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Psalm 98

Psalm 98 calls the whole creation to celebrate YHWH’s revealed salvation and his coming judgment with righteousness and equity.

The psalmist calls all the earth to praise YHWH for salvation made known before the nations. God has remembered his loving kindness and faithfulness toward Israel, and the whole world has seen his saving work. No author or specific occasion is named. Voices join harps, trumpets, and the ram’s horn in praise before YHWH as King. Then the sea, rivers, and mountains join the song because he is coming to judge the earth with righteousness and equity.

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Read
1A Psalm. 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.
2The LORD has made known his salvation. He has openly shown his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3He has remembered his loving kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Burst out and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!
5Sing praises to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the voice of melody.
6With trumpets and sound of the ram’s horn, make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD.
7Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein.
8Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together.
9Let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected. Tap a number for its page.
Key verses
Psalm 98:1The opening call grounds the new song in marvelous deeds and salvation accomplished through God’s own strength.
Psalm 98:9The closing verse explains creation’s joy: YHWH is coming to judge the world with righteousness and equity.
Psalm 98:2God’s salvation is made known before the nations, setting the scope for the whole earth’s praise.
Where this chapter reaches

Isaiah shares the themes of God’s holy arm bringing salvation and the ends of the earth seeing his saving work. Revelation shares the imagery of a new song and creation’s praise, while Acts also speaks of God judging the world in righteousness.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What do you notice as the song moves from Israel’s salvation to the whole creation’s praise?

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How does the promise of judgment with equity shape your response to the psalm’s joy?

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Questions people ask about Psalm 98

Who wrote Psalm 98, and when was it written?

The heading says only “A Psalm.” It names no author and gives no date or event. The references to salvation and faithfulness toward Israel could fit more than one moment in Israel’s history. The text does not identify which saving act prompted this song.

Why does Psalm 98 celebrate God coming to judge?

The final verse says God will judge with righteousness and equity. Those words explain why his coming brings joy: his judgment will be right and fair. The sea, rivers, and mountains are pictured joining the praise, extending the celebration beyond human singers to the whole creation.

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Psalms · 150 chapters
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What the Bible says about worship →What the Bible says about gratitude →What the Bible says about anger →

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).