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Wisdom & Poetry · Old Testament

Psalms 98

Psalm 98: a new song for the victory the Lord has shown to all the ends of the earth

General context

The psalm calls for a new song to the Lord because he has done marvellous things and his right hand and holy arm have gotten him the victory. The Lord has made known his salvation and openly shown his righteousness in the sight of the heathen; he has remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel, and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. All the earth is told to make a joyful noise, a loud noise, and to rejoice and sing praise, with the harp and the voice of a psalm, with trumpets and the sound of cornet before the Lord, the King. The sea is to roar with its fulness, the world and those who dwell in it, the floods are to clap their hands and the hills to be joyful together before the Lord, for he cometh to judge the earth, the world with righteousness and the people with equity.

Cited passages: Psalms 98:1, Psalms 98:2, Psalms 98:3, Psalms 98:4, Psalms 98:5, Psalms 98:6, Psalms 98:7, Psalms 98:8, Psalms 98:9

Psalms 98 (KJV)

1O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.

2The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

3He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

5Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.

6With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King.

7Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

8Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together

9Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

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Historical context

This source prints no superscription; the psalm is nine verses and opens with O sing unto the Lord a new song. No speaker is named, though our God in verse 3 places the voice among those who claim the salvation shown to the house of Israel. The victory is stated as won, hath gotten him the victory, but the psalm does not say over whom or when; the only party named is the house of Israel, toward whom mercy and truth are remembered, with the heathen and the ends of the earth as witnesses. Three instruments are named, the harp, trumpets and cornet. The Lord is called the King in verse 6. The judging of verse 9 is still to come, for he cometh. There is no Selah. The closing verses share their wording with Psalm 96, where let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof and for he cometh to judge the earth also appear.

Cited passages: Psalms 98:3, Psalms 98:1, Psalms 98:2, Psalms 98:5, Psalms 98:6, Psalms 98:9, Psalms 96:11, Psalms 96:13

Literary context

The psalm has three movements of three verses. Verses 1 to 3 report what the Lord has done, in the past tense, with hath repeated: hath done, hath gotten, hath made known, hath remembered. Verses 4 to 6 command the earth to make noise, and the noise is specified by instrument, harp, harp again, trumpets and cornet. Verses 7 to 9 hand the praise to the sea, the world, the floods and the hills, which roar, clap and are joyful. Seeing runs through the first part, openly shewed and have seen, so the victory is something witnessed. The last verse gives the reason for all of it, a judge who cometh, and the final words are righteousness and equity.

Cited passages: Psalms 98:1, Psalms 98:3, Psalms 98:4, Psalms 98:5, Psalms 98:8, Psalms 98:2, Psalms 98:9

Key moments

  1. A new song for victory (Psalms 98:1). The Lord's right hand and holy arm are said to have gotten him the victory.
  2. Ends of the earth have seen (Psalms 98:3). Mercy and truth toward Israel are remembered and the salvation is seen everywhere.
  3. Make a joyful noise (Psalms 98:4). All the earth is told to make a loud noise, rejoice and sing praise.
  4. Trumpets before the King (Psalms 98:6). Trumpets and cornet sound before the Lord, the King.
  5. Floods clap their hands (Psalms 98:8). The floods and hills join the praise together.
  6. He cometh to judge (Psalms 98:9). The psalm ends with the Lord coming to judge the world with righteousness and equity.

For reflection

The floods are told to clap their hands for a judge who is coming. What does it mean that the psalm treats judgment as good news for the sea and the hills, and not only for the house of Israel?

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