Here is our text:

"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.  The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.  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.  Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.  Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.  With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.  Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.  Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity."  Psalm 98:1-9

VERSE 1:

"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."  Psalm 98:1

By category this is called a "victory" Psalm!

It was no doubt used as Israel celebrated one of the many victories God had given them through their great history.

(Our God is STILL accomplishing victory after victory!)

The verb "sing" means to sing as one travels!  To sing everywhere one goes!  This is singing as a lifestyle!  The verb as it stands here is an imperative.  We are hereby commanded to sing!

LORD is the name Jehovah.  It is God's "saving" Name!  It means (basically) the God Who is!  Who always is!  The eternal "I am!"

The word for "new" means fresh!  It also has behind it the idea of something that is "rebuilt!"  That sounds like revival to me!

"Hath done," the verb, is a Qal stem perfect form of "asah," meaning to to make or to do or to accomplish.  It's in the active voice.  God did it!  And the "perfect" sense of timing means the action is completed!  God has finished this great work of victory!

"Marvelous things" translates ""pala" (in Hebrew) and has the idea of wondrous or extraordinary things!  (Things different than ever before!)

God's Right Hand is thought to be a symbol of strength and power.  Usually the right hand is the stronger hand!  The word here means the "right" side ... and can include hand or foot or whatever.  (Jesus lives at the Right Hand of God!  He lives in the place of victory!  So can we!  Ephesians 2:6 --- "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."  We are seated with our dear Saviour!)

The noun for arm translates the Hebrew "zaroa" and means shoulder or power or strength as well as arm.  There is reason to believe that the term "Holy Arm" of God might be a reference to Jesus the Son of God!  The only other time the expression is used in the Bible it seems to refer to the coming Redeemer!  (Compare Isaiah 52:10 with Isaiah 53:1)

And the verb "gotten the victory" translates "yasha" which means to save or deliver or avenge or even to rescue!  (See Deuteronomy 28:31 for "rescue!")  The verb "timing" is again that of completed action!  (In God's eyes all victory is already won!)  The verb is in the Hiphil stem suggesting that there is a "cause" behind God's action.  There is!  We have the victory because of our Lord Jesus Christ!  His Death, His Blood, His Resurrection and His Intercession guarantee us constant victory!

One can easily see how this opening verse sets the scene for a great paragraph of praise to God, our awesome God! 

You know ... we are on the winning side!

                                                                                  --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

VERSE 1 ... A SECOND LOOK:

We have seen that verse 1 commands us to sing!  (I used a morphology search on my computer and found 14 times in the Old Testament where our verb (ryv) is used as an imperative, as a direct command from God!  (Exodus 15:21, 1 Chronicles 16:9 and 23, Psalms 33:3 and 68:5, Psalms 68:33 and 96:1-2!  Plus Psalms 98:1 and 105:2 and 137:3 and 149:1!  Also it can be found in Isaiah 42:10 and Jeremiah 20:13.)  The verb to sing literally means to travel.  (The picture is one of singing everywhere you go!)

But WHY should I so sing?

The Psalm answers that question!

Sing because God is the Victor!  He has done marvelous things!  Verse 1

Sing because the Lord has provided salvation and righteousness!  (We now know that this comes through the shed Blood of Jesus!)  Verse 2

Sing because God has not kept this great salvation a secret!  It has gone "to all the ends of the earth!"  Verse 3

Sing because all nature is awaiting the coming day of redemption!  Talk about "earth day!"  Jesus will some day remove the curse of sin that's still resting upon all the world and its creatures.  Verses 7 and 8

And sing because the Lord is coming again!  Jesus will appear yet a second time! ("Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."  Hebrews 9:28)  Verse 9

The word "sing" occurs 119 times in the Bible!  (With "singing" used another 29 times!  And "singers" 38 times!)

We indeed have a joyful faith!

Praise the Lord for a "singing" Psalm!

                                                                                --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

PSALM 98, VERSE 2:

"The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen."  Psalm 98:2

I am very close to calling this a "Gospel" Verse!

To "make known" is a Hiphil perfect form of the verb "yada," to know.  The Hiphil Hebrew verb stem means a "cause" rests behind the action!  WHY did God make know His Salvation?  (John 3:16 tells us that!  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.")  This verb "to make known" can mean anything from a mere acquaintance to an intimate friend!  How well do YOU know the Lord's Salvation?

"Salvation" translates the noun "yashuah" (pronounced "yesh-you'-ah").  It means deliverance or safety!  It is the very Old Testament name for Joshua also!  (And "Joshua" in the Old Testament is the same grammatically as "Jesus" in the New Testament!  Both names have the same meaning!)  The Lord (Jehovah) has shown His Jesus!  Glory to God!

