Matthew Henry's Complete Bible Commentary

Psalms 96

This psalm is part of that which was delivered into the hand of Asaph and his brethren (1 Chronicles 16:7), by which it appears both that David was the penman of it and that it has reference to the bringing up of the ark to the city of David; whether that long psalm was made first, and this afterwards taken out of it, or this made first and afterwards borrowed to make up that, is not certain. But this is certain, that, though it was sung at the translation of the ark, it looks further, to the kingdom of Christ, and is designed to celebrate the glories of that kingdom, especially the accession of the Gentiles to it. Here is, I. A call given to all people to praise God, to worship him, and give glory to him, as a great and glorious God, Psalms 96:1-96:9. II. Notice given to all people of God’s universal government and judgment, which ought to be the matter of universal joy, Psalms 96:10-96:13. In singing this psalm we ought to have our hearts filed with great and high thoughts of the glory of God and the grace of the gospel, and with an entire satisfaction in Christ’s sovereign dominion and in the expectation of the judgment to come. MHBCC 575.1