Psalms 98 Study Notes: All Creation Praises the Coming Judge
This psalm calls for fresh praise because the LORD has won salvation by His own power and made it known to every nation. All the earth, with harp and horn, and even the sea, rivers, and hills, are summoned to rejoice before the King who comes to rule the world with fairness.
General
Why are the sea, rivers, and mountains called to rejoice in 98:7-9?
Answer: Because the LORD arrives to rule the world rightly
In the final verses even creation joins the song. The sea is to roar, the rivers to clap, and the mountains to sing together (98:7-8). The reason is that the LORD is on His way as Judge of the earth, and His rule will be righteous and fair (98:9). His judgment is good news because it puts the world right. Psalm 96:13 gives the same reason. Paul says God has fixed a day for justly judging all people through Jesus, whom He raised from the dead (Acts 17:31), and he pictures creation eagerly waiting to be freed from decay (Romans 8:19-21).
- Psalm 98:7-9 (BSB)“Let the sea resound, and all that fills it, the world, and all who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.”Sea, world, rivers, and mountains are called to rejoice because the LORD is coming to judge the earth rightly.
- Psalm 96:13 (BSB)“before the LORD, for He is coming—He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness.”A companion psalm gives the same reason for creation's joy: the LORD comes to judge the world in righteousness.
- Acts 17:31 (BSB)“For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.””Paul says God has fixed a day to judge the world with justice through the Man He raised from the dead.
- Romans 8:19-21 (BSB)“The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”Paul pictures creation longing to be set free from decay when God's children are revealed.
Theological
What ground does 98:9 give for the personified rejoicing of sea, rivers, and mountains?
Answer: Because the LORD arrives to rule the world rightly
The psalm closes by personifying creation: the sea roars, the rivers clap, and the mountains sing in chorus (98:7-8), because the LORD comes to judge, governing all peoples with righteousness and fairness (98:9). Divine judgment is here the cause of joy, since it rectifies a disordered world. Psalm 96:13 gives the identical rationale. Acts 17:31 locates that judgment in the appointed Man whom God raised from the dead, and Romans 8:19-21 describes the creation awaiting its liberation from bondage to decay.
- Psalm 98:7-9 (BSB)“Let the sea resound, and all that fills it, the world, and all who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.”Sea, world, rivers, and mountains are called to rejoice because the LORD is coming to judge the earth rightly.
- Psalm 96:13 (BSB)“before the LORD, for He is coming—He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness.”A companion psalm gives the same reason for creation's joy: the LORD comes to judge the world in righteousness.
- Acts 17:31 (BSB)“For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.””Paul says God has fixed a day to judge the world with justice through the Man He raised from the dead.
- Romans 8:19-21 (BSB)“The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”Paul pictures creation longing to be set free from decay when God's children are revealed.
General
What reason does 98:1 give for singing a new song to the LORD?
Answer: The LORD's own power has done wonders and won
Psalm 98 begins with a command and a reason. God's people are to sing a new song because the LORD has done marvelous things, and the right hand and sacred arm of God, pictures of His own strength, have won the victory (98:1). The victory belongs to God alone, not to any human army. Moses praised the LORD's right hand in the same way after the Red Sea (Exodus 15:6), and Isaiah says that when no one else could act, God Himself acted to save (Isaiah 59:16). In Revelation, a new song is sung to the Lamb because by His death He bought people for God from every nation (Revelation 5:9).
- Psalm 98:1 (BSB)“A Psalm. Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand and holy arm have gained Him the victory.”The psalm opens with a call to sing a new song and gives the reason: the LORD's own mighty acts.
- Exodus 15:6 (BSB)“Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.”At the Red Sea, Moses praised the LORD's right hand for crushing the enemy, the same picture of God's power.
- Isaiah 59:16 (BSB)“He saw that there was no man; He was amazed that there was no one to intercede. So His own arm brought salvation, and His own righteousness sustained Him.”Isaiah says that when no one could help, the LORD's own arm brought salvation.
- Revelation 5:9 (BSB)“And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”In heaven a new song is sung to the Lamb because by His blood He purchased people for God.
Theological
What ground does 98:1 give for the summons to sing a new song?
Answer: The LORD's own power has done wonders and won
The opening imperative is grounded in divine action: the LORD has done marvelous deeds, and the right hand and sacred arm of God, pictures of His personal power, have secured the victory (98:1). Salvation here is God's work alone; no human agent shares the credit. The imagery recalls the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15:6) and Isaiah's picture of God's arm working salvation when nobody else could step in (Isaiah 59:16). Revelation 5:9 carries the new song forward to the Lamb, whose blood ransomed a people for God from every nation.
- Psalm 98:1 (BSB)“A Psalm. Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand and holy arm have gained Him the victory.”The psalm opens with a call to sing a new song and gives the reason: the LORD's own mighty acts.
- Exodus 15:6 (BSB)“Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.”At the Red Sea, Moses praised the LORD's right hand for crushing the enemy, the same picture of God's power.
- Isaiah 59:16 (BSB)“He saw that there was no man; He was amazed that there was no one to intercede. So His own arm brought salvation, and His own righteousness sustained Him.”Isaiah says that when no one could help, the LORD's own arm brought salvation.
- Revelation 5:9 (BSB)“And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”In heaven a new song is sung to the Lamb because by His blood He purchased people for God.
