Commentary - Psalm 98:4-6

Bird's-eye view

Psalm 98 is a coronation anthem for the King of all creation, Yahweh Himself. It is a summons for the entire world, not just Israel, to erupt in jubilant and noisy praise. The first section (vv. 1-3) lays the groundwork, giving the reason for this global celebration: God has won a decisive victory. He has gotten the victory for Himself with His own right hand, and this salvation is now openly displayed for all nations to see. Our passage, verses 4-6, is the response that such a victory demands. It is a call to worship that is loud, joyful, and musical. This is not a quiet, contemplative affair in a monastery. This is a ticker-tape parade for a conquering king. The psalm moves from the general call to "all the earth" to the specific instruments of the temple orchestra, and climaxes with the blast of trumpets and horns before the King. The final section (vv. 7-9) then expands the choir to include the sea, the hills, and the rivers, all roaring their approval because the King is coming to judge the earth with righteousness.

The central theme here is that God's salvation is a public, cosmic event that demands a public, cosmic response. The worship described is not timid or reserved; it is explosive. The reason for the noise is the joy that springs from recognizing who God is and what He has done. This psalm, like so many others, finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the King who has won the victory over sin and death, and His gospel is the news of that victory which has gone out to all the earth. Our worship, therefore, is our joyful and noisy acknowledgement that Jesus is Lord.

Outline

Context In Psalms

Psalm 98 is part of a collection of psalms (often identified as Psalms 93, 95-100) known as the "Enthronement Psalms." These psalms share a common theme: "Yahweh reigns!" They celebrate God's sovereign rule over all creation and all nations. Psalm 98 is closely related to Psalm 96, sharing many phrases and ideas. Both call for a "new song," both summon the nations to praise, and both conclude with the announcement of God's coming judgment. But while Psalm 96 focuses on telling the nations about God's glory, Psalm 98 commands the nations to actively participate in the celebration of His victory. This psalm is pure, unadulterated praise. It does not contain a lament or a petition; it is a full-throated declaration of God's triumph and a command for all the world to join the party.

Key Issues

Worship Is Not a Spectator Sport

One of the great temptations in modern worship is to become a consumer, a spectator. We come to be moved, to be inspired, to receive something. But this psalm will have none of that. The language is active, imperative, and universal. "Make a loud shout... Break forth... Sing for joy... Sing praises." This is not a description of what some professional musicians on a platform are doing. This is a command to "all the earth." Every single person is summoned to participate. Worship is not something you watch; it is something you do. And it is something you do with your whole being. You shout, you sing, you play instruments. This is embodied worship. It involves your lungs, your voice, your hands.

The reason for this is that the victory of God is not a small, private affair. It is a world-altering event. When a king wins a decisive battle and secures his kingdom, the entire realm celebrates. There are parades, feasts, and music in the streets. No one is exempt. To be silent in the face of such a victory is to be treasonous. In the same way, God has accomplished salvation for His people, a salvation that has ramifications for the entire cosmos. To respond with a quiet, detached, "that's nice" is to fundamentally misunderstand the magnitude of what has happened. The proper response is to get loud.

Verse by Verse Commentary

4 Make a loud shout to Yahweh, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.

The call goes out, and the address is "all the earth." This is immediately significant. The God of Israel is not a tribal deity. He is the Lord of all, and His salvation is for all. The command is to "make a loud shout." The Hebrew word here is often used for the blast of a trumpet or the shout of an army going into battle. It is a triumphant, startling noise. This is followed by a cascade of three more commands that amplify the first. "Break forth" suggests a bursting of restraint, like a dam breaking. The joy is so great it cannot be contained. Then "sing for joy" and "sing praises." The joy must have a voice, and that voice is music. This is not noise for the sake of noise; it is noise that is born from an overwhelming sense of joy in who God is and what He has done. It is the sound of a world set free.

5 Sing praises to Yahweh with the lyre, With the lyre and the sound of singing.

Now the psalm adds instrumentation to the vocal praise. The lyre, a stringed instrument similar to a small harp, was a common feature of worship in Israel. The repetition, "with the lyre, with the lyre," emphasizes its importance. But notice the balance: it is the lyre "and the sound of singing." The instruments are not there to replace the voices of the congregation, but to accompany and support them. The music is not a performance to be observed, but a corporate activity. God created both the human voice and the wood and strings that can make melody. He delights in hearing them joined together in praise of His name. This verse gives us clear warrant for the use of instruments in the worship of God. The goal is to make a beautiful and skillful sound that reflects the beauty and majesty of the one being praised.

6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn Make a loud shout before King Yahweh.

The orchestra grows, and the volume increases. We move from the strings to the brass. The "trumpets" were likely long, straight silver instruments used by the priests for signaling. The "horn," or shofar, was a ram's horn used to announce solemn feasts and to signal the coronation of a king. The inclusion of these specific instruments is highly significant. This is the sound of royalty. This is the fanfare that announces the arrival of the monarch. And the psalm makes this explicit: "Make a loud shout before King Yahweh." We are not just shouting because we are happy. We are shouting because our King is present. All our worship, all our singing and playing, is done "before" Him. He is the audience. This is a coronation ceremony, and we, all the earth, are the jubilant subjects hailing our rightful sovereign. The King has won the victory, He has taken His throne, and the only proper response is a deafening, joyful, and royal acclamation.

Application

This passage should challenge any form of Christianity that is timid, bland, or beige. The worship of King Jesus is supposed to be a robust and joyful affair. This does not mean it must always be loud, for there is a time for quiet reverence. But it does mean that our worship should never be passionless. The gospel is the news of the greatest victory in the history of the world. Christ has defeated sin, conquered death, and overthrown the prince of this world. He has been enthroned at the right hand of the Majesty on High. If this news does not make us want to "break forth and sing for joy," then we have not yet grasped its significance.

We should also see this as a mandate to pursue excellence in our corporate worship, particularly in our music. We are to sing praises "with the lyre," with skill and with beauty. Our music should reflect the glory of our King. This is not a call for a particular style, but it is a call against laziness, sloppiness, and man-centered sentimentality. Our songs should be full of theological truth and sung with heartfelt passion. We are heralding the King, and the music should be fit for a king.

Finally, we must remember the object of our praise: "King Yahweh." Our worship is not about us. It is not about creating an emotional experience for ourselves. It is about ascribing worth and honor to our victorious Lord. When we gather, we are coming before the throne. When we sing, we are joining the cosmic choir that is already praising Him. Let us therefore come before Him with loud shouts, with joyful songs, and with the blast of trumpets, acknowledging that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.