Catholic Commentary on Psalm 96

"Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth." (Psalm 96:1)

A New Song for All the Earth

Psalm 96 is one of the great missionary psalms, calling not just Israel but all the earth to sing to the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all peoples. The new song is not just a new piece of music. It is the proclamation of the new thing God has done, the salvation that is to be declared day after day to people who have not yet heard it. The psalm is itself an act of mission.

The psalm then calls the natural world into worship: let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad, let the sea resound, let the fields be jubilant, let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. This cosmic chorus reaches its climax in the announcement: for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness. The judgment of God is not dreaded in this psalm. It is welcomed. Because the Judge is righteous and faithful, his coming is good news. The Catechism teaches that the final judgment will establish the ultimate justice that this age cannot achieve (CCC 1038). Come, Lord Jesus, is the missionary Church's welcome of the Judge.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the new song of Psalm 96 is the Gospel. Every time you share the good news of what God has done in Christ, you are singing this psalm. The audience is all the earth. The song does not run out. Proclaim his salvation day after day, to one more person, in one more language, in one more life. The whole earth needs to hear it.

Prayer

Lord God, let a new song rise in us and spill over into the nations. Give us the boldness to declare your glory among the peoples and your marvellous deeds among all peoples. And come, Lord Jesus, to judge the earth in righteousness and the nations in your faithfulness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

96
Sing to the LORD, All the Earth
(1 Chronicles 16:23–36)
1 Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name;
proclaim His salvation day after day.
3 Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all peoples.
 
4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but it is the LORD who made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before Him;
strength and beauty fill His sanctuary.
 
7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name;
bring an offering and enter His courts.
9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness;
tremble before Him, all the earth.
 
10 Declare 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 be glad
and the earth rejoice;
let the sea resound,
and all that fills it.
12 Let the fields exult,
and all that is in them.
Then all the trees of the forest
will sing for joy 13 before the LORD,
for He is coming—
He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in His faithfulness.

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