Psalm 98 is a short hymn of praise that calls all creation to sing to the LORD because he has acted in salvation and is coming to judge the earth with righteousness. People read it to understand what a “new song” means, why the psalm invites the sea and the mountains to join in worship, and how praise can rest on confidence in God’s justice rather than on a calm, easy world. It is a good chapter to read when you want to praise God for what he has already done and to trust him with what is still to come.
Psalm 98 Summary
The psalm opens with a command to sing a new song, grounded in the fact that the LORD has done marvelous things. The writer points to God’s own strength, described as his right hand and holy arm, as the source of salvation. That salvation is not kept private. The LORD has made it known and shown his righteousness in the sight of the nations, so the praise has a public and global reach.
From there the psalm turns outward. The writer recalls God’s loving kindness and faithfulness toward Israel and notes that the ends of the earth have seen what God has done. Having named the reason for praise, the psalm then calls everyone to respond: all the earth is told to make a joyful noise, and a long list of instruments is named, from the harp to the ram’s horn.
The final verses widen the circle to include the natural world. The sea roars, the rivers clap their hands, and the mountains sing together. The psalm closes by pointing ahead to the LORD’s coming as judge, who will rule the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity. The praise of the opening is therefore anchored in the expectation of a just future.
Background and Setting
Psalm 98 belongs to the book of Psalms, the collected hymnbook of ancient Israel, which was gathered over many centuries and includes songs from several periods. The superscription attributes this psalm to no particular author, and scholars generally place it in the later part of the monarchy or the period after the exile, based on its language and its close kinship with other enthronement psalms that celebrate the LORD as king.
The psalm was written for worship in the community of Israel, probably for use in temple or festival settings where songs and instruments accompanied the celebration of God’s rule. Its sweeping vision of the nations and the whole earth gives it a wider horizon. In the book of Psalms it sits in a group of psalms (roughly 93 to 100) that proclaim the LORD as king over all, so reading it alongside its neighbors helps show its place.
Psalm 98 Section by Section
Verses 1-3: The New Song for a Saving God
1 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 openly shown his righteousness in the sight of the nations. 3 He has remembered his loving kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Psalm 98:1-3 (WEB)
The psalm begins with a call to a new song, and the reason given is specific: the LORD has done marvelous things. The imagery of God’s right hand and holy arm points to his active power, the strength that wins victories. The salvation in view is not an abstract idea but an act God has carried out. This gives the opening a firm base, since the praise responds to something real rather than to a mood.
Verses 2 and 3 widen the scope of that act. God has made his salvation known and displayed his righteousness before the nations, and he has remembered his faithfulness to Israel. The psalm holds together God’s covenant loyalty to his people and his visible justice before the wider world. The closing line of this section says that all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God, which prepares the reader for the call to universal praise that follows.
Verses 4-6: The Call to Joyful Noise
4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Burst out and sing for joy, yes, sing praises! 5 Sing praises to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the voice of melody. 6 With trumpets and sound of the ram’s horn, make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD.
Psalm 98:4-6 (WEB)
Here the psalm moves from reflection to command. The whole earth is summoned to make a joyful noise, and the language grows louder and more energetic. The writer wants the praise to be full-bodied, sung and played with enthusiasm rather than offered quietly.
The instruments named, the harp, the voice, the trumpets, and the ram’s horn, are the sounds of Israel’s worship. The ram’s horn in particular was associated with the kingship of the LORD and with celebrations of his presence. By calling the praise “before the King, the LORD,” the psalm reminds the reader that this joy is directed to a ruler who is also the one who saves.
Verses 7-9: Creation and the Coming Judgment
7 Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein. 8 Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together. 9 Let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
Psalm 98:7-9 (WEB)
The final section brings in the sea, the rivers, and the mountains, asking all of creation to join the chorus. The roaring sea, the clapping rivers, and the singing mountains show nature responding to its maker. The psalm treats the world not as a silent backdrop but as a participant in the praise of God.
The reason for this cosmic celebration appears in verse 9: the LORD comes to judge the earth. Judgment here is not a threat but the good news that God will set the world right with righteousness and equity. The praise is therefore forward-looking, rejoicing in a future in which God’s justice is fully expressed. This gives the whole psalm a hopeful shape that ends in anticipation.
Key Themes in Psalm 98
- God’s saving power: The psalm grounds all praise in the active salvation the LORD has accomplished with his own strength.
- Universal worship: The call to sing reaches from Israel to the nations, the earth, the sea, and the mountains.
- Faithfulness and righteousness: God remembers his loving kindness to his people and displays his justice openly before all peoples.
- The coming judge: The LORD’s future coming to judge the world with righteousness gives the praise a hopeful direction.
Lessons From Psalm 98 for Today
Psalm 98 teaches that praise is most honest when it is tied to what God has actually done. In a season when news feels heavy and personal plans have gone sideways, it is easy to sing only when things are going well. This psalm invites you to name specific reasons for gratitude, such as a prayer answered, a relationship mended, or a hard truth that God has brought into the light, and to let those reasons shape your song.
The psalm also stretches your sense of who is included in worship. When you are gathered with a small group, a church choir, or a family dinner table, you are part of a praise that the psalm imagines reaching across nations and even into the natural world. Taking a walk by the sea or a river, or looking at a mountain range, can become a moment to join creation in its praise.
Finally, the psalm sets your hope on God’s coming judgment as a good thing. When you read the news and see injustice, you can take comfort that the LORD will judge the world with righteousness and equity. That future shapes how you live now, giving you courage to pursue fairness in your work, your neighborhood, and your home while trusting the final outcome to God.
Questions for Reflection
- What specific marvelous things has God done in your life that you could name as the reason for a new song?
- How does it change your praise to think of the whole earth, including the sea and mountains, joining in worship?
- Where in your daily routine could you make room for a joyful noise to the LORD, even in a quiet way?
- How does the promise of God’s righteous judgment affect the way you respond to injustice around you?
A Prayer From Psalm 98
Lord, you have done marvelous things, and I want to sing a new song because of your saving power. Thank you for remembering your faithfulness and for showing your righteousness in ways that even the nations can see. Open my eyes to the good things you are doing around me today, and loosen my tongue to name them with gratitude. Let my praise be full and honest, joining the sea, the rivers, and the mountains in rejoicing before you. Help me to trust that you are coming to judge the earth with righteousness and equity, and let that hope steady my heart and shape the way I live. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main message of Psalm 98?
The main message is that the LORD has acted in salvation and deserves joyful, universal praise. The psalm also points forward to his coming as judge, who will rule the world with righteousness. Praise and hope are held together throughout.
Why does Psalm 98 call the sea and mountains to sing?
The psalm pictures creation as part of the community of praise, since the whole world is shaped by and answerable to its maker. The roaring sea and singing mountains express the scope of God’s rule. This imagery invites human worshipers to see themselves as one voice among many in creation.
How does Psalm 98 relate to the rest of the Psalms?
Psalm 98 belongs to a group of psalms that celebrate the LORD as king over all the earth. Read alongside its neighbors, it gains a fuller sense of God’s universal reign. Its focus on his coming judgment also connects it to the broader hope found across the Psalter.
