Psalm 98
Make a Joyful Noise to the LORD
A Psalm

(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.
ESV

In the NKJV, Psalm 98 is titled, A Song of Praise to the LORD for His Salvation and Judgment. A Psalm. The NASB titles it, A Call to Praise the LORD for His Righteousness. A Psalm. And the title in the ESV (above), Make a Joyful Noise to the LORD. A Psalm.

This sacred ode, which bears simply the title of “A Psalm,” follows fitly upon the last, and is evidently an integral part of the series of royal psalms.

Charles Spurgeon, English preacher, 1834-1892

Oh sing to the Lord a new song! This is clearly a song about redemption and salvation. This psalm is about Jesus.

The Redeemer has overcome all difficulties in the way of our redemption; His salvation and His righteousness fulfilling the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament. In pursuance of this design, God raised up His Son Jesus to be not only a Light to lighten the Gentiles, but the glory of His people Israel.

Matthew Henry, English minister, 1662-1714

Sing to GOD a brand-new song.
He's made a world of wonders!
He rolled up his sleeves, He set things right.
GOD made history with salvation, He showed the world what He could do.
He remembered to love us, a bonus
To His dear family, Israel- indefatigable love.
The whole earth comes to attention.
Look- God's work of salvation!
Psalm 98:1-3 the Message

Salvation is a brand-new song. God’s plan for His children was to redeem them through the sacrifice of His Son all along. The Old Testament is filled with the promise of Jesus and His great love for us. Psalm 98 is a prophecy of Jesus and the way in which God would redeem His children to Himself. Who knows what the author of this psalm believed he was writing about, maybe he was writing about the promised Messiah, maybe some great way God had saved them at that time. But this psalm is most certainly about God’s redeeming plan throughout time in that of His Son Jesus Christ.

Sing a new song to the Lord.
Sing His praise everywhere on the earth.
Praise Him, you people who sail on the seas and you animals who live in them.
Praise Him, you people living in faraway places.
Isaiah 42:10 ICB 

Sing a new song to the Lord! What does this mean? It’s the beauty of a new day. In David’s psalms, he often sings of a new day, that while the night can bring worry and fear, the new day is a gift from the Lord.

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way that I should go, for to you I entrust my life.
Psalm 143:8

God is faithful every day, in every way. He is good, always good. Therefore, we must sing a new song to celebrate Him and His unfailing love and mercies. If God is faithful, then we must tell of it to others so that all of the world will know Him.

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn- shout for joy before the LORD, the King.
Psalm 98:4-6 NIV

Sing a new song. Shout for joy. Burst into jubilant song. Make music to the Lord.

Shout for joy before the Lord. Why? Because He is the King.

Not only do our voices praise the Lord, but so do the sound of instruments. God wants our praise through song and music. How beautiful is that? Not some quiet, somber, mournful worship. God wants the beautiful noise of praise.

Make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise; or burst forth, and sing, and play. Let every form of exultation be used, every kind of music pressed into the service till the accumulated praise causes the skies to echo the joyful tumult. There is no fear of our being too hearty in magnifying the God of our salvation, only we must take care the song comes from the heart, otherwise the music is nothing but a noise in his ears, whether it be caused by human throats, or organ pipes, or far resounding trumpets.

Charles Spurgeon, English preacher, 1834-1892

Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
Let the earth and all living things join in.
Let the rivers clap their hands in glee!
Let the hills sing out their songs of joy before the LORD, for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness.
Psalm 98:7-9 NLT

Creation praises its Creator! The day and the night, the seas and the mountains all sing praise to the Lord. They are His creation.

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it.
The world and all its people belong to Him.
For He laid the earth's foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.
Psalm 24:1-2 NLT

That's why I don't think there's any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.
Romans 8:18-21 The Message

And in the end, all will see Him, all will know the Truth. When the Lord returns and rids the world of evil and all that’s left is His goodness, then everyone everywhere will sing His praises. The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. A reassuring thought during hard times. When life is full of chaos and worries and sad things, then the hope of the Lord and the return of Jesus Christ to make all things new and right is calming and reassuring. God loves His children. He has not, nor will He ever, abandon us.

This is the joy of it. No tyrant and no weakling is he, to oppress the good or to indulge the vain, his law is good, his action right, his government the embodiment of justice. If ever there was a thing to rejoice in upon this poor, travailing earth, it is the coming of such a deliverer, the ascension to the universal throne of such a governor. All hail, Jesus! All Hail!

Charles Spurgeon, English preacher, 1834-1892

Father in heaven, the earth and everything in it is yours. You have created all and all of it is good. Our hope is in you; in your justice and your mercy and grace. Thank you for your promises and your faithfulness. We look to you for our peace and reassurance during these difficult times. Make us bold in our faith and give us love for all who cross our paths this day. Amen.

Heidi xoxo