Continuing translation with comment of Psalms 90-106

PSALM 96

Sing a new song to Yahweh;

Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!

Sing to Yahweh and bless his name;

Proclaim his power to rescue day by day.

Narrate his glory among the nations;

His deeds of power to all peoples!

For Yahweh is great and to be praised beyond measure,

He is more terrible than all the gods:

All the gods of the nations are nothing,

But Yahweh made the heavens.

Honour and majesty shine from him,

Strength and beauty belong to his sanctuary.

Now give to Yahweh, you tribes of the nations-

Now give to Yahweh glory and strength;

Now give to Yahweh the glory of his name;

Bring a gift and come into his courts;

Bow down to Yahweh in the beauty of holiness;

Tremble before him, tribes of the earth!

Declare to the nations, Yahweh is king!

Yes, the earth is established; it shall not be shaken;

He will judge its peoples with justice.

Let the heavens be happy and the earth exult,

Let the sea howl and all its inhabitants,

Let the fields cry out and all their creatures-

Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy

Before Yahweh. For he is coming,

He is coming to set the earth in order:

He will order the earth with equity,

And its folk with faithfulness.

The new song to Yahweh offers some old elements: his rescue of Israel and his creation of the heavens and the earth. He is proclaimed as the only real God, the others are nothing at all. From this basis, Yahweh is offered to all nations. Well, they are summoned to worship Yahweh, but it is a joyful summons, not an aggressive one, as they are being offered a share in the God of cosmic order and justice.

Yahweh is coming to put the earth in order, and is welcomed by the voices of the land and sea and their creatures. The nations are called to share in a universal response of praise. The order of the universe is also the order of human life and community, under the wisdom of Yahweh. The result of Yahweh’s work is happiness.