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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Psalms 96:4,5

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. An English paraphrase might be, “these mighty beings are mighty useless!”

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See also Psalms 96:4,5 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 96:4. _HE_ IS _TO BE FEARED ABOVE ALL GODS._] I think the two clauses of this verse should be read thus: - Jehovah is great, and greatly to be praised. Elohim is to be feared above all....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    FOR THE LORD IS GREAT - Yahweh is great. See the notes at Psalms 77:13. This verse is taken literally from 1 Chronicles 16:25. AND GREATLY TO BE PRAISED - Worthy of exalted praise and adoration....

  • 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

    GODS. rulers. Hebrew. _'elohim._ App-4. See note on Exodus 22:9....

  • 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 the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. FOR THE LORD IS GREAT, AND GREATLY TO BE PRAISED - (.) The "For" justifies the attribution of "glory" and "wond...

  • 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)". ...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    כִּ֥י גָ֘דֹ֤ול יְהוָ֣ה וּ מְהֻלָּ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד נֹ

  • 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 the LORD [is] (b) great, and greatly to be praised: he [is] to be feared above all gods. (b) Seeing he will reveal himself to all nations contrary to their own expectation, they should all worshi...

  • 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 Calvin's Bible Commentary

    4._For Jehovah is great, and greatly to be praised. _He particularly describes that God, whom he would have men to celebrate, and this because the Gentile nations were prone to merge into error upon t...

  • 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 THE LORD IS GREAT,.... In the perfections of his nature; in the works of his hands, of creation, providence, and redemption; and in the several offices he bears and executes: AND GREATLY TO BE PR...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    For the LORD [is] great, and greatly to be praised: he [is] to be feared above all gods. Ver. 4. _For the Lord is great_] _Vere magnus est Christianorum Deus,_ said Calocerius, a heathen; he is _omni...

  • 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 the Lord is great, unique in divine greatness, AND GREATLY TO BE PRAISED, most praiseworthy; HE IS TO BE FEARED, regarded with reverence and awe, ABOVE ALL GODS, not as though the worship of idols...

  • 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...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    The gods of the nations, as the next verse expounds it....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 96:4 LORD H3068 great H1419 greatly H3966 praised H1984 (H8794) feared H3372 (H8737) gods H430 F

  • 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

    _For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised._ GOD’S PRAISE The greatness or majesty of God is the prominent thing dwelt on in this psalm; but it may be dealt with in a larger and more comprehe...

  • 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 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 Samuel 4:8; Exodus 18:11; Jeremiah 10:6; Jeremiah 10:7; Jeremiah 5:22

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Gods — The gods of the nations, as the next verse expounds it....

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