Alone, Exalt God; Psalm 96

Oh sing to the Lord a new song;

sing to the Lord, all the earth!

Sing to the Lord, bless his name;

tell of his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous works among all the peoples!

(Psalm 96:1-3)

Psalm 96 is all about the joy one has in placing God as the preeminent figure in one’s life. Furthermore it is an invitation for all to join the psalmist in expressing this truth. Notice at the beginning how every phrase is directed Godward; all on what He has done. Then, halfway through verse 2 that which is directed toward God is given as a decree to share to all the nations.

Alone, Exalt God; Psalm 95

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;

let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

(Psalm 95:1-2)

Psalm 95 best expresses not only how to worship, but the precise reason why we should worship. It is God alone who should be exalted; nothing should come between the worshiper and He who should be worshiped. One should not overlook the obvious either, worshiping God is a joy that only a follower of God can experience; an experience that should be embraced as frequently as possible.

Alone, Exalt God; Psalm 94

Perfect justice can never occur on Earth. This does not mean we allow evil to flourish, but it does mean we can rest in the assurance that God will punish the wicked. God will condemn sin, and he will justly sentence sinners to Hell. In times of difficulty, where everywhere we turn we see evil people doing evil things, it is important to remember that it is God alone who will avenge. This is the thrust of Psalm 94:

Alone, Exalt God; Psalm 93

The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt.
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
Your throne is established from of old;
you are from everlasting.
The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their roaring.
Mightier than the thunders of many waters,
mightier than the waves of the sea,
the Lord on high is mighty!
Your decrees are very trustworthy;
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, forevermore.

(Psalm 93)

The basic thrust of Psalm 93 is that the Lord God reigns. It is continually proclaimed; it is eternally secure; and it is testified trustworthy by history itself which demonstrates everything God has decreed has come to pass in its entirety without fail. Notice the foundation, and hence continuation of, the world is not guaranteed; everything is predicated on the Lord God’s establishment of it. Derek Kidner concurs noting, “The stability envisaged here is not inherent; the physical world is established (1) only because thy throne is established (2), and the world of men in so far as that throne is acknowledged.” Praise must begin and end with He who is sovereign; God, is more powerful than the thrashing waves and more powerful then men who have chosen to rise up and rebel against Him. The outcome is has, is, and will always be in God’s favor. The fact that the Lord on high is mighty, literally carries the notion that the Creator’s majesty outshines all of Creation. If the psalm were to end here, God’s majesty and power would be well stated; but a greater lesson would be overlooked: one of truth.