Christian Photographers Community

Psalm 98

The return of each new day brings new reasons to praise God for His goodness.  And as His people see what He has done for them each day, as they see how He has provided for them, preserved them, and given them reminders of Himself - they should be moved to thank Him and to praise Him for His wondrous Fatherly care. 

That praise was reflected in the psalmist's words and actions as he led the people in singing this psalm.  As a worship leader in Israel, he stood before them and both sang and acted out what his words were saying.  It's likely that He sang the first words of praise, stretched out his hands to the Lord, and then had the people repeat his words.  Then he would sing another phrase, this time with his eyes upward and his arms stretched upward even further, and then they would again repeat.  And so it would go through the entire psalm.  Hopefully, as the leader sang, the words would strike a responsive note in the worshippers hearts, so that they too would be enthusiastic.

So the psalmist sings, "Oh sing to the Lord a new song!  For He has done marvelous things . . ." As the people call to mind the marvelous things the Lord has done for each of them in the last 24 hours, their response agrees enthusiastically with their leader's words.  And so it goes throughout the psalm: as the people hear about the Lord making known His salvation, as they hear of His righteousness being revealed in the sight of the nations, His mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel - they joyfully respond. 

I think we can imagine their response to the words of verse 4.  The leader sings, "Shout joyfully to the Lord – and all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises."  As they hear this, hopefully at least some of the people shout aloud specific praises to Jehovah (employment, good food, loving family), while others simply increase the joyful volume of their responsive song!  As the leader goes on to encourage them to use the harp, the trumpets, and the horn, those instruments sound forth short but enthusiastic musical praises.  Then, as the leader sings, "Shout joyfully before the Lord," all the people together shout, "Blessed are You, Lord!" or something similar.  The temple – and all Jerusalem - is full of joyful, happy noise!

Then, with the last stanza, the people respond, if possible, with even more enthusiasm.  The leader is moved to feel that it's only right that the joy should be so great that there should even be a response from nature itself.  He sings, "Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it; let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together before the Lord!"  It's as though he were calling upon everything in the universe to join in praise to their praiseworthy God!

Then, as if all this were not enough, there comes the great climax.  The leader reminds the worshippers that their Lord "is coming to judge the earth," that "with righteousness He shall judge the world, and the peoples with equity!"  This same wonderful Jehovah they've been singing about is going to make personal appearance in His world one day!  And when He comes He's going to make EVERYTHING RIGHT!  He's going to usher in a glorious and never-ending reign of righteousness and truth!  THAT thought is a fitting climax to the worship of this musically joyful assembly!  In our minds eye we can picture the entire throng coming to the end of this song, prostrating themselves, and blessing their God with all their might!

Should our enthusiasm be so different?  After all, God has not changed, and His mercies are still new every morning.  Not only so, but we are in the last age before His final appearance!  He has come in His Son to deal with sin once and for all on the Cross, and He is now preparing for His final visit.  With the psalmist, therefore, we too should repeat with all our hearts, "Praise ye the LORD!"

10.30 p.m.


All I can say is that this is a HAPPY psalm....

I like the "let the floods clap their hands"...v.8.

Is this a Psalm of King David?  I think it must be because he loved to dance and sing and I can just see him having a wonderful time in the Lord's presence.

I feel like dancing myself now Pastor Al....You've done well with this one...really setting the theme. Thank-you again.
Jenny.

My only comment, Jenny, is that David and the other psalmists didn't hold back, and you shouldn't either.  If you dance, let it express your joy in Him.  He is with you!

I even remember a staid Anglican Church where I used to live doing the "King David"...and dancing around the church one service...

Yes I do sometimes dance even here...a stiff-legged dance but that doesn't matter because "He does not regard the legs of a man" Ps 147:10.

Yours in the Dance....

"I am the Lord of the Dance said He"......
(ANOTHER ONE FOR PAT TO POST)

Jenny.

Alan, in your second paragraph where you state,  "As a worship leader in Israel, he stood before them and both sang and acted out what his words were saying.  It's likely that He sang the first words of praise, stretched out his hands to the Lord, and then had the people repeat his words." and so on... 

Can you point to a place where this took place with a worship leader singing, etc.?  I'd just like to read up on this as background to this Psalm.

Pat, I don't know that I can actually point to passages in which we see David doing these things.  But passages like Ps. 63:4 make it clear that it was quite commonplace for worshippers to lift their hands in appropriate gestures, and I think we can assume from that and from the fact that David  was quite skilful with harp and lyre that much singing and gesturing did occur. Also see passages that describe clapping of hands, etc. (Ps. 47:1).
See also 2 Sam. 6:14 for an example of demonstrative worship.  (cf Ps. 30:11)