98 A Psalm.
98:1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!
7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who dwell in it!
8 Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together
9 before the Lord, for he comes
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.
Section Overview
Psalm 98 is a hymn that celebrates God’s universal kingship (v. 6) by referring to the “marvelous things” and “salvation” he has worked in the sight of the Gentiles, on behalf of his people.
This psalm bears many overlaps with Psalm 96, as in the opening invitation (98:1; cf. 96:1), the interest in the Gentiles (98:4; cf. 96:7), the rejoicing of the material world (98:7–8; cf. 96:11–12), and the Lord as universal “judge” (98:9; cf. 96:13).
This psalm lies behind Isaac Watts’s famous hymn “Joy to the World.” The psalm and the hymn have come to be associated with Christmas, even though that was not their original setting. As with Psalm 96, this can have a kind of appropriateness, provided it is clear that the connection derives from the coming of Jesus as the Davidic King, who will bring light to the Gentiles.
Psalm 98 comprises three sections, each of which begins with an exhortation (vv. 1, 4, 7). The flow of thought is straightforward. (1) God has worked salvation (rescue from evil) for Israel, which all the ends of the earth have seen (vv. 1–3). (2) All people in the earth should join Israel’s celebration, because God is their rightful king too (vv. 4–6). (3) The material creation should join all mankind in jubilant praise of the one true God as it looks forward to his rule (vv. 7–9). The first section mentions “salvation” three times; the second is bracketed by “make a joyful noise.” The interaction between the unique position of Israel and the universal reign of God (and his eventual worldwide blessing) runs throughout.
Section Outline
I. Sing, for God Has Worked Salvation for His People (98:1–3)
II. Let All the Earth Sing Loudly and Joyfully (98:4–6)
III. Let All Nature Join in the Song (98:7–9)
Response
Psalm 98 enables the Israelite worshipers to see every instance of “salvation” that God works for his people as an expression of his universal kingship, done in the sight of the Gentiles so that eventually they too will join Israel in serving the one true God. Israel’s being God’s special people lays them open to the great danger of pride and exclusivity, a sense of disdain toward the Gentiles. This psalm should help the faithful to take the right stance, one of thankfulness for their privileges, confidence for the eventual triumph of God’s purposes among the nations, and welcome toward all Gentiles, that they might come to know God.
Christians profess that God’s great works of salvation were aimed at preserving Israel so that out of them would come the heir of David, the Messiah, whose rule would bring blessing to the Gentiles. The coming of Jesus is the coming of God’s salvation for all peoples (Luke 1:30–32), and God continues his works of salvation in preserving his people and expanding his rule among the nations. But in his Gospel Matthew records Jesus’ verdict on his Jewish contemporaries who abused their privileges (Matt. 23:13–15)—no doubt because the early Christian communities could fall prey to the same abuses. For Christians to sing this psalm is to nurture the healthy disposition of thankfulness, confidence, and welcome.Psalm 98
Psalm 99