General
True or False: According to 98:2-3, the LORD's salvation is kept hidden from the nations and known only in Israel.
Answer: False
This is false. The LORD has made His salvation known and shown His righteousness openly to the nations (98:2). He has kept in mind His loyal love and faithfulness toward Israel, and the whole earth, to its farthest edges, has seen what God has done to save (98:3). God's faithfulness to Israel becomes a blessing seen by the world. Isaiah foretold that every nation would see God's salvation (Isaiah 52:10). Simeon saw that salvation in the infant Jesus, a light for the Gentiles (non-Jewish peoples) and glory for Israel (Luke 2:30-32), and Mary praised God for keeping His promise to Abraham (Luke 1:54-55).
- Psalm 98:2-3 (BSB)“The LORD has proclaimed His salvation and revealed His righteousness to the nations. He has remembered His love and faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.”The LORD's saving work is made known to the nations and seen to the ends of the earth, as He remembers His promises to Israel.
- Isaiah 52:10 (BSB)“The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.”Isaiah foretells that the whole world will see God's salvation when He bares His holy arm.
- Luke 2:30-32 (BSB)“For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.””Simeon, holding the infant Jesus, says he has seen God's salvation, a light for the Gentiles and glory for Israel.
- Luke 1:54-55 (BSB)“He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful, as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.””Mary praises God for helping Israel and remembering His mercy as He promised to Abraham.
Theological
True or False: 98:2-3 confines the disclosure of the LORD's salvation to Israel, with the nations left unaware of it.
Answer: False
This is false. The LORD has published His salvation and displayed His righteousness before the nations (98:2); He has kept in mind His covenant love and fidelity toward Israel, and the farthest reaches of the world have beheld it (98:3). Covenant fidelity to Israel is the channel of blessing to the world. Isaiah 52:10 anticipates the same universal sight of God's salvation, Simeon identifies it in the infant Christ as light for the Gentiles and glory for Israel (Luke 2:30-32), and the Magnificat praises God's remembrance of His promise to Abraham (Luke 1:54-55).
- Psalm 98:2-3 (BSB)“The LORD has proclaimed His salvation and revealed His righteousness to the nations. He has remembered His love and faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.”The LORD's saving work is made known to the nations and seen to the ends of the earth, as He remembers His promises to Israel.
- Isaiah 52:10 (BSB)“The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.”Isaiah foretells that the whole world will see God's salvation when He bares His holy arm.
- Luke 2:30-32 (BSB)“For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.””Simeon, holding the infant Jesus, says he has seen God's salvation, a light for the Gentiles and glory for Israel.
- Luke 1:54-55 (BSB)“He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful, as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.””Mary praises God for helping Israel and remembering His mercy as He promised to Abraham.
General
In 98:4-6, who is called to shout for joy, and before whom is the praise offered?
Answer: All the earth, before the LORD who is the King
The praise widens in 98:4-6. It is not limited to priests or to one tribe; the entire earth is summoned to burst into joyful song. Lyre, harp, trumpets, and the ram's horn are all brought in, and the celebration takes place before the LORD, who is called the King (98:6). The God who saved Israel rules over every people, so every people should praise Him. Psalm 96:1 makes the same worldwide call, Psalm 117:1-2 summons all nations to praise Him for His loving devotion (His loyal, covenant-keeping love), and in Revelation a great crowd rejoices because the Lord God Almighty reigns (Revelation 19:6).
- Psalm 98:4-6 (BSB)“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth—let your cry ring out, and sing praises! Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, in melodious song with the harp. With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn shout for joy before the LORD, the King.”The whole earth is called to shout and sing with instruments before the LORD, who is named as King.
- Psalm 96:1 (BSB)“Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.”A companion psalm likewise calls the whole earth to sing a new song to the LORD.
- Psalm 117:1-2 (BSB)“Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples! For great is His loving devotion toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Hallelujah!”All nations and peoples are called to praise the LORD because of His great loving devotion.
- Revelation 19:6 (BSB)“And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.”A vast multitude shouts hallelujah because the Lord God Almighty reigns.
Theological
According to 98:4-6, what is the scope of the summons to praise, and to whom is it directed?
Answer: All the earth, before the LORD who is the King
The call in 98:4-6 is universal: all the earth is to break into jubilant song, accompanied by lyre, harp, trumpets, and ram's horn, in the presence of the LORD as King (98:6). The kingship of Israel's God is not limited to one nation but extends over all creation, so the worship owed Him is worldwide. Psalm 96:1 issues the same universal summons, Psalm 117:1-2 grounds the praise of all peoples in His loving devotion, and Revelation 19:6 portrays the final hallelujah of a multitude celebrating that the Lord God Almighty reigns.
- Psalm 98:4-6 (BSB)“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth—let your cry ring out, and sing praises! Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, in melodious song with the harp. With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn shout for joy before the LORD, the King.”The whole earth is called to shout and sing with instruments before the LORD, who is named as King.
- Psalm 96:1 (BSB)“Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.”A companion psalm likewise calls the whole earth to sing a new song to the LORD.
- Psalm 117:1-2 (BSB)“Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples! For great is His loving devotion toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Hallelujah!”All nations and peoples are called to praise the LORD because of His great loving devotion.
- Revelation 19:6 (BSB)“And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.”A vast multitude shouts hallelujah because the Lord God Almighty reigns.