Let the fields exult, and all that is in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy Let the fields exult,This phrase calls for the fields to express joy, a poetic personification common in Hebrew literature. The fields represent the agricultural abundance of the land, a sign of God's provision and blessing. In the ancient Near Eastern context, fields were central to survival and prosperity, making their exultation a symbol of divine favor. This imagery connects to the Jubilee year in Leviticus 25, where the land rests and is restored, reflecting God's care for creation. The exultation of the fields can also be seen as a foretaste of the new creation described in Isaiah 35:1-2, where the wilderness and dry land will be glad and blossom. and all that is in them.
This phrase extends the call to rejoice to everything within the fields, including crops, animals, and even the unseen life within the soil. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of creation and God's sovereignty over all life. This comprehensive inclusion mirrors the Genesis creation narrative, where God saw everything He made as "very good" (Genesis 1:31). It also anticipates the restoration of all creation, as described in Romans 8:19-22, where creation eagerly awaits liberation from its bondage to decay. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy
The trees of the forest are depicted as joining in the celebration, a vivid image of nature's response to God's reign. Trees often symbolize strength, longevity, and stability in Scripture, as seen in Psalm 1:3, where the righteous are likened to a tree planted by streams of water. The singing of the trees can be seen as a metaphor for the ultimate harmony and peace that will characterize God's kingdom. This imagery is echoed in Isaiah 55:12, where the trees clap their hands in joy, and in Revelation 22:2, where the tree of life bears fruit for the healing of the nations, symbolizing the restoration and joy of the new creation. Persons / Places / Events 1. FieldsRepresents the cultivated land and the produce of the earth, symbolizing abundance and God's provision. 2. Trees of the ForestSymbolizes creation's response to God's majesty and glory, often used in Scripture to depict strength and endurance. 3. Exultation and JoyThe emotional response of creation to God's presence and reign, indicating a harmonious relationship between the Creator and His creation. Teaching Points Creation's Response to GodCreation itself is designed to glorify God. As believers, we should join in this chorus of praise, recognizing God's sovereignty over all the earth. Joy in God's ReignThe joy of the fields and trees is a metaphor for the joy that should fill our hearts as we acknowledge God's rule. We are called to live in a way that reflects this joy and hope. Stewardship of CreationAs caretakers of God's creation, we have a responsibility to protect and preserve the environment, ensuring that it can continue to exult and sing for joy. Anticipation of RedemptionJust as creation eagerly anticipates the fullness of God's kingdom, we too should live with an expectation of Christ's return and the restoration of all things. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the imagery of fields and trees exulting in Psalm 96:12 enhance our understanding of creation's role in worship? 2. In what ways can we, as believers, join creation in exulting and singing for joy in our daily lives? 3. How does the anticipation of creation for God's redemption, as seen in Romans 8:19-22, influence our perspective on environmental stewardship? 4. What practical steps can we take to ensure that our lives reflect the joy and hope depicted in Psalm 96:12? 5. How can the themes of joy and exultation in Psalm 96:12 inspire us to engage with and support our local church community? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 1:31Reflects on God's creation being "very good," showing the inherent joy and purpose in creation. Isaiah 55:12Describes creation rejoicing and clapping their hands, similar to the imagery in Psalm 96:12, emphasizing the joy of creation in response to God's salvation. Romans 8:19-22Speaks of creation eagerly waiting for the revelation of the children of God, highlighting the interconnectedness of creation and redemption. Revelation 5:13Depicts all creation praising God, reinforcing the theme of universal worship and joy found in Psalm 96:12. People PsalmistPlaces JerusalemTopics Exult, Exulteth, Field, Forest, Glad, Joy, Joyful, Jubilant, Rejoice, Sing, Sounding, Therein, Trees, Wood, Woods, YesDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 96:12 4448 forests Psalm 96:10-13 1075 God, justice of Psalm 96:11-13 1110 God, present everywhere Psalm 96:12-13 4017 life, animal and plant Library Psalm Xcvi. 1, 2
Psalm xcvi. 1, 2. Sing a new song unto the Lord; His mercies, every morning new, His truth and faithfulness record; Give to our God the glory due. God is the Lord; around His throne In heaven, adoring seraphim, And ransom'd saints, ascribe alone All power, might, majesty, to Hiin. On earth His church impregnable, Built on the rock of ages, stands, And yet, against the gates of hell, Shall send salvation through all lands. Thou, by whose word the worlds were made, In wisdom and in goodness framed, …
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and HymnsLetter Xlii to the Illustrious Youth, Geoffrey De Perrone, and his Comrades.
