Psalm 96:7-9 New American Standard Bible
7 [a]Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples,
[b]Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 [c]Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name;
Bring an [d]offering and come into His courtyards.
9 Worship the Lord in [e]holy attire;
Tremble before Him, all the earth.
Word of God for th Childrn of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
1. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
2. Holy, holy, holy! all the saints adore thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea.
Cherubim and seraphim, falling down before thee,
Who was and is and evermore shall be.
3. Holy, Holy, Holy! though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.
4. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity. Author: Reginald Heber (1826)
The saints in the Bible knew of God’s holiness and adored Him.
When God passed by Moses in the cleft of the rock, Moses tasted the holiness of God.
When Elijah called down fire from heaven on the false prophets of Baal, the people saw the holiness of God.
When Ananias and Saphira were struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit, the church knew the holiness of God.
But other than a relatively few cautionary tales, the New Covenant people were somehow able to partake in the holiness of God without being consumed by it.
I don’t know that we will ever really “comprehend” the full holiness of God.
And that’s too bad.
We throw that term around a lot—holiness—and we have a sense that his holiness is not to be trifled with, but I don’t think we know how to wrap our finite minds around the concept.
We know God as a loving Father—guiding, providing, and protecting.
That one is easier to absorb, at least in theory.
We know God as revealed through his Son, Jesus—compassionate, servant-hearted, gentle, and caring.
We know God through the infilling of the Holy Spirit—empowering, energizing, and enabling us to do his bidding.
But the holiness of God—do we really know him that way?
Exodus 33:19-22 New American Standard Bible
19 And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion to whom I will show compassion.” 20 He further said, “You cannot see My face, for mankind shall not see Me and live!” 21 Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place [a]by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; 22 and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.
We cannot behold the holiness of God for ourselves and still stay alive.
When God’s back passed by Moses in the cleft of the rock, Moses beheld the holiness of God.
Before the weary embarrassed unsuccessful Priests of Baal, Elijah called down fire from heaven on the false prophets, the people saw the holiness of God.
But other than a relatively few cautionary tales, the New Covenant people were somehow able to partake in the holiness of God without being consumed by it.
What is the purpose of Psalm 19:7:8?
Psalm 19:7–8 explains how different portions of Scripture shape us inwardly and outwardly.
God’s law (Torah) is perfect (Ps. 19:7), blameless, like a prize-winning animal. It is exactly the right thing, for any given moment just when we need answers.
What does Psalm 96:8 mean for us?
Bring to God what is due to him; or, render such an acknowledgment as he deserves and claims.
Fully acknowledge him as God, and acknowledge him to be such a God as he is.
Let the honor due to God as such be given him; and let the honor due to him, for the character which he actually has, be wholly ascribed to him.
What is the meaning of Psalm 96:7-9?
Psalm 96:7-9 invites all humankind to “ascribe” strength and glory to the Lord and to offer in his courts worship that is appropriate for the sovereign God.
What does Psalm 96 verse 9 mean for us?
The psalmist calls on all people—of the entire world—to give proper worship to God.
Because of His divine nature, the miracles He has done, the Lord deserves to be praised.
Psalm 96:7-9 …
bring an offering and come into his courts.
Worship unto the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. Three times in a row God directly challenges us to “ascribe,” or give, unto the Lord exactly what is due His name.
Other so-called “gods” are owed nothing, are as nothing to be given anything.
Those who humbly enter His courtyards to worship the Lord should mightily celebrate His holiness, power, and judgment.
I wish that for you—and for me, too—that we could partake in God’s holiness without being consumed by it.
In conclusion, as I meditated upon this psalm I am challenged by the notion my worship of God ought to correspond to the greatness and worthiness of God.
That’s why after saying “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name” (v.8a), the psalmist follows up by calling worshipers to respond in a manner appropriate to his particular covenant (v.8b).
But as my worship fails to execute this thesis, this psalm provides a remedy: dwell long upon the greatness of God and His saving works; and let that be the primary motivation for worship due God.
In summation, our worship is based on great thoughts of God; and great thoughts of God fuel the worship of God.
I am not sure how we can come into that kind of experience—and perhaps I do not really know what I am asking for—but there is something deep within my spirit crying out to know more and more of God in the beauty of his holiness.
May God grant us a deeper, richer transformational revelation of His Divine holiness so we can authentically worship him in the splendor of his holiness.
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit …
Praying …
Psalm 100 NASB
All People Exhorted to Praise God.
A Psalm for [a]Thanksgiving.
100 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Serve the Lord with jubilation;
Come before Him with rejoicing.
3 Know that the Lord [b]Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and [c]not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter His gates with [d]thanksgiving,
And His courtyards with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting
And His faithfulness is to all generations.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 