Mizmor 96
A New Song Of The Future: Of Cosmic Joy and Jubilation
By Moshe Sokolow
Our psalm identifies itself as “a new song” (shir chadash), a term that appears six times in Psalms and only once more in the entire Tanakh (Isaiah 42:10). Rashi explained that “any reference to a new song deals with the future,” and he found proof in the verse, "for He has come to judge the earth" (13). Radak, who referred this psalm, along with Psalm 95, to the celebration that would accompany the ingathering of the exiles, wrote: “This psalm was composed by David when he brought the Ark from the home of Obed-Edom [to Jerusalem, see 2 Samuel 6] alongside 'Praise the Lord, call His name' (Psalm 105), although there are some slight differences between them. He introduced a novelty into this song by replicating it here regarding the ingathering of the exiles."
The psalmist predicts that when the Lord finally comes and “judges the peoples with equity” (10), the result will be universal, nay cosmic, joy and jubilation: “Let the heavens rejoice and the earth exult; let the sea and all within it thunder, the fields and everything in them exult; then shall all the trees of the forest shout for joy at the presence of the Lord..." (11-13).
The venerable Aramaic Targum of Yonatan identified “the heavens” with “the forces of heaven,” probably the sun, moon, and stars, and “the earth” with “the righteous of the earth." Rashi interpreted the “thunder” of the sea as “raising its voice in praise,” and “all the trees of the forest” as the rulers of the nations. Ibn Ezra commented: “Let [the heavens] rejoice when they give their dew. The earth will give forth its produce and the field will give its fruit... Let the sea thunder means let the clouds that ascend from the sea roar."
As to whether these verses are meant to be taken literally, Ibn Ezra wrote:
It is possible that our verses are to be taken as metaphors. They teach that the world will be at peace and will be secure when G-d's righteousness is on the earth. On the other hand, the metaphor might be that of singers and bands that play before the king when he comes from a distant place.
