Bible Commentaries

Psalms 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.

A Psalm] The Greek addeth, of David. A man might think it were rather of John Baptist pointing out Christ, and his kingdom, as if already come, with the great good thereby accruing to the saints.

Ver. 1. O sing unto the Lord a new song] See Psalms 96:1, and observe how the compiler of the psalms hath hereabout set together sundry psalms of the same subject.

His right hand and his holy arm] His is emphatic, and exclusive; q.d. Christ alone hath done the deed, he is our sole Saviour, Isaiah 59:16; Isaiah 63:5. In the justification of a sinner Christ and faith are alone, saith Luther, Tanquam sponsus et sponsa in thalamo. As wax and water cannot meet together, so neither can Christ and anything else in this work. Away, then, with that devilish doctrine of the saints’ merits, Quibuscunque tandem pigmentis illita obtrudatur. If any commend or go after any other way to salvation besides Christ, he doth according to the Greek proverb, draw mischiefs to himself; as the wind Caecius doth clouds, Kακα εφ εαυτον ελκει ως ο Kαικιας νεφος, (Aristot. in Meteor.).

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

Ver. 2. The Lord hath made known his salvation] His way of saving his people by his Son, Christ, Matthew 1:21 : this mystery, so long kept secret, is now made known to all nations for the obedience of faith, Romans 16:25-26.

His righteousness] Made ours by imputation; this the Jews to this day deride, and the Papists call it putative, in a jeer.

Psalms 98:3 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.

Ver. 3. He hath remembered his mercy, and his truth] His mercy moving him to promise, and his truth binding him to perform, 2 Samuel 7:18; 2 Samuel 7:21, and hence all our happiness.

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

Ver. 4. Make a joyful noise] Bless God for a Christ. The Argives, when delivered by the Romans from the tyranny of the Macedonians and Spartans, Quae gaudia, quae vociferationes fuerunt! quid fiorum in Consulem profuderunt! what great joys expressed they! what loud outcries made they! the very birds that flew over them fell on the ground, astonied with their noises (Plut. in Flamin.). The crier at the Nemean games was forced to pronounce the word liberty iterumque iterumque, again and again.

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

Ver. 5. Sing unto the Lord with the harp] Tum cithararum tum vocum mutuis vicibus; do your utmost in the most superlative manner you can devise.

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

Ver. 6. Make a joyful noise] By the repeating and inculcating of this exhortation is intimated our dulness and backwardness to a business of this nature; the necessity of the duty, and excellency of the mercy that can never be sufficiently celebrated.

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

Ver. 7. {See Trapp on "Psalms 96:11"}

Psalms 98:8 Let the floods clap [their] hands: let the hills be joyful together

Ver. 8. {See Trapp on "Psalms 96:12"}

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

Ver. 9. {See Trapp on "Psalms 96:13"}