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Psalm 96

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This article is about Psalm 96 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 96 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 97.

Psalm 96
"Sing a new song unto the Lord"
Royal psalm
Beginning of Cantate Domino in the Hours of Mary of Burgundy, 1477
Other name
  • "Cantate Domino"
  • "Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied"
  • "Cantate Domino canticum novum"
Related
LanguageHebrew (original)
Psalm 96
Beginning of Psalm 96 in German at a church in Feldkirchen in Kärnten, Austria
BookBook of Psalms
Hebrew Bible partKetuvim
Order in the Hebrew part1
CategorySifrei Emet
Christian Bible partOld Testament
Order in the Christian part19

Psalm 96 is the 96th psalm of the Book of Psalms, a hymn. The first verse of the psalm calls to praise in singing, in English in the King James Version: "O sing a new song unto the Lord". Similar to Psalm 98 ("Cantate Domino") and Psalm 149, the psalm calls to praise God in music and dance, because he has chosen his people and helped them to victory. It is one of the royal psalms praising God as the King of His people.

In the slightly different numbering system used by the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 95. In Latin, it is known as "Cantate Domino canticum novum".[1]

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, and Anglican liturgies. The Latin conclusion, "Laetentur caeli", is used during the Christmas night liturgy. The psalm or verses of it have been paraphrased to hymns, and it has often been set to music, notably by Handel in his Chandos Anthems, by Mendelssohn who quoted from it in a movement of his choral symphony Lobgesang, and Zoltán Gárdonyi as part of three motets.

Incipit: "O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth." (KJV; in Hebrew שירו ליהוה שיר חדש שירו ליהוה כל־הארץ).[2][3]

Background and themes

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According to Radak, this psalm was composed by David when he brought the Ark of the Covenant up to Jerusalem. On this day, David composed two songs – Hodu, and "Sing to the Lord, the entire earth" (verse 2 of this psalm, which is also recorded in 1 Chronicles 16:23). As recounted in 1 Chronicles 16:7, David instructed Asaph and his brothers to sing these songs daily. Hodu was sung before the Ark every morning, and Psalm 96 was sung before the Ark every afternoon, until the time the Temple was constructed and the Ark was moved into it.[4] However, Alexander Kirkpatrick associates the "newness" of the song with the deliverance of Israel from Babylonian captivity, inaugurating "a new stage in the nation’s history".[5] He notes that the Septuagint's title for this psalm is "When the house was being built after the Captivity".[5]

In Hebrew, this psalm is known as Shiru Lashem ("Sing to the Lord"), and repeats the word "sing" three times. According to the Midrash Tehillim, these three instances allude to the three daily prayer services "when Israel sings praises to God". They are: Shacharit, the morning prayer, corresponding to "Sing a new song to the Lord" (verse 1); Mincha, the afternoon prayer, corresponding to "Sing to the Lord, all the earth" (verse 1); and Maariv, the evening prayer, corresponding to "Sing to the Lord, bless His Name" (verse 2).[6][7]

In Baptist minister Charles Spurgeon's assessment, Psalm 96 is a "missionary hymn".[8] It is specifically paired with Psalm 95, which described "Israel's hard-heartedness" toward God in the desert. Christian scholars assert that Israel employed that same hard-heartedness to reject Jesus as the Messiah, so now the Christians have the task of declaring the gospel to the world.[8][9] Matthew Henry interprets verses 10 to 13 in this psalm as instructions of what to say for those who preach the gospel.[10]

Biblical scholars note numerous thematic and structural similarities between Psalm 96 and Psalm 97, which are both "Kingship of YHWH" psalms.[11]

