O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.

PSALMS 96:1KJV
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Psalms 96:1 (KJV)

What does Psalms 96:1 mean?

Psalms 96:1 is a call for everyone on earth to sing a fresh, joyful song to the LORD, inviting all people to join in worship. The verse encourages a new expression of praise directed specifically to the LORD, extending the invitation beyond Israel to the whole world.

The psalm is written as a song of praise, likely intended for public worship, with the speaker urging all nations and peoples to honor the LORD (the personal name for God in the Hebrew Bible). The idea of a "new song" suggests a response to something God has done recently or a renewed sense of gratitude and awe. The verse sets the tone for the rest of the psalm, which celebrates God's greatness and calls for universal worship.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 96:1

  • "Sing" (שִׁירוּ, shiru) means to sing or make music. The form used here is a command, emphasizing that this is an active call to praise.
  • "LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH) is the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible, highlighting that the praise is directed to the specific God of Israel, not just any deity.
  • "New" (חָדָשׁ, chadash) means new or fresh. This word points to a song that is not routine or stale, but one that reflects a renewed experience or understanding of God's work.
  • "Song" (שִׁיר, shir) refers to a song or hymn. In the context of the psalms, it often means a song of praise or thanksgiving, showing that music and singing are central ways to worship God.
  • "Earth" (אֶרֶץ, erets) means the whole land or earth, making it clear that the call to sing is not limited to one group but is meant for all people everywhere.

Why Psalms 96:1 matters

  • Psalms 96:1 makes it clear that worship of the LORD is not just for Israel but is meant for all nations, showing an early vision of God's global reach.
  • The call for a "new song" highlights that worship can be creative and responsive, not just a repetition of old traditions.
  • This verse introduces a theme of universal praise that continues throughout the psalm, helping readers see the broader invitation to celebrate God's greatness together.

Where else these words appear

“new” Hebrew H2319 · used in 48 verses

  • Exodus 1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
  • 2 Samuel 21:16 And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
  • Isaiah 41:15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.

“sing” Hebrew H7891 · used in 79 verses

  • Exodus 15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
  • Ezra 7:7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
  • Psalms 65:13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

“song” Hebrew H7892 · used in 87 verses

  • Genesis 31:27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?
  • Psalms 18:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said, I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
  • Psalms 127:1 A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.