"Righteousness" renders the Hebrew noun "tzsdaqah" which means straight or correct (in a legal judicial courtroom sense)!  Right in the eyes of the Judge of the universe!

"Hath He openly showed" translates ""galah," a Hebrew verb meaning to uncover! (To denude!  To reveal! To take captive ... from the ancient custom of stripping captives and marching them away!)  This is a Piel perfect verb!  It is describing a now finished action ... saved (as a completed fact)!  And it is done intensively!  (I would call the Cross intensive, wouldn't you?)  See if Jesus' words in Luke 12:50 sound vigorous to you.  "But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!"

The word "sight" is "ayin" in Hebrew and just means one's "eyes."  In the eyes of the whole world!  (That's the goal of the great commission!  "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."  Mark 16:15)  Some day all will know!  This verse promises that!

Lastly the word "heathen" translates "goy."  It means non-Jews!  Gentiles!  The nations of the world!  (The "whosoever wills!")  My little lexicon traces the word historically to its "roots" by saying it means "the back" of a person!  Prior to that it meant "to mount up!  To be majestic!  Now put it all together!  A crowd of folks (dirty old Gentiles) who come from the "back" of all the peoples of the world (the off-scouring and trash of humanity) ... who will some day be exalted and majestic (through the Grace of God and the Blood of Jesus)!!!   Glory to His Name!

This is one of the "brightest" verses in all the Old Testament I believe!

Thank God for it!

                                                                      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

VERSE 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."  Psalm 98:3

Psalm 98 is a celebration!

It is rejoicing over our victorious God!

Remember verse 1.  "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."

God has won the victory!

Now I believe the third verse mentions one of those great victories!  (There are MANY in the Bible!)

God delivered Israel!

The 3rd verse has the "exodus" in mind.  (Although God has delivered Israel again and again ... and is not through yet!)

The verb "remembered" ("zakar" in Hebrew) means to record or to mention or to think upon! 

The two nouns "mercy" and truth" record for us the motivators for God's remembering Israel! 

These words name two of God's great attributes. 

Mercy is the Hebrew word "chesed" and means lovingkindness.

Truth is "emunah" and speaks of God perfect veracity.  (He can not lie!  Titus 1:2)

God delivered Israel from Pharaoh and Egypt because He loved her ... and He had promised to protect her!  (Mercy and Truth!  Or Mercy and Faithfulness!)

That is also why he saved a bunch of old sinners like we are!  He loves us and He is keeping a promise He made to Jesus!  (Again ... that's mercy and truth!)

What God did at the Red Sea (parting the waters and drowning the enemy army) all the "ends of the earth" have seen! 

Everyone knows about the exodus!

The term "ends of the earth" as a "string" quotation is found in Scripture 28 times! I say we have a "world-wide" God!  Try a "universe-wide" God!  Try an "omni-present" God!  He is everywhere at once!

In Acts 26:26 Paul says to Agrippa:  "For this thing was not done in a corner."  Paul was talking about the Cross of Christ!

God knows how the get this old world's attention!

He knows how to proclaim victory!

Praise His dear Name!

                                                                        --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

VERSE 4:

Today we have a true verse of praise:

"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise."    Psalm 98:4

In Hebrew, the first half of this verse is identical with Psalm 100:1!  In English it reads:  "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands!"  Lands and earth are the same Hebrew noun, "eretzs."  Of course, Psalms IS a Book of Praise to God!

As one might expect, the verb "make a joyful noise" is an imperative!  We are commanded to do this!  The Hebrew verb "rua" means to split (as in splitting open an ear drum with loud noise)!  This is a Hiphil verb --- suggesting to us there must be a cause behind the action!  There is!  What is that cause? The victories of the Lord!

"LORD" translates Jehovah, God's covenant Name!  (His saving Name!)

The word for earth ("eretzs") means land or ground (then country).

"Make a loud noise" translates "patzsach" which means to break forth or to break out (with noise)!  Every time but once in the Bible the word is used in this context: "breaking forth into joy or singing!"  And this verb is an imperative too!

"Rejoice" translates "ranan" which means to shout (usually for joy)!  It is translated "sing" more than any other way in the King James Bible (26 of 52 times)!  d this time it is a Piel imperative!  Another command ... but with this nuance:  sing with intensity!  Diligently!

