whose purposes and intentions toward the Bible are enemical and destructive - can we depend upon them always to employ such devices as we have mentioned in honesty and fairness?

Psalms 96:1-3

THE WORSHIP OF GOD TO BE UNIVERSAL

"O sing unto Jehovah a new song:

Sing unto Jehovah all the earth. Sing unto Jehovah, bless his name;

Show forth his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations,

His marvelous works among all the peoples."

"All the earth ... among the nations ... all the peoples" (Psalms 96:1-3). It would be difficult to find a paragraph with any greater stress of the truth that God's "salvation" was never intended for Jews only, but for "all the earth." The call of the Gentiles into God's service is absolutely declared here as a commandment of God.

"Sing... sing ... sing" (Psalms 96:1-2). Singing is the invariable earmark of the redeemed. The worship of God always abounds with singing. "Nothing, listless, boring, or stale befits God's worship; not merely a song is required, but a new song![6]