Psalms 96:1 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

PSALM 96 THE ARGUMENT This Psalm was composed by David upon occasion, or at the time, of the bringing of the ark of God into the tabernacle which David had prepared for it in Zion, as may be gathered by comparing it with 1 Chronicles 16:7,23,24, &c., where almost the whole Psalm is to be found, But as the ark was an evident type of the Messiah, which David very well knew, as hath been oft noted before; so David's thoughts, or at least the design of God's Spirit, which indited this Psalm, was extended beyond and above it, even to the times of the Messiah, and to his glorious and universal kingdom, in which not the Jews only, but the heathen nations also, should worship the true God, and kiss his Son the Messiah. All the inhabitants of the earth and sea are called to praise the Lord for his great honour and majesty, Psalms 96:1-7; for his wise governing the world, Psalms 96:8-10. Heaven and earth are called to rejoice before him for his righteous judgment, Psalms 96:11-13. A new song, upon this new and great occasion; not the removal of the ark, wherein there was nothing new but an inconsiderable circumstance of place, and that not yet fixed; but the coming of the Messiah, and the confirming of the new covenant by his blood, and the calling of the Gentiles. All the earth; all the nations of the earth, who shall then partake of those great blessings and privileges which are now peculiar to Israel.