Psalm 98 explained: The Whole World Welcomes Its King

A new song for a rescue (vv. 1-3)

A "new song" answers a fresh act of rescue, and God's "right hand and holy arm" picture him as a strong warrior winning a victory on his own. Scholars are unsure which rescue is meant; many think of the return home from exile in Babylon, since verse 3 closely echoes a line in Isaiah about that return.

Loud music for the King (vv. 4-6)

Everyone on earth is invited to cheer as crowds did when a new king was crowned, with harps, trumpets and the ram's horn, a horn blown on big public and religious occasions. Calling the LORD "the King" marks this as one of several psalms that celebrate God reigning over all.

Nature joins the celebration (vv. 7-9)

The roaring sea, clapping rivers and singing mountains are poetic pictures of the whole created world rejoicing, not only people. They rejoice because God is coming to judge, which here means setting things right with fairness, so it is treated as good news rather than a threat.

Key verse: Psalm 98:9

Where Christians differ

Christians differ on whether the coming King of verse 9 is mainly Israel's hope for God's rule in its own day, a pointer to Jesus' first coming (as the carol "Joy to the World," based on this psalm, reads it), or a picture of Jesus' return at the end of history.

Something to think about

When have you longed for someone truly fair to come and set things right, and what would make that feel like good news to you rather than something to dread?