Psalm 98 is a short hymn of praise that calls God’s people, and the whole creation, to sing a new song because the LORD has acted to save and to set the world right. People read Psalm 98 Bible study notes to understand its joyful tone, its connection to God’s faithfulness toward Israel, and its final promise that God comes to judge the earth with righteousness. Its nine verses move from a single voice of praise to a chorus that includes the sea, the rivers, and the mountains.
Psalm 98 Summary
The psalm opens with a command to sing a new song. The reason given is that the LORD has done marvelous things, and his own right hand and holy arm have won the victory. The psalmist then points outward: God has made his salvation known and has shown his righteousness in the sight of the nations, so that even the far corners of the earth have seen what he has done.
From there the call to worship widens. The psalmist asks all the earth to make a joyful noise, using harps, trumpets, and the ram’s horn. Finally the psalm imagines nature itself joining in, with the sea roaring, the rivers clapping, and the mountains singing together. The last verses turn toward the future, announcing that the LORD comes to judge the earth with righteousness and the peoples with equity.
Background and Setting
Psalm 98 belongs to the Psalter, the collection of songs that formed the hymnbook of ancient Israel and its later worship. It is grouped with the psalms that celebrate the LORD as king and judge of all the earth, a cluster that includes Psalms 96 and 97. The psalm does not name its author, though it is traditionally linked to David. Most scholars date its composition to the period of the monarchy or the exile, and they often read it as a hymn used in festal or enthronement celebrations.
The psalm was written for the worshiping community of Israel, but it looks beyond Israel to the nations and the whole creation. Its place in the book shows a pattern: it follows a psalm of lament and sits among hymns that proclaim God’s rule over every people. Reading it in that sequence helps explain why its praise feels both local and universal.
Psalm 98 Section by Section
Verses 1-3: The New Song Born of Salvation
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 summons to a new song, and the reason is the saving work of God. The right hand and holy arm are images of divine power in action, and the word salvation appears at the start and again in verse three. The psalmist says God has remembered his loving kindness and faithfulness toward Israel, which means the praise rests on God’s record of keeping his promises rather than on any mood of the singers.
Verse two adds a public dimension. God’s righteousness is not hidden; it is shown openly before the nations. This connects the personal memory of Israel with a witness that reaches every people, so that the new song is also a testimony.
Verses 4-6: The Joyful Noise of God’s People
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)
After the reasons for praise come the forms of praise. The call is to make a joyful noise and to burst out in song. The instruments named, harp, trumpet, and the ram’s horn, were familiar in Israel’s worship and in its public celebrations. The psalm asks for more than quiet reflection; it asks for loud, glad, embodied worship.
The LORD is named here as King. Making a noise before the King is what subjects do when a sovereign is honored. The image helps the reader see that worship is a response to a God who reigns, and that joy is an appropriate reply to such a reign.
Verses 7-9: Creation Joins the Chorus and the Judge Approaches
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 last section widens the scene to the sea, the world, the rivers, and the mountains. Creation is pictured as a choir. The sea roars, the rivers clap, and the mountains sing together. These images are not meant as mere decoration. They reflect the conviction that the whole created order responds to the Creator.
The psalm closes with the reason creation rejoices: the LORD comes to judge the earth. The word judge here carries the sense of setting things right, bringing righteousness and equity to the peoples. Joy in this psalm is anchored in hope that God’s justice will prevail, not in indifference to wrong.
Key Themes in Psalm 98
- God’s saving power: The psalm rests its praise on the victory God has won, celebrated in the image of his right hand and holy arm.
- Faithfulness to his promises: God is praised for remembering his loving kindness and faithfulness toward Israel.
- Worship that reaches the nations: The righteousness and salvation of God are made known to all peoples and to the ends of the earth.
- Creation as worshiper: The sea, rivers, and mountains are invited to join the song, showing that all creation belongs to God.
- Coming judgment in righteousness: The LORD comes to judge the earth with righteousness and equity, giving the psalm its forward-looking hope.
Lessons From Psalm 98 for Today
Psalm 98 shows that thankfulness grows best when it is anchored in what God has actually done. Consider a family who has come through a hard season, such as a long illness or a job loss that ended with a new start. The psalm invites them to name the specific ways God has been faithful and to sing about those acts, rather than waiting until every question is settled. A new song is often born from a recent memory of God’s help.
The psalm also teaches that joy is not a private matter. The call to sing reaches the sea and the mountains, and it reaches the nations. A believer who meets a difficult neighbor, or who works in a setting where faith is rarely spoken, can carry the same spirit into ordinary conversation. Sharing what God has done, quietly and sincerely, is one way of letting the psalm’s public witness live on.
Questions for Reflection
- What is one specific way God has been faithful to you or to your community recently, and how might you give voice to that in song or prayer?
- Why do you think the psalmist invites the sea, the rivers, and the mountains to worship, and what does that suggest about creation?
- How does the promise that God comes to judge the earth with righteousness shape the way you feel about injustice you see around you?
- In what settings could you make a joyful noise to the LORD this week, and what might keep you from doing so?
A Prayer From Psalm 98
Lord, you have done marvelous things, and I want my heart to sing about them. Remember the ways you have kept your promises to your people, and remember the times you have been faithful to me when I could not see the path ahead. Give me a new song this week, one that comes from real memories of your saving work. Help me to rejoice not only in private but in the company of others, and let my praise reach the people around me. And when I wonder whether the world will ever be made right, remind me that you are coming to judge the earth with righteousness and equity. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main message of Psalm 98?
The main message is that God has won a saving victory and has shown his righteousness to the nations, so all people and all creation should sing with joy. The psalm also points forward to the day when the LORD comes to judge the earth with righteousness.
Who wrote Psalm 98?
The psalm does not name its author. It is traditionally linked to David, but many scholars date it to the period of the monarchy or the exile and treat it as a hymn used in public worship.
Why does Psalm 98 mention the sea, rivers, and mountains?
The psalm pictures creation as joining the worship of the LORD. These images express the belief that the whole created order belongs to God and responds to him with praise.