Text

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Hebrew

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The following table shows the Hebrew text[12][13] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse Hebrew English translation (JPS 1917)
1 שִׁ֣ירוּ לַ֭יהֹוָה שִׁ֣יר חָדָ֑שׁ שִׁ֥ירוּ לַ֝יהֹוָ֗ה כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃‎ O sing unto the LORD a new song; Sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
2 שִׁ֣ירוּ לַ֭יהֹוָה בָּרְכ֣וּ שְׁמ֑וֹ בַּשְּׂר֥וּ מִיּֽוֹם־לְ֝י֗וֹם יְשׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃‎ Sing unto the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim His salvation from day to day.
3 סַפְּר֣וּ בַגּוֹיִ֣ם כְּבוֹד֑וֹ בְּכׇל־הָ֝עַמִּ֗ים נִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃‎ Declare His glory among the nations, His marvellous works among all the peoples.
4 כִּ֥י גָ֘ד֤וֹל יְהֹוָ֣ה וּמְהֻלָּ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד נוֹרָ֥א ה֝֗וּא עַל־כׇּל־אֱלֹהִֽים׃‎ For great is the LORD, and highly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. .
5 כִּ֤י ׀ כׇּל־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָעַמִּ֣ים אֱלִילִ֑ים וַ֝יהֹוָ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם עָשָֽׂה׃‎ For all the gods of the peoples are things of nought; But the LORD made the heavens.
6 הוֹד־וְהָדָ֥ר לְפָנָ֑יו עֹ֥ז וְ֝תִפְאֶ֗רֶת בְּמִקְדָּשֽׁוֹ׃‎ Honour and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
7 הָב֣וּ לַ֭יהֹוָה מִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת עַמִּ֑ים הָב֥וּ לַ֝יהֹוָ֗ה כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃‎ Ascribe unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the peoples, Ascribe unto the LORD glory and strength.
8 הָב֣וּ לַ֭יהֹוָה כְּב֣וֹד שְׁמ֑וֹ שְׂאֽוּ־מִ֝נְחָ֗ה וּבֹ֥אוּ לְחַצְרוֹתָֽיו׃‎ Ascribe unto the LORD the glory due unto His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
9 הִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ לַ֭יהֹוָה בְּהַדְרַת־קֹ֑דֶשׁ חִ֥ילוּ מִ֝פָּנָ֗יו כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃‎ O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; Tremble before Him, all the earth.
10 אִמְר֤וּ בַגּוֹיִ֨ם ׀ יְ֘הֹוָ֤ה מָלָ֗ךְ אַף־תִּכּ֣וֹן תֵּ֭בֵל בַּל־תִּמּ֑וֹט יָדִ֥ין עַ֝מִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃‎ Say among the nations: 'The LORD reigneth.' The world also is established that it cannot be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity.
11 יִשְׂמְח֣וּ הַ֭שָּׁמַיִם וְתָגֵ֣ל הָאָ֑רֶץ יִֽרְעַ֥ם הַ֝יָּ֗ם וּמְלֹאֽוֹ׃‎ Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof;
12 יַעֲלֹ֣ז שָׂ֭דַי וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁר־בּ֑וֹ אָ֥ז יְ֝רַנְּנ֗וּ כׇּל־עֲצֵי־יָֽעַר׃‎ Let the field exult; and all that is therein; Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy;
13 לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ כִּ֬י בָ֗א כִּ֥י בָא֮ לִשְׁפֹּ֢ט הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק וְ֝עַמִּ֗ים בֶּאֱמוּנָתֽוֹ׃‎ Before the LORD, for He is come; For He is come to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples in His faithfulness.