To the Illustrious Youth, Geoffrey de Perrone, and His Comrades. He pronounces the youths noble because they purpose to lead the religious life, and exhorts them to perseverance. To his beloved sons, Geoffrey and his companions, Bernard, called Abbot of Clairvaux, wishes the spirit of counsel and strength. 1. The news of your conversion that has got abroad is edifying many, nay, is making glad the whole Church of God, so that The heavens rejoice and the earth is glad (Ps. xcvi. 11), and every tongue …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux Therefore Go On, Saints of God, Boys and Girls...
27. Therefore go on, Saints of God, boys and girls, males and females, unmarried men, and women; go on and persevere unto the end. Praise more sweetly the Lord, Whom ye think on more richly: hope more happily in Him, Whom ye serve more instantly: love more ardently Him, whom ye please more attentively. With loins girded, and lamps burning, wait for the Lord, when He cometh from the marriage. [2075] Ye shall bring unto the marriage of the Lamb a new song, which ye shall sing on your harps. Not surely …
St. Augustine—Of Holy Virginity. A Letter from Origen to Africanus.
Origen to Africanus, a beloved brother in God the Father, through Jesus Christ, His holy Child, greeting. Your letter, from which I learn what you think of the Susanna in the Book of Daniel, which is used in the Churches, although apparently somewhat short, presents in its few words many problems, each of which demands no common treatment, but such as oversteps the character of a letter, and reaches the limits of a discourse. [3028] And I, when I consider, as best I can, the measure of my intellect, …
Origen—Origen's Letters Period iii. The Dissolution of the Imperial State Church and the Transition to the Middle Ages: from the Beginning of the Sixth Century to the Latter Part of the Eighth
The third period of the ancient Church under the Christian Empire begins with the accession of Justin I (518-527), and the end of the first schism between Rome and Constantinople (519). The termination of the period is not so clearly marked. By the middle and latter part of the eighth century, however, the imperial Church has ceased to exist in its original conception. The Church in the East has become, in great part, a group of national schismatic churches under Moslem rulers, and only the largest …
Joseph Cullen Ayer Jr., Ph.D.—A Source Book for Ancient Church History Hiram, the Inspired Artificer
BY REV. W. J. TOWNSEND, D.D. The Temple of Solomon was the crown of art in the old world. There were temples on a larger scale, and of more massive construction, but the enormous masses of masonry of the oldest nations were not comparable with the artistic grace, the luxurious adornments, and the harmonious proportions of this glorious House of God. David had laid up money and material for the great work, but he was not permitted to carry it out. He was a man of war, and blood-stained hands were …
George Milligan—Men of the Bible; Some Lesser-Known Ye Also who have not yet Made this Vow...
30. Ye also who have not yet made this vow, who are able to receive it, receive it. [2093] Run with perseverance, that ye may obtain. [2094] Take ye each his sacrifices, and enter ye into the courts [2095] of the Lord, not of necessity, having power over your own will. [2096] For not as, "Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall not kill," [2097] can it so be said, Thou shalt not wed. The former are demanded, the latter are offered. If the latter are done, they are praised: unless the former are …
St. Augustine—Of Holy Virginity. The First Commandment
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' Exod 20: 3. Why is the commandment in the second person singular, Thou? Why does not God say, You shall have no other gods? Because the commandment concerns every one, and God would have each one take it as spoken to him by name. Though we are forward to take privileges to ourselves, yet we are apt to shift off duties from ourselves to others; therefore the commandment is in the second person, Thou and Thou, that every one may know that it is spoken to him, …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments The Prophet Micah.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. Micah signifies: "Who is like Jehovah;" and by this name, the prophet is consecrated to the incomparable God, just as Hosea was to the helping God, and Nahum to the comforting God. He prophesied, according to the inscription, under Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. We are not, however, entitled, on this account, to dissever his prophecies, and to assign particular discourses to the reign of each of these kings. On the contrary, the entire collection forms only one whole. At …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament The History of the Psalter
[Sidenote: Nature of the Psalter] Corresponding to the book of Proverbs, itself a select library containing Israel's best gnomic literature, is the Psalter, the compendium of the nation's lyrical songs and hymns and prayers. It is the record of the soul experiences of the race. Its language is that of the heart, and its thoughts of common interest to worshipful humanity. It reflects almost every phase of religious feeling: penitence, doubt, remorse, confession, fear, faith, hope, adoration, and …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Psalm 96:12 NIVPsalm 96:12 NLTPsalm 96:12 ESVPsalm 96:12 NASBPsalm 96:12 KJV
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