The "zamar" ... or to "sing praise" is used.  Now we have another causative imperative!  (Hiphil stem)  It literally means to use one's fingers to trim a vine! (Then it is thought to mean using one's fingers to play an instrument!  The ... to sing and praise!) 

We have covered a very wide range of "sing and shout" verbs here for sure! 

This is one of the most forceful verses in the whole Bible!

And one of the most joyful!

What has got the Psalmist so excited?

The victories our Lord has won!

We (on this side of the Cross) can add Calvary too!

We REALLY ought to be singing and shouting and praising our God!

Can you thank Him for some victory He has given in your life recently?  Surely it is so!

                                                                                  --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

VERSE 5:

"Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm."  Psalm 98:5

The verb "to sing" is in Hebrew "zamar" and means originally to trim grape vines! (To work with one's fingers!)  It adopted a musical emphasis (it is believed) by the simple fact that one must use his or her fingers to pluck the strings of a harp or a psaltery!  (Therefore it means to play an instrument ... accompanied by singing!) The Jews are music loving people.

The verb is in the imperative mood!  It is a command to us yet today!  It's also in the "Piel" stem.  That means the action is to be done intensively!

The noun "psalm" at the end of the sentence is built upon this word also!

The other key word in the verse is "harp."  It is repeated even!

The noun is from a Hebrew word ("kinnor") that means literally "to twang!"  That's exactly what Strong's Concordance says ... to twang!

My dictionary defines "twang" as a harsh quick ringing sound!  Not a pleasant thing!

(Down home people who could harmonize well were said to "sing!"  And people who were off tune most of the time were said to "sang!"  We truly had "singers" and we had "sangers!"  The singers sounded like angels!  The "sangers" sounded like ... well, like "twangers!" 

I personally fit into the "twanging" category! 

I am not musically gifted.

BUT that is the very thing that blessed this Preacher so about our verse!

Even the old harp ... the old "twanger" (exactly what the word "harp" means) can be touched of our Lord and transformed into a beautiful music maker to the Glory of God!

The "twang" can be transformed into true Praise!

No wonder he mentions the harp twice!

Old wrecked broken sinners ... saved by God's Grace ... washed in Jesus' Blood ... now singing and shouting and glorifying God!

Why, it's enough to make even me sing a bit this Saturday morning!  (Even before I get my glorified singing voice!)

Praise the Lord!  (And pass the hymnbook!)

                                                                                   --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

VERSE 6:

"With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King." Psalm 98:6

Our Psalm here is a celebration of Victory!  The victories our Lord has won through the ages! (In fact, He's never lost one!)

It well may be a preview of the celebration Israel will enjoy after Armageddon and during the Millennium!

The noun "trumpets" here is not "shophar" as usual ... but "chatzsotzsarah" and comes from a verbal background meaning "to surround" or "to separate!"  (As though the sound of a blasting trumpet shakes and separates all around it!)

There's cause enough to praise God!  He has shaken us (conviction) and separated us (salvation) from the old life and the old way we had while lost!  He furthermore has removed (sanctification) us from the filth and corruption this wicked world presents!  We are new (and clean) creatures in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Praise God with the truth of the trumpet!

The "cornet" is an altogether different instrument.  (Still a horn ... this one is curved in shape.)  Now here is our word "shophar!"  It means that which glistens or shines! (Polished!)  Perhaps they kept their horns clean and bright so that their appearances matched their clean beautiful sounds!

Every one of us today should praise God because He has lifted us out of the old miry pit and filthy clay and cleaned us and "polished" us to serve Him for evermore!  I'll agree that some are more polished than others ... but that's in God's Hands! 

The verb "make a joyful noise" (same as in Psalm 100:1) means ("rua" in Hebrew) to split wide open!  A noise so loud it hurts the ear!  This verb is also an imperative ... expressing a command from God to us!

The little preposition "before" translates a Hebrew word that means "face" ("paniym")!  In reality it is plural ... faces!  We are to praise God to His blessed Face one of these days!  Rejoicing in front of the Triune Godhead!  What a day that will be!

Notice that the Lord here is also the King!  Jesus will return to this earth some day ... and rule and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords!  So says the Bible in many places!

I'd say today's verse from Psalm 98 is rich with celebration and praise and glory!

Enjoy the Victory that is HIS ... and consequently ours too!

                                                                                      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

 VERSE 7:

"Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Psalm 98:7

The verb "roar" (in Hebrew = "raam") means to thunder (8 times) or roar (3 times) or trouble (1 time) or even to fret (1 time) in the King James Version of the Bible.  it's only used 13 times in all. 

Usually when the sea roars ... people die!  Here the sea roars in adoration and praise to our Lord God!

