NOTES for Psa 96

The song of praise that makes up Psalm 96 brings together two essential aspects of biblical spirituality. On the one hand, praise of the Lord is the fullest opposite of sin. If sin consists in rejecting God as Creator and Lord, in trying to arrange one's life independently, without God, praise, by contrast, is born in a heart that accepts the Creator's authority and trusts His love. Moreover, the gift of life that God bestows on a person can be received only in gratitude and in glorifying the One who is Life itself. This is why praise is closest to heavenly life and furthest from the wretched existence of hell.

On the other hand, praise in Psalm 96 is utterly concrete. The psalmist glorifies God not in general terms but in connection with the manifestation of His mercy in real life. The psalm stresses that the God of Israel is the true God, unlike the idols. The God of Israel is the Lord of all peoples, and everyone without exception is called to worship before His face. This means that He is ready to receive all people, and that He needs us all. Finally, not only all peoples but all creation as a whole is filled with the mercy of the Almighty, and this outpouring of mercy and righteousness belongs not only to the past and present: it is to grow and reach fulfilment in the future. Such glorification of the Lord matters for the person who turns to Him with this prayer of praise, because it alone can fill the human heart with joy and give meaning to that person's actual life.