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.

By Kevin M. Watson, Ph.D

NOTE: Today’s commentary is by Dr. Kevin Watson, who is coming to Tulsa to become the Director of Academic Growth and Formation at the Tulsa Extension Site for Asbury Theological Seminary, as well as joining our staff at Asbury Church as Scholar-in-Residence. I wrote a post announcing and explaining this move.-Andrew

Psalm 98 begins with a call to praise God.

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.

As the psalm continues, the celebration intensifies.

First, additional instruments are added to accompany and increase the volume of the sung praises to God.

Second, all of creation joins in singing praise to the Lord. The sea roars. The rivers clap their hands. The hills sing for joy together.

Why all this praise and rejoicing?

Because the Lord “comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.”

When you think of God’s judgment, does it cause you to respond in praise and worship? Does it cause you to rejoice and celebrate?

Psalm 98 pushes us to think of how much we trust God. Do we today celebrate God’s judgment? Do we dance and sing when we think of what we now call “judgment day”? Do we trust God to judge with equity all the peoples of the earth? Can we really join in the celebration in loud voices? The celebration here is not trite. We are called to celebrate God’s judgment on us and on the world. Ellen Davis reminds us, “Judgment is the positive and passionate assertion of God’s will for the world, beginning with the deep foundation of God’s rule in the human heart; therefore, it gives no quarter to deception and self-delusion.” Praise of God and God’s judgment is the ultimate in trust, for it places us squarely in need of salvation. - Beth Tanner

So, do you trust God?

Lord, increase our faith!