Friday, April 11, 2025

Psalm 98 comments; Joy to the World!!

 


Psalm 98:1 ¶  «A Psalm.» O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. 2  The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. 3  He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

 

John Gill noted that several Jewish commentators noted that this Psalm referred specifically to the coming Messiah. We can see the promise of God’s offer of reconciliation of mankind to Himself in this Psalm. He has made known His salvation and the knowledge of it has reached the ends of the earth.

 

In walking the earth as a man in our flesh He has done a marvelous thing, indeed. He has gotten the victory Himself

 

Isaiah 59:15  Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. 16 ¶  And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

 

Isaiah 63:5  And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.

 

He has made His salvation known to the unbelievers.

 

Galatians 3:8  And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

 

The Messiah came first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

 

Luke 1:70  As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 71  That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

72  To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73  The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, 74  That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 75  In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

 

Luke 2:29  Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30  For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31  Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

 

Romans 15:8  Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: 9  And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. 10  And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. 11  And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. 12  And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

 

All nations to the ends of the earth have been told and are being told as we speak.

 

Isaiah 52:10  The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

 

Psalm 98:4 ¶  Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. 5  Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. 6  With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King. 7  Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 8  Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together 9  Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

 

Ps 47:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.» O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.

Psalm 66:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm.» Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: 2  Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.

 

Verse 5 seems to confirm that a Psalm was sung.

 

Psalm 33:2  Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

 

Psalm 92:3  Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.

 

The idea of nature rejoicing is reflected elsewhere.

 

Psalm 96:11  Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. 12  Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice.

 

We should be joyful, too, at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to rule the earth in the millennium to come. This Psalm is a prayer of hope and rejoicing. There is a popular hymn about the millennium mistakenly used at Christmas time entitled Joy to the World. It was composed by Isaac Watts. But if you read the lyrics it is indeed about the millennial reign of Christ. It is, in fact, supposed to be an interpretation of this Psalm and Genesis 3.

 

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come Let earth receive her King Let every heart prepare Him room heaven and nature sing let heaven and nature sing let heaven and heaven and nature sing

 

Verse 2 Joy to the world, the Savior reigns Let men their songs employ while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains repeat the sounding joy repeat the sounding joy repeat, repeat the sounding joy

 

Verse 3 He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.”

 

We should rejoice at the promise of His coming to rule the earth. It is a great thing to look forward to, a joyous time for His people. We should always be looking for it.

 

Titus 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

 

 

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