Psalm 96 (Verses 1–3)
King James Version
The opening call to "sing unto the LORD a new song" and declare His glory among the nations.
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About this text
Psalm 96 opens with the phrase "a new song," a formula that appears in several psalms (33, 40, 98, 144, 149) and seems to mark a psalm meant for a specific occasion of celebration rather than routine worship. This short excerpt covers only its opening three verses, in which the call to sing widens quickly from "all the earth" to a command to declare God's glory "among the heathen" — that is, to other nations.
Each of the three verses in this excerpt begins with a variation on "sing" or "declare," making the passage a compact example of how Hebrew poetry often restates one command several ways rather than making three separate points. It's short enough to compare all three verses side by side once copied, noticing exactly what changes and what stays the same.
What to watch for
- 1 semicolon: a semicolon joins two complete thoughts that belong together, a pause longer than a comma but shorter than a period.
- 1 colon: a colon points ahead to what explains or completes the first half of the sentence.
- Capital letters in the middle of a sentence: LORD. Ask why each one is capitalized before typing it.
- Old-fashioned words: unto. These are easy to "correct" by accident into modern spelling, so copy them exactly as written.
- Longest word: "salvation" (9 letters). Try spelling it aloud once before reaching it.
- 3 lines averaging about 14 words each. A comfortable line length for a single sitting.
Full text (reference)
1O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
2Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.
3Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.