Psalm 98 – Sing to the Lord a New Song

BIBLE TEXT

Psalm 98

SUMMARY

All are called to sing and make music in praise of the Lord–including even the seas, floods, and hills.

ANALYSIS

This is one of a group of songs that announce and praise the kingly rule of God. Many contain the sentence “The Lord is king” or something quite like it (Psalms 93; 95; 96; 97; 99), which has caused many scholars to think they were sung at a festival (perhaps in the fall) announcing anew God’s enthronement and celebrating God’s rule. Whether or not that is true, this group of psalms does give praise to God as the ruler and righteous judge of all the earth.

God’s rule deserves to be celebrated, precisely because God alone judges with complete righteousness and equity (v. 9). So, everyone and everything sings praises, plays lyres, trumpets, and horns, and makes a joyful noise before the Lord (vv. 4-6). Even the sea roars, the floods clap their hands, and the hills sing for joy. Under righteous rule, everything prospers (people and all creatures), so everything joins in praise.