What does Psalm 96:5 mean?
ESV: For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
NIV: For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
NASB: For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens.
CSB: For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
NLT: The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens!
KJV: For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.
NKJV: For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens.
Verse Commentary:
Verse Context:
Psalm 96:1–6 calls upon all people to worship God. This is a response to the Lord's miraculous acts as well as His divine attributes. The passage emphasizes that the other deities worshipped by men are merely worthless idols. Only the Lord God of Israel is the Creator.
Chapter Summary:
The psalmist calls on all people—of the entire world—to give proper worship to God. Because of His divine nature and the miracles He has done, the Lord deserves to be praised. Other so-called "gods" are nothing. Those who worship the Lord should celebrate His holiness, power, and judgment. One day, the Lord will return and rule the entire earth in perfect justice.
Chapter Context:
This is one of the "enthronement" psalms, which celebrate God's role as the Supreme King of the earth. Others are Psalms 24, 27, 93, 95, and 97—99. A song celebrating the return of the ark (1 Chronicles 16:23–33) quotes nearly all of Psalm 96. Psalm 96 also anticipates Jesus' reign on earth and the Gentiles' worship of Him. This song may have also been used at the dedication of the second temple when the returnees from Babylon (Ezra 2:1) celebrated its completion (Ezra 6:15–16).
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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Text from ESV, NIV, NASB, CSB, NLT, KJV, NKJV © Copyright respective owners, used by permission.
