Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 98 (MT) / Psalm 97 (LXX) is an enthronement 'new song' psalm — Isaac Watts' 1719 'Joy to the World' is a Christmas-hymn paraphrase of vv. 4–9. The psalm celebrates both creation (all creation sings) and redemption ('the LORD has made known his salvation,' v. 2). Its Gentile-scope — 'all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God' (v. 3) — makes it a universalist-missional text.
Notable Variants
98:4–9 → Isaac Watts' 'Joy to the World' (1719 Christmas hymn); 98:3 'all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation' as Gentile-scope → Luke 3:6 (citing Isa 40:5 LXX); 98:1 'new song' enthronement opening.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 98 = LXX Ps 97. 9 verses.
A psalm. Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wonders! His right hand and his holy arm have won him victory.
'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' tracks MT. NEW SONG + RIGHT-HAND-AND-HOLY-ARM salvation. Luke 1:51's Magnificat ('he has shown STRENGTH WITH HIS ARM,' epoiēsen kratos en brachioni autou) echoes the arm-works-salvation vocabulary.
The LORD has made his salvation known; before the eyes of the nations he has revealed his righteousness.
'The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations' tracks MT. SALVATION-MADE-KNOWN TO NATIONS — public-revelation theology.
He has remembered his faithful love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
'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' tracks MT. 'ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH HAVE SEEN THE SALVATION' (eidosan panta ta perata tēs gēs to sōtērion tou theou). Luke 3:6 ('all flesh shall see the salvation of God,' citing Isa 40:5 LXX) uses similar vocabulary — the universal-salvation-visibility tradition. Luke 2:30's Nunc Dimittis ('my eyes have SEEN YOUR SALVATION,' eidon … to sōtērion sou) echoes.
Shout to the LORD, all the earth! Burst into song, sing for joy, make music!
'Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!' tracks MT. 'JOY TO THE WORLD.' Isaac Watts' 1719 hymn (sung to Handel's Messiah-derived tune by Lowell Mason, 1836) paraphrases vv. 4–9. The first-stanza 'Joy to the world! The Lord is come; Let earth receive her King' transposes the psalm's enthronement-rejoicing into Christmas-incarnation celebration.
Make music to the LORD with the lyre — with the lyre and the sound of melody!
'Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody!' tracks MT.
With trumpets and the sound of the ram's horn, shout before the king — the LORD!
'With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!' tracks MT.
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it — the world and all who dwell in it!
'Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!' tracks MT.
Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains sing for joy together
'Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together' tracks MT. RIVERS-CLAP-HANDS imagery — creation's personified-praise. Isaiah 55:12's 'the trees of the field shall clap their hands' shares the vocabulary.
before the LORD, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.
'Before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity' tracks MT. // Ps 96:13. JUDGE-THE-EARTH eschatological closure. Acts 17:31 ('he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed') Christologically concretizes.