Psalm 96 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 96 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Verse 2Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
Verse 3Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples.
Verse 4For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods.
Verse 5For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
Verse 6Honor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Verse 7Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Verse 8Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts.
Verse 9Worship the Lord in holy splendor; tremble before him, all the earth.
Verse 10Say among the nations, "The Lord is king! The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity."
Verse 11Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
Verse 12let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
Verse 13before the Lord; for he is coming, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth.
Devotion
“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.” (Psalm 96:3-4)
Christmas is a time for gifts and, of course, the birth of Jesus the Christ is the best gift of all. But sometimes we act as if this gift is only for us—we are tempted to hoard this gift and want to keep it for ourselves. But the gift of the Son of God is for all people, a gift to be shared and celebrated among all people. The greatest gift we can give to this troubled world is the good news that God continues to break into our world with forgiveness and hope—that is a gift worth sharing among all the peoples!
Prayer
Great is your name, O Lord, and greatly to be praised. Help us to spread your Word among all people. Amen.