Psalms 96:11–13
Heavens, sea, field and forest rejoice before YHWH, who is coming
Study it word by word11Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea thunder, and what fills it;
12let the field exult, and all that is in it; then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy
13before YHWH, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth; he will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his faithfulness.
In its context
9Bow down to YHWH in the majesty of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.
10Say among the nations, “YHWH reigns!” The world also is firm; it will not be shaken; he will judge the peoples with uprightness.
…
Its words in the original
- יִשְׂמְחוּyismchu· rejoice
Rejoice, be glad; make glad.
- שָּׁמַיִםshamayim· heavens, sky
The heavens: what is above, where the clouds, the sun and the stars are seen; also the dwelling of God. In Hebrew it is always plural. With birds, "the sky".
- תָגֵלtagel· rejoice
To rejoice: to be very glad, to leap for joy.
- אָרֶץarets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- יִרְעַםyiram· thunder, irritate
To roar or thunder; to be agitated; to provoke or irritate.
- יָּםyam· sea, west
Sea, or any great body of water (also a lake). Since the Mediterranean lies west of Israel, the word also means "west".
- מְלֹאmelo· fullness
Fullness, all that fills something: what is in the earth or the sea; also a multitude.
- יַעֲלֹזyaaloz· exult
Leap for joy, exult.
- שָׂדַיsaday· field
Field: open country, cultivated or not.
- יְרַנְּנוּyerannu· shout for joy
Shout for joy, sing joyfully.
- עֲצֵיatse· tree, wood
Tree; also wood and what is made of it (a stick, a pole).
- יָעַרyaar· forest, thicket
Forest, thicket; also honeycomb.
- פְנֵיfene· face, presence
Face. From there "surface" (the face of something) and "presence" (being before someone's face); with a preposition it means "before" or "in front of".
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- בָאva· come, go in, bring
Come, arrive, go in, enter. In the causative form, "bring" or "carry in". "Go in to" a woman is to have marital relations with her.
- שְׁפֹּטshepot· judge
Judge: decide who is in the right and do him justice; also punish. Also rule, govern.
- תֵּבֵלtevel· world
The world: the inhabited earth.
- צֶדֶקtsedek· righteousness, what is right
Righteousness: what is right, what is as it should be; just (weights, judgment).
- עַמִּיםamim· people
People: a human group joined by kinship, history and destiny. "My people", said by God, is Israel. Also the people as a crowd, or troops.
- אֱמוּנָתemunat· faithfulness, steadiness
Steadiness; from there faithfulness, being trustworthy.