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Psalm 96 · a question people ask

The psalm says the LORD "comes to judge the earth" (96:13). Is this about Jesus coming again?

In the text

The psalm names the one who comes: the trees sing "before the LORD; for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth" (96:13). It doesn't say when he comes, or how. No New Testament verse names Psalm 96. Psalm 9 has the same Hebrew words as 96:13's "He will judge the world with righteousness": "He will judge the world in righteousness" (Psalm 9:8), and the chapter on Psalm 9 sets a New Testament verse beside them; these notes don't repeat it, and they don't make 96:13 about a day or an event the psalm doesn't name. What the psalm itself says is what his judging is like: "with equity" (96:10), "with righteousness", and "with his truth" (96:13).

The verses

“Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.” The world is also established. It can’t be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity.”
Psalm 96:10 · World English Bible
“before the LORD; for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, the peoples with his truth.”
Psalm 96:13 · World English Bible
“He will judge the world in righteousness. He will administer judgment to the peoples in uprightness.”
Psalm 9:8 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 96

Psalm 96: Say among the nations

Psalm 96 says Sing to the LORD three times and Ascribe to the LORD three times, and sends the praise out: "Declare his glory among the nations" (96:3). And it says "for he comes" twice (96:13), where the same line in 1 Chronicles 16:33 and the close of Psalm 98 say it once.

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions