1 O sing to the LORD a new song:
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples.
4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be revered above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Honor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts.
9 Worship the LORD in holy splendor;
tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, ‘the LORD is King!
the world is firmly established; it
shall never be moved.
He will judge the people with equity.”
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult and, everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the LORD; for he is coming,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the people with his truth.
(Psalm 96 NRSV)
Most scholars consulted agree that Psalm 96 is one of several enthronement psalms, and; “are strategically placed in Book IV to respond to theological questions raised in Book III, especially Psalm 89.” (1) However, McCann goes on to say that there is wide disagreement on how and when this Psalm of enthronement would have been employed in the liturgical life of Israel.
Brueggemann, in his book, The Message of the Psalms, has classified it as a Psalm of new orientation. Brueggemann has re-categorized the Psalms in a way that follows the cycles of life of Israel, the authors, and our lives as well. Moving from times of orientation, to times of disorientation, which once experienced, leads to a new orientation that shows us a new trust and understanding of God and our relationship to God.
“Under our rubric, this psalm not only asserts a new orientation, but tells what it is like.” (2) The idea of a psalm of new orientation is supported by the first verse that says to sing a “new song.” McCann's statement about the placement of book IV and Brueggemann's suggestion that it is a psalm of new orientation may help address the date of this psalm as post-exilic. It could make sense that this psalm of enthronement could be a psalm of remembering or reestablishing the enthronement of God as King after a difficult period of disorientation as would be experienced in exile.
As with most psalms of enthronement, there are two stages. The first is an invitation to praise and the second stage are the reasons for praise. The call to praise includes: singing, telling, declaring, and as we shall assert later, dancing.
The reasons for praise are: God's salvation, glory among nations, marvelous works, God is not an idol as the other gods are, God made the heavens. Honor, majesty, strength, and beauty are demonstrated in God's sanctuary. The psalm goes on to say how we should share the nature of God with others.
In verses eleven and twelve we see the introduction of nature into this celebration of enthronement. The standing of the created world is different here than other places in our scriptures. We are used to seeing elements of nature being invoked in prophetic books as witnesses, or as the jury when God has called court into session and laid charges against other nations and God’s chosen people.
What is different in Psalm 96 is that the natural elements are co-celebrants of God's re-enthronement, equal with humanity. The psalmist provides a complete and well-rounded list of celebrants. The heavens, (the dwelling place of God), are glad, and the earth (the dwelling place of all other life forms), rejoices. The psalmist has even shown God's command over the sea and all things in it. The sea is usually seen as chaotic and a place to be feared. Within it dwells the feared leviathan but the psalmist asserts that God has tamed both. The trees individually and as the communal forest sing for joy!
All of this celebration is because God has promised to judge the world with righteousness, and people with God’s truth. In other words, God has promised equity for all including nature.
To the point of this assignment and according to the psalmist, the natural world is on equal footing with humanity and expects God's provision, protection, and justice just as we humans do. We all, humanity and nature, are called to sing God's praises together, recognize God as LORD and to celebrate and even dance together as we enthrone or re-enthrone the true and just God.
In verse nine we find the word "tremble." This word can be translated as "whirl, dance, and writhe." As part of the celebration of enthronement, we are called to dance, whirl and writhe with God’s good Earth. As dance partners, we are obligated to care for, protect, and serve nature so that it can continue to praise and celebrate God and be witnesses of God's love, creativity, and justice. If we don't, we are destined to dance alone.
“The HUMAN HAMMER has fallen, the sixth mass extinction has begun. This spasm of permanent loss is expected, if it is not abated, to reach the end-of-Mesozoic level by the end of the century. We will then enter what poets and scientist alike may choose to call the Eremozoic Era—the Age of Loneliness.” (3)
Endnotes:
1. J. Clinton McCann, JR., The New Interpreters Bible: A Commentary in Twelve Volumes, Volume IV, (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996): 1064
2. Walter Brueggemann, The Message of the Psalms: A Theological Commentary, (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1984: 144
3. E.O. Wilson, The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth, (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006):91
Bibliography:
Anderson, A.A., The New Century Bible Commentary: Psalms (73-150). Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972.
Brueggemann, Walter, The Message of the Psalms: A Theological Commentary. Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1984.
Mays, James L., Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching: Psalms. Louisville: John Knox Press, 1994.
McCann Jr., Clinton J. The New Interpreters Bible: A Commentary in Twelve Volumes. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996.
Wilson, E.O., The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2006.