Psalm 96:8 NKJV
Give to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
“In this stanza, the worship of God is described as our bringing something to God rather than our coming to God to get something from him. We usually think of it the other way around. We think of coming to church to receive either: (1) knowledge through the teaching or (2) specific gifts from God as his answers to our prayers. But here worship is chiefly our bringing praise and offerings to God.” (Boice)
Give to the LORD the glory due His name: “It is a debt; and a debt, in equity, must be paid. The honor due to his name is to acknowledge him to be holy, just, true, powerful.” (Clarke, cited in Spurgeon)
The triple repetition of this phrase impresses the urgency of the call, and is a subtle reference to the Triune nature of God. (Guzik)
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“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name.” But who can do that to the full? Can all the nations of the earth put together discharge the mighty debt? All conceivable honor is due to our Creator, Preserver, Benefactor, and Redeemer, and however much of zealous homage we may offer to him, we cannot give him more than his due. If we cannot bring in the full revenue which he justly claims, at least let us not fail from want of honest endeavor.
“Bring an offering, and come into his courts.” Come with an unbloody sacrifice; atonement for sin having been made, it only remains to bring thank-offerings, and let not these be forgotten. To him who gives us all, we ought gladly to give our grateful tithe. When assembling for public worship we should make a point of bringing with us a contribution to his cause, according to that ancient word, “None of you shall appear before me empty.” The time will come when from all ranks and nations the Lord will receive gifts when they gather together for his worship. (Spurgeon)
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Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name – This also is literally taken from 1 Chronicles 16: Psa 96:1-13 :28. The margin here is, as in Hebrew, of “his name:” the honor of his name. The idea is that which is expressed in our translation. Bring to God what is due to him; or, render such an acknowledgment as he deserves and claims. Acknowledge him as God, and acknowledge him to be such a God as he is. Let the honor due to God as such be given him; and let the honor due to him, for the character which he actually has, be ascribed to him.
Bring an offering – This is language taken from the temple worship, and means that God is to be worshipped, in the manner which he has prescribed, as a suitable expression of his majesty. The word here rendered “offering” – מנחה minchāh – is that which is commonly used to denote a “bloodless” offering – a thank-offering. See the notes at Isaiah 1:13.
And come into his courts – The courts or areas around the tabernacle and the temple, where sacrifices were made, and where the people worshipped. See the notes at Matthew 21:12. (Barnes)
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Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name,…. Or “the glory of his name” {q}; whose name is glorious and excellent, because of his nature and perfections, because of the works done by him, and because of his benefits and blessings bestowed on his creatures; wherefore it is his due, and their duty, to give him glory; See Gill on “Ps 29:2,” See Gill on “Ps 66:2,” the word “Jehovah,” or “Lord,” being thrice mentioned in this and the preceding verse, in the ascription of glory, may lead our thoughts to the trinity of Persons, Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit, to whom glory is to be equally given:
Bring an offering, and come into his courts; not ceremonial sacrifices, which are abolished under the Gospel dispensation, to which times this psalm belongs; but either the saints themselves, their bodies, as a holy, living, and acceptable sacrifice, and especially the sacrifices of a broken heart, with as much of their substance as is necessary for the relief of the poor, the support of the ministry, and the carrying on of the cause and interest of the Redeemer: the allusion is to the law that enjoined the Israelites not to appear empty before the Lord; but everyone to bring his gift according to his ability, Deuteronomy 16:16, or else their sacrifices of prayer and praise, which are the spiritual sacrifices of the Gospel dispensation, and are to be offered by the saints, as priests, to God through Christ; or rather the sacrifice of Christ himself, which is of a sweet smelling savor to God, makes way for access unto him, and acceptance with him; and which should be brought in the arms of faith, when they enter into the house of the Lord, and attend his word and ordinances; for, through this, their persons and services become acceptable to God, and the sins of their holy things are taken away. (Gill)
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Psalm 96:8 Geneva Bible 1560
8 Give unto the Lord the glorie of his Name: bring f an offering, and enter into his courts
f By offering up yourselves wholly unto God, declare that you worship him only.
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