Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

Psalm 98. This hymn celebrates God's universal kingship (v. 6) by referring to the "marvelous things" and "salvation" that God has worked in the sight of the Gentiles, on behalf of his people. The flow of thought is straightforward: God has worked salvation (rescue from evil) for Israel, which all the ends of the earth have seen (vv. 1-3); all people in the earth should join Israel's celebration, because God is their rightful king, too (vv. 4-6); the material creation should join all mankind in jubilant praise of the one true God, as they look forward to his rule (vv. 7-9). There are many overlaps with Psalm 96, as in the opening invitation (98:1; cf. 96:1); the interest in the Gentiles (98:4; cf. 96:7); the rejoicing of the material world (98:7-8; cf. 96:11-12); and the Lord as universal "judge" (98:9; cf. 96:13). This psalm lies behind Isaac Watts's famous hymn "Joy to the World." The psalm and the hymn have come to be associated with Christmas; like Psalm 96, this is not inappropriate, provided it is clear that the coming of Jesus as the Davidic king who will bring light to the Gentiles is what establishes the connection.

98:1-3 Sing, for God Has Worked Salvation for His People. This section calls on God's people to sing aloud together in celebration of God's faithfulness to his promises. The term salvation appears in each verse of this section; it describes the great deeds of God for the sake of his people as a whole, providing protection from their enemies and the conditions in which piety can flourish (as did the deliverance from Egypt, Ex. 14:13, 30; 15:2). Several other terms are used for the same deeds: marvelous things (Ps. 98:1; deeds that display God's supernatural control over events); his righteousness (v. 2; God's faithfulness in keeping his promises); God has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness (v. 3; see note on 25:6-7; cf. Ex. 2:24; 34:6). God has done these great deeds to the house of Israel (Ps. 98:3), but the benefit is not limited to them: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God (i.e., the "salvation" he has worked for Israel, as described in vv. 1-2). The next stanza will invite the rest of the nations to join in the song.