King James Version

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  1. O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
  2. Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.
  3. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.
  4. For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.
  5. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
  6. Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
  7. Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
  8. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.
  9. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
  10. Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.
  11. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
  12. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
  13. Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

Textual witnesses

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Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).[14]

The extant palimpsest AqTaylor includes a translation into Koine Greek by Aquila of Sinope in about 130 CE, containing verses 7–13.[15]

Verse 1

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Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.[16]

These words match those of the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 42:10.[5]

Verse 10

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Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
The world also is firmly established,
It shall not be moved;
He shall judge the peoples righteously.[17]

Many Old Latin manuscripts read Dominus regnavit a ligno, that is "The Lord reigns from the wood" or "The Lord reigns from the tree". This reading does not appear in any Hebrew manuscripts, and its only appearance in a Greek Old Testament manuscript (as ἀπὸ τῷ ξύλω) is in a bilingual Greek-Latin manuscript, the Codex Veronensis. Neither does it appear in the parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 16:31. However, Justin Martyr references it in his Dialogue with Trypho (c. 160 AD), accusing the Jews of having omitted it.[note 1] Augustine quotes it in his commentary on the psalms (c. 430 AD), relating it to the crucifixion of Jesus,[19] as do several other Church Fathers such as Tertullian, Cyprian and Lactantius.[20][21] Jerome did not include it in the Vulgate because he could not find it in any Hebrew manuscripts.[20] Despite this, it entered Christian hymnological and liturgical texts, such as the Psalterium Romanum, the hymn Vexilla regis prodeunt and the Coptic Agpeya, thus becoming familiar to many Christians.

Most Biblical critics believe that the words "from the wood" were added by an early Christian scribe, perhaps as a gloss that was then incorporated into the main text.[20] However, Fr John Hunwicke hypothesized that, if the verse is original, it might have originally referred to the wooden Ark of the Covenant and its victory over the Philistine god Dagon.[22]

Uses

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Judaism

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Psalm 96 is the second of six psalms recited during the Kabbalat Shabbat (Welcoming the Shabbat) service in Ashkenazic, Hasidic and some Sephardic communities..[23] These six psalms represent the six days of the week, with Psalm 96 corresponding to the second day of the week (Monday).[24]

Verses 4 and 9 are part of Selichot.[25]

Psalm 96 is recited to increase joy among family members.[26]

Catholicism

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The final three verses in Latin, "Laetentur caeli", comprise the offertory antiphon used in the Mass During the Night for the Nativity of the Lord.[27]

Musical settings

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Calling to sing, Psalm 96 has been paraphrased in hymns, and often set to music. "Laetentur caeli" (vv. 11–13 of the Psalm) was set by Orlande de Lassus for four parts,[28] and by Giovanni Bassano for double choir,[29] among others.[30] Handel set the psalm around 1712,[31] and a movement of his Chandos Anthems in 1717 or 1718.[32] German settings of the Baroque era:

In the 19th century, Mendelssohn quoted from Psalm 96 in movement 10 of his choral symphony Lobgesang on biblical texts in 1810. Czech composer Antonín Dvořák quoted the psalm, combined with verses of Psalm 98, in the final movement of his Biblical Songs of 1894.[39]

In the 20th century, Zoltán Gárdonyi set Psalm 96 as part of three motets in German, "Singet dem Herren", for mixed choir a cappella, along with a Finnish song and Psalm 23, published by Schott.[40] James MacMillan wrote "A New Song" in 1997, with lyrics taken from this Psalm.[41]

Hymns referring to the psalm include the 1901 "This Is My Father's World", and "Sing to the Lord a new made song".[42] Music inspired by the psalm also includes a gospel blues by Blind Willie Johnson, "Church, I'm Fully Saved To-Day",[43] based on the hymn "Fully Saved Today".[44]

