Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary

Psalms 96:5

Idols; or, nothings, as they are called, 1 Corinthians 8:4, 1 Corinthians 10:19; or, vain things, as the word signifies, and is translated by others. The sense is, Though they have usurped the name and place of the Divine Majesty, yet they have nothing of his nature or power in them.

Continues after advertising

See also Psalms 96:5 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 96:5. _ALL THE GODS OF THE NATIONS_ ARE _IDOLS_] אלהי _elohey_. All those reputed or worshipped as gods among the heathens are אלילים _elilim, vanities, emptinesses, things of nought_. I...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    FOR ALL THE GODS OF THE NATIONS ARE IDOLS - All the gods worshipped by the people of other lands are mere “idols.” None of them can claim to have a real existence as gods. The word here rendered “idol...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 96 The Lord Has Come _ 1. The new song (Psalms 96:1)_ 2. The Lord supreme (Psalms 96:4) 3. Glory unto His Name (Psalms 96:

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    XCVI. THE PRAISE OF YAHWEH IN ISRAEL, AMONG THE NATIONS, IN ALL CREATION. This Ps. is inserted with considerable variations, in 1 Chronicles 16:23, probably by a later hand, and not by the Chronicler...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ALL THE GODS... IDOLS. Figure of speech _Paronomasia._ App-6 Hebrew. _kalelohey... 'elilim._ NATIONS. peoples. IDOLS. nothings. Compare 1 Corinthians 8:4....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THE GODS OF THE NATIONS ARE IDOLS— _Things of nothing._ Mudge. Vanities; things which have no substance or being. The words _strength_ and _beauty,_ or _glory,_ in the next verse, are the very words b...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    Psalms 92-97 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE A Service of Song for a Sabbath Day. ANALYSIS Psalms 92: Personal SongProbably by a King. Psalms 93: Jehovah Proclaimed King. Psalms 94: Prayer for Vengeance on the...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. FOR ALL THE GODS OF THE NATIONS ARE IDOLS - literally, 'are vanities' or 'nullities' [ 'ªliyliym (H457)], 'things of nought...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    96:5 idols; (i-9) Or 'nonentities;' and so Psalms 97:7 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    This is a triumphant song of praise to God (Psalms 96:1), contrasting His power and glory with the nothingness of the heathen idols (Psalms 96:4), calling all the earth to worship Him (Psalms 96:7), e...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 90:106 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ SING A NEW SONG! PSALMS 96 (THE THIRD *ROYAL PSALM) Jesus said, "Tell your Father in *Heaven that he is a great (God)". ...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    IDOLS. — Literally, _nothings_; Heb., _elîlîm,_ with a play on the word _el,_ God. This plainly shows that by _Gods,_ in Psalms 96:4, the heathen deities, and not angels, are meant. (See Note, Psalms...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    כִּ֤י ׀ כָּל ־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָ עַמִּ֣ים אֱלִילִ֑ים...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 96:1 THE praise of Jehovah as King has, in the preceding psalms, chiefly celebrated His reign over Israel. But this grand coronation anthem takes a wider sweep, and hymns that kingdom as extend...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “THE LORD REIGNETH” Psalms 96:1 This psalm is found also in 1 Chronicles 16:1. Note the thrice-repeated command, _Sing, sing, sing_, Psalms 96:1; the corresponding, thrice-repeated, Give, give, give

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    There is a beauty about this song which irresistibly appeals to the submissive soul. The previous warning must be heeded in order to sing it. When the personal life is loyal to His throne, the song of...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    For all the gods of the nations [are] idols: but the LORD (c) made the heavens. (c) Then the idols or whatever did not make the heavens, are not God....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _All. Which is conformable to the Hebrew, &c., though the Vulgate terra, means, "all the earth" melted. (Haydock)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    In order to heighten the praises of Jehovah, let his salvation be preached among the Gentiles. Let the dunghill gods of the heathen fall down, as Dagon did before the ark. 1 Samuel 5:3....

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 96 summons all the earth to come in, in the spirit of the everlasting gospel. They are to own Jehovah; the gods of the nations are mere vanity. Psalms 95 invites as of the company "Come, let us...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    FOR ALL THE GODS OF THE NATIONS ARE IDOLS,.... Or are "nothings" o, nonentities; such as have not, and never had, any being, at least many of them, but in the fancies of men; and all of them such as h...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    For all the gods of the nations [are] idols: but the LORD made the heavens. Ver. 5. _For all the gods, &c._] _Deunculi, deastri,_ those petty gods, those dunghill deities of the heathens, are nulliti...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _For the Lord_ Hebrew, _Jehovah, is great_ Infinite in his nature and attributes; _and greatly to be praised_ All our most exalted praises fall infinitely short of his greatness. _He is to be feared a...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    A HYMN OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    For all the gods of the nations, the idols, foolishly called gods by the blind heathen, ARE IDOLS, literally, "nothingnesses"; BUT THE LORD MADE THE HEAVENS, He alone is the almighty Creator. The cont...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-9 When Christ finished his work on earth, and was received into his glory in heaven, the church began to sing a new song unto him, and to bless his name. His apostles and evangelists showed forth h...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 96:5 gods H430 peoples H5971 idols H457 LORD H3068 made H6213 (H8804) heavens H8064 For -...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Call to all people to praise God in view of His glory and greatness. CHARACTERS: God, Psalmist. CONCLUSION: In God there is everything that is awful, yet everything that is amiable. Those...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    This is a psalm of David, as appears from 1 Chronicles 16:23. It is highly prophetic, and celebrates the full triumph of Christ over all idols, and over the gentile world. It has no title in the Hebre...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth._ A SUPREME EXISTENCE AND A SUPREME SERVICE I. A supreme existence. 1. Great in His nature--in power, intellect, heart. 2. Great...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 96:1. God’s kingship over all creation means that all people should love and worship him. The psalm has three sections, each beginning with a command (“sing,” v....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 96:4 The psalmist explains to the Gentiles that there is only one God truly worthy of worship. The words GODS and WORTHLESS IDOLS sound alike in Hebrew, providing a play on words....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION This Psalm has no superscription in the Hebrew. But in the Septuagint and in the Vulgate it has the following, “When the house was built after the captivity. An ode by David.” There is a...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THIS psalm occurs, with very little change, in 1 Chronicles 16:23-13, and is there (1 Chronicles 16:7) ascribed to David. It is also entitled, "A Psalm of David," in the Septuagint. But the...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. Sing unto the LORD, and bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, and his wonde...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 8:4; Acts 19:26; Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 42:5; Isaiah 44:8;...

Continues after advertising