Give unto the Lord - Ascribe unto the Lord - to Yahweh. This is extracted literally from 1 Chronicles 16:28.

O ye kindreds of the people - Hebrew, "Families" of the people: people, as united by family ties. The idea is that of worship not merely as individuals, nor as a mere "aggregate" of individuals united by no common bonds, but as those united by strong ties; bound by blood and affection; constituted into communities. It is a call on such to worship God in their capacity as thus bound together; to come as families and to worship God. In other words, it is a call on families "as such" to acknowledge God. A family is a proper place where to honor God. When the same joy pervades all hearts in prosperity, and when all are alike made sorrowful in adversity, there is an evident fitness that all should unite in the same worship of God; and that, as in all other things they have common interests, sympathies, and affections, so they should have in religion - in the service of their Creator.

Give unto the Lord glory and strength - That is, Proclaim that these belong to God; or, worship him as a God of glory and power.

Ye kindreds of the people - Ye families, all the tribes of Israel in your respective divisions.

Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people,.... Or families (p): the Targum is,

"give unto the Lord a song, ye families of the people;''

by whom are meant not the tribes and families of the people of Israel, but the Gentiles, the nations of the world, who were to be blessed in the seed of Abraham, the family of Egypt, and others; see Amos 3:2, Zechariah 14:17, even such as were chosen of them, taken out from among them for a people to his name; who were redeemed out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation; and were taken, one of a city, and two of a family, and brought to Zion: give unto the Lord glory and strength; See Gill on Psalm 29:1.

(p) "familiae", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c.

Call to the families of the peoples to worship God, the One, living, and glorious God. הבוּ is repeated three times here as Psalm 29:1-11, of which the whole strophe is an echo. Isaiah (ch. 60) sees them coming in with the gifts which they are admonished to bring with them into the courts of Jahve (in Chr. only: לפניו). Instead of בּהדרת קדשׁ here and in the chronicler, the lxx brings the courts (חצרת) in once more; but the dependence of the strophe upon Psalm 29:1-11 furnishes a guarantee for the "holy attire," similar to the wedding garment in the New Testament parable. Instead of מפּניו, Psalm 96:9, the chronicler has מלּפניו, just as he also alternates with both forms, 2 Chronicles 32:7, cf. 1 Chronicles 19:18.

Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and {e} strength.

(e) As by experience you see that it is only due to him.

7-9. Give-or, "ascribe" (Ps 29:1) due honor to Him, by acts of appointed and solemn worship in His house.

96:1-9 When Christ finished his work on earth, and was received into his glory in heaven, the church began to sing a new song unto him, and to bless his name. His apostles and evangelists showed forth his salvation among the heathen, his wonders among all people. All the earth is here summoned to worship the Lord. We must worship him in the beauty of holiness, as God in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. Glorious things are said of him, both as motives to praise and matter of praise.