The sea can Biblically symbolize the lost masses of humanity as it does in Isaiah 57:20-21.  "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.  There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."

Here all mankind are praising God!

The word for fulness means "all that is therein!"

There are creatures in the depths of the sea that man has never even seen yet!  But they ALL will praise the Lord some glorious day!

The noun for "world" is "tebel" in Hebrew and usually means the habitable part of the earth.  The root of our word comes from a verb that means "to flow."  Likely the world here is the whole planet ... wherever water flows! 

The complete globe will praise God when Jesus returns!

This exultation will include all the inhabitants of the world also!  ("They that dwell therein!")

No matter what tribe or tongue ... every knee shall bow to the returning conquering King of Kings!

Groaning creation will groan no longer!  Romans 8:22 --- "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."

What a day that will be when our Redemption draweth nigh!  (Luke 21:28)

Some golden daybreak ... Jesus will come!

And when He does ... get ready!

Praise will break forth like we've never seen or heard before in all our lives!

                                                                               --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

VERSE 8:

"Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together"  Psalm 98:8

We are studying Psalm 98.  It is in the part of the Old Testament that is called "poetry."  The Lord here is being praised for His great power.

Therefore the very floods and hills are joining all mankind and helping in the great adoration and worship!

The noun for "floods" (in Hebrew = "nahar") means streams or rivers and occasionally floods!  (In the King James Bible it is used 120 times.  On those occasions it is translated "river or rivers" 98 times!  And "flood or floods" 18 times and "streams" 2 times!)

I believe we could even say that the greatest flood ever (in Noah's day) even praised the Lord as well!

Isn't this a "hint" that the Lord is going to redeem this old earth from its curse and transform it into a new earth some day?  Floods that once ravaged and drowned and destroyed everything in their paths ... now will praise God forever!

To "clap" one's hands is to strike them together in great joy and anticipation!  That verb "clap" (in Hebrew = "macha") is only used 3 times in the whole Bible! Preachers, study them.  There's a message in all that!  (Psalm 98:8 and Isaiah 55:12 and Ezekiel 25:6!)

Plus the word "hands" (a noun = "kaph") means the open hand!  (Usually the Hebrew noun "yad" would have been used.)  By the way, open hands are the only ones that can be clapped!  Bring empty hands to your God!  Praise Him!  Lay aside that to which your hands are clinging so tightly (and often so selfishly)!  Open up and praise God sincerely! Our Lord can later fill those hands with plenty if need be!

And the word for "hills" (in Hebrew = "har") means a mountain or mount (485 times in the King James Version)!  It is translated hill or hills 59 times also.  Even the giant mountains and the mountain ranges will praise our God when He returns in final victory over evil!

Isaiah 55:12 even has the trees getting involved!  "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."  Wow!

Nature, once released from the curse of sin, will glorify the Creator as we have never seen it do!

And if you think this is something, read Isaiah 65:25 ---"The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD."

What a celebration!

"Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"  Revelation 22:20

                                                                             --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

VERSE 9:

"Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity."  Psalm 98:9

This is the last verse in the Psalm.

Around what has all the celebration centered?

Around the Second Coming of Jesus!

What a time of rejoicing that will be!

HE will makes all things right!

The noun that impacts me today is "equity!" 

Yes, the Lord will come again!

Yes, He will judge (render a verdict to) the whole world!  (John 5:22 tells us --- "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.")

Yes, He will do so with rightness and straightness before God and man!

BUT He will also do so with "equity!"

The noun (in Hebrew = "meyshar") means evenness!  Once in the King James Bible it is translated "equal."  Our Lord will judge everyone by the very same standard. On that day no one will get "preferential treatment."

The rich won't be able to by-pass the judgment.

"Smart" lawyers will aid no one either!

There are no juries with which one can tamper!

"Respect of persons" just will not exist!  Romans 2:11 will be illustrated in full:  "For there is no respect of persons with God."

Here is God's standard of judgment.

If you die in your sins ... YOU will face the judgment for them!  (Romans 6:23 --- "For the wages of sin is death.")

Accept Jesus ... be "washed in His Blood" ... and enjoy God's gift of eternal life!  ("... but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  Romans 6:23)

Those who are "in" Christ Jesus face no wrath from God!

Are you saved?

Thank God for "equity!"

Positively no exceptions!

                                                                         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

PSALM 98 ... SUMMARY:

It is one of the Psalms with which we are less familiar.

It is also a relatively short passage of Scripture.

"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.  The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.  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.  Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.  Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.  With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.  Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.  Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity."

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