Oh Worship The King!
Picture this in your mind. David has captured the city of the Jubusites and renamed Jerusalem. He now brings the Tabernacle (God’s visible presence) to Israel’s new capital city, so that Jerusalem can be the political and religious center of Israel. It is a time of rejoicing for David and the people (1 Chron 16:23-33). As the tabernacle is moved there is a call to worship the Lord. We have this call to worship recorded for us in Psalm 96. This triumphant entrance of the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem pictured the future entry of the Messiah into His city to reign. The psalm can be divided into three parts: A Call to Believers to Praise the Lord (1-6), A Call to the World to Praise the Lord (7-10), and A Call to Creation to Welcome the Lord (11-13).
The psalmist begins by calling believers to sing a new song; a song that expresses the continued daily blessings of the Lord to His people (96:1). Believers are told to publicly tell of their salvation and of God’s glory to unbelievers (96:2). God is greatly to be praised for He is surrounded by splendour and beauty, and the gods of the pagans are “nothings” before Him (96:4-6).
The peoples of the world are called to glorify God as above all and worthy of honour (96:6-8). They should be prepared to worship Him rightly and tremble before His power and holiness (96:9). Believers, you can call people to fear because the Lord is coming to rule and judge the world (96:10).
Finally, the last section (96:11-13) is a call for all of creation to rejoice; for the King is coming. The curse will be replaced by divine blessing and the King will rule in perfect justice.