Read & explore together
Sing to the LORD a New Song
Psalm 98 is a song that calls people to praise Yahweh with fresh joy. It gives reasons for singing, invites music and celebration, and ends by saying Yahweh judges the earth with righteousness and equity.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
This passage is written as poetry and song. It calls people and creation to praise Yahweh and describes his salvation, righteousness, loving kindness, faithfulness, and judgement. The psalm moves from what Yahweh has done to a wide invitation for all the earth to rejoice before him.
Psalms 98:1–9Main takeaway
Psalm 98 teaches that Yahweh’s salvation, faithfulness, and righteous judgement are reasons for the whole world to rejoice before him.
Explore the poem and its images
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A new song for Yahweh’s marvellous workThe psalm begins with a command to sing “a new song” to Yahweh because he has done “marvelous things”.
Explanation
The psalm begins with a command to sing “a new song” to Yahweh because he has done “marvelous things”. The song gives the reason for praise straight away. His “right hand” and “holy arm” picture his own power, and that power has “worked salvation”.
02Salvation shown openly to the nationsYahweh’s salvation is not described as hidden. The psalm says he has made it known and openly shown his righteousness “in the sight of the nations”.
Explanation
Yahweh’s salvation is not described as hidden. The psalm says he has made it known and openly shown his righteousness “in the sight of the nations”. It also says he has remembered his loving kindness and faithfulness toward the house of Israel, while the ends of the earth see God’s salvation.
03All the earth is called to singThe song widens into a call for worldwide praise. “All the earth” is told to make a joyful noise, burst out, and sing praises.
Explanation
The song widens into a call for worldwide praise. “All the earth” is told to make a joyful noise, burst out, and sing praises. Music is part of this response, with harp, melody, trumpets, and the ram’s horn. Yahweh is praised here as “the King”.
04Creation joins the joy before the JudgeThe sea, the world and its people, the rivers, and the mountains are all called to join the praise in poetic language.
Explanation
The sea, the world and its people, the rivers, and the mountains are all called to join the praise in poetic language. The reason given is that Yahweh comes to judge the earth. His judgement is described as “righteousness” and “equity”, showing what his rule is like.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What reasons does the psalm give for singing a new song to Yahweh?
Look for the words that describe what Yahweh has done, including salvation, righteousness, loving kindness, and faithfulness.
02Who is invited to praise Yahweh in this psalm?
Notice how the invitation grows from Israel to the nations, all the earth, and even creation in poetic imagery.
03How does verse 9 describe Yahweh’s judgement?
Use the exact words at the end of the psalm and think about what kind of judge those words present.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Psalms 98:1–9
1Sing to Yahweh a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
2