(9) O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.--Better, Bow before Jehovah in holy attire. But the LXX. and Vulgate have as in margin.

Fear before him.--Or literally, let all the earth be moved before his face.

Verse 9. - O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness (comp. 1 Chronicles 16:29; Psalm 29:2). This is generally explained as "holiday attire." or "in vestments suited to holy service," but may include, besides vestments, the other material accessories of Divine worship. Fear before him, all the earth; or, tremble before him (comp. Psalm 97:4). The fear of God is constantly inculcated by the psalmists, not only as "the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 111:10), but as required of every man during his whole life (Psalm 19:9; Psalm 34:9; Psalm 40:3; Psalm 64:9; Psalm 86:11; Psalm 119:63, etc.).

96:1-9 When Christ finished his work on earth, and was received into his glory in heaven, the church began to sing a new song unto him, and to bless his name. His apostles and evangelists showed forth his salvation among the heathen, his wonders among all people. All the earth is here summoned to worship the Lord. We must worship him in the beauty of holiness, as God in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. Glorious things are said of him, both as motives to praise and matter of praise.O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,.... See Gill on Psalm 29:2, in this and the three preceding verses there is a manifest allusion to the form of addresses made to kings in the eastern nations; who being arrayed, and seated in a majestic manner, with all the marks of royal honour and dignity about them, whom their subjects approach with ascriptions of glory to them; bringing presents in their hands, and bowing down to the ground before them, as the word (r) for "worship" signifies; expressing the utmost awe and reverence of them, as in the next clause:

fear before him, all the earth; or, as the Targum,

"all the inhabitants of the earth;''

it is the duty of all men to fear the Lord; but none can fear him aright without his grace, or an heart given them to fear him: this respects the latter day, when the Jews shall seek the Lord, and fear him and his goodness; when all nations shall fear and worship him; when, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the name of the Lord shall be great and tremendous among the Gentiles; see Hosea 3:5.

(r) "incurvate vos", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "prosternite vos", Tigurine version.