What Does Psalm 96:12 Mean in the King James?
Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The field exults, then the trees sing: Hebrew gives the created world its own voice in the LORD’s praise.
THE MEANING
The field and everything in it are called into joy, and the forest trees answer with song. The land around you is part of the response to the LORD; it is not silent scenery. The next verse gives the reason: the LORD comes to judge the earth in righteousness and truth.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Creation is mute scenery, and only people can answer God.
THE ROOT
יְרַנְּנוּ
yerannenu
GROWS FROM
רנן
ranan
To ring out, cry aloud, or sing joyfully.
English “rejoice” can sound like an inward feeling; רנן is voiced joy. The trees do not merely seem glad, they join the praise with a song.
ALSO GROWS
rinnah: A ringing cry or joyful song.
רִנָּה
This noun makes explicit the sound carried by the trees’ rejoicing.
rannenu: Sing aloud or raise a joyful cry.
רַנְּנוּ
Psalm 98:4 uses this form to call the whole earth to sing to the LORD, echoing the forest’s voice here.
יָעֲלֹז
yaʿălōz
GROWS FROM
עלז
ʿalaz
To exult or rejoice.
“joyful” in this verse is yaʿălōz. The field’s joy uses a different Hebrew root from the trees’ song. The verse moves from the land’s exultation to the forest’s ringing voice, widening the chorus.
ALSO GROWS
ʿaliz: Joyful or exultant.
עָלִיז
This related form carries the root’s exultation as a quality, giving texture to the field’s joy.
ʿalizut: Joyfulness or exuberance.
עֲלִיזוּת
This noun names the exuberant quality that the verse attributes to the field.
THE PATTERN
The created world participates in praise with its own voice when the LORD acts.
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful togetherAnd he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.THE THREAD
Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.Isaiah uses רִנָּה (rinnah), “a ringing cry or joyful song,” from the same root רנן (ranan) as the trees’ rejoicing here. The forest is part of a chorus that reaches from the heavens to the earth.
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