Psalm 96 -- Yahweh Praised as King and Judge

SBC Engagement Hour: Wise Counselors • Sermon • Submitted a year ago

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As a Church community we need to remember the centrality of God as King and the importance of God as judge in our worship and praise of Him regardless of what our culture or personal comfort feels on this topic. Because this worship is central to the mission of God to expand His Kingdom and His people over all the earth to worship Him as King and Savior.

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What images/pictures of the Lord do we commonly use to describe Him?

In Church?

In Christian Community?

In Personal Devotion?

The Lord requires many metaphors to describe who He is and what He does. The Old Testament is filled with names of God that describe way in which God is. But, often we as people tend to emphasize what we like or enjoy about God (whether that is Biblical or something we think is Biblical but isn’t) and de-emphasize things that make us uncomfortable.

Keep this question in mind today. We are going to see the centrality of God as King and Judge in Israel’s view of God with a look to how the New Testament points us forward and places this idea centrally as well.

Psalm 96 — Setting, Form, and Use

A Psalm modeled after 1 Chronicles 16:23-33 where David returns the Ark of the Covenant.

The Septuagint adds the superscription “when the house was built after the captivity” along with other factors have led some to see this Psalm as used during the Feast of Tabernacles in postexilic times.

What we do know is that this Psalm was used throughout Israel’s history as one of the central ways Israel praised God as universal King for all time.

SO WHAT: If Israel sang this way corporately about God we should be prepared and challenged to allow these truths about God to be central to our understanding of Him and our worship and praise of Him. Even if it seems to contradict beliefs we have already formed about God.

STRUCTURE: Three pairs of Call to Praise followed by the Cause of Praise. (1-6; 7-10; 11-13)

Psalm 96

Praising the Lord Among the Nations (1-3)

Sing the Lord/Declare (1a/1b/2a/3a)

What do we sing and declare?

a new song (1a)

praise His name (2a)

proclaim his salvation (2b)

his glory (3a)

his marvelous deeds

Where/to whom do we declare?

all the earth

day after day

among the nations/peoples

Kingship: Reason for Praising God Among the Nations (4-6)

Greatness of the Lord, His Own Person (vs. 4a)

Superiority of the Lord over false gods (vs. 4b-5a)

Covenant Lord is Creator of All (vs. 5b)

Mighty King in Beauty and Splendor (vs. 6)

Royal Kingship to be Spread (7-10)

Royal Splendor

Rule of the Lord to be spread

Holiness central to splendor

Psalm 96:10 (NAC Ps 73-150): The psalmist calls Israel to testify of the Lord to the nations because Israel’s calling was to point the world to Yahweh the true God and King. They say three truths about the Lord: he reigns; his reign provides stability to the earth (cf. Pss 93:1; 104:5; on “world” see comment at Ps 89:11[12]); and in his reign he judges all peoples according to an upright standard. Unlike pagan deities, the Lord governs by justice, not by caprice. In his realm there is both stability in the natural order and moral stability in his rule. As king, the Lord is both great and good, so he should be respected and revered by all humans.

Judgement of the Lord brings rejoicing (11-13)

Backward, Current, and Forward: Praising Jesus as our Saving King and Future Judge of the World

Adam: Garden and Reign of God

Adam: Garden and Judgement of God

Israel: God’s plan for revealed reign, and covenant shelter from judgment

Jesus as true Israel and True King and Judge

Already-not yet nature of it.