References

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  1. ^ Parallel Latin/English Psalter, Psalmus 95 (96). Archived 2017-05-07 at the Wayback Machine Medievalist.
  2. ^ "Psalm 96:1 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth". biblehub.com.
  3. ^ "TanakhML Project. Text Browser. BHS". www.tanakhml.org.
  4. ^ Rubin 2005, p. 284.
  5. ^ a b c Kirkpatrick, A. (1906), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Psalm 96, accessed 20 April 2022
  6. ^ Nulman 1996, p. 307.
  7. ^ "Midrash Tehillim / Psalms 96" (PDF). matsati.com. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Charles H. Spurgeon's Treasury of David". Christianity.com. 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  9. ^ Cole, Steven J. (2009). "Psalm 96: Worshiping, Witnessing, Waiting". bible.org. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  10. ^ Henry, Matthew (2019). "Matthew Henry Bible Commentary". Christianity.com. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  11. ^ Howard 1997, pp. 141–4.
  12. ^ "Psalms – Chapter 96". Mechon Mamre.
  13. ^ "Psalms 96 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
  14. ^ *Würthwein, Ernst (1995). The Text of the Old Testament. Translated by Rhodes, Erroll F. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans. pp. 35–37. ISBN 0-8028-0788-7. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  15. ^ *Schürer, Emil; Vermes, Geza; Millar, Fergus (2014). The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ: Volume 3.i. A&C Black. p. 497. ISBN 9780567604521.
  16. ^ Psalm 96:1: New King James Version
  17. ^ Psalm 96:10: New King James Version
  18. ^ Justin Martyr. Ante-Nicene Christian Library. Translated by Reith, George. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  19. ^ St Augustine. "Exposition on Psalm 96". New Advent. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  20. ^ a b c "Psalm 96:10 Commentary". StudyLight. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  21. ^ "Psalm 96 Study Guide". Blue Letter Bible. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  22. ^ Fr Hunwicke, John (13 April 2022). "Regnavit a ligno Deus". Blogger. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  23. ^ Kadden, Bruce; Kadden, Barbara Binder (2004). Teaching Tefilah: Insights and Activities on Prayer. Behrman House. p. 87. ISBN 0867050861.
  24. ^ Nulman 1996, p. 225.
  25. ^ Brauner, Reuven (2013). "Shimush Pesukim: Comprehensive Index to Liturgical and Ceremonial Uses of Biblical Verses and Passages" (PDF) (2nd ed.). p. 44.
  26. ^ "Emotions/Fear/Behavior". Daily Tehillim. Archived from the original on 14 December 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  27. ^ "Gregorian Propers • St. René Goupil Gradual". Corpus Christi Watershed. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  28. ^ Laetentur coeli (Orlando di Lasso): Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
  29. ^ Laetentur coeli a 8 (Giovanni Bassano): Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
  30. ^ Laetentur caeli: Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
  31. ^ O Sing unto the Lord a New Song, HWV 249a (Handel, George Frideric): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
  32. ^ G. F. Handel: "O Come Let Us Sing Unto the Lord," H. 253 (Chandos Anthem 8) Emmanuel Music
  33. ^ Schütz, Heinrich / Der Beckersche Psalter SWV 97a-256a Bärenreiter
  34. ^ Singet dem Herrn, TWV 1:1748: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
  35. ^ RISM 150204809; RISM 452014932
  36. ^ Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied (Georg Philipp Telemann) in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
  37. ^ Georg Philipp Telemann – Catalogue TWV – 02–15: Cantates diverses – 07. Psaumes at www.musiqueorguequebec.ca website.
  38. ^ RISM 452513236
  39. ^ "Biblical Songs". antonin-dvorak.cz. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  40. ^ "Three motets". Schott. 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  41. ^ "James MacMillan - A New Song". Boosey & Hawkes. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  42. ^ Hymns for Psalm 96 hymnary.org
  43. ^ Wirz, Stefan. "Blind Willie Johnson discography". Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  44. ^ "Fully Saved Today". hymnary.org. Retrieved 31 January 2015.

Notes

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  1. ^

    And from the ninety-fifth Psalm they have taken away this short saying of the words of David: 'From the wood.' For when the passage said, 'Tell ye among the nations, the Lord hath reigned from the wood,' they have left, 'Tell ye among the nations, the Lord hath reigned.' Now no one of your people has ever been said to have reigned as God and Lord among the nations, with the exception of Him only who was crucified, of whom also the Holy Spirit affirms in the same Psalm that He was raised again, and freed from [the grave], declaring that there is none like Him among the gods of the nations: for they are idols of demons.

    — Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho LXXIII[18]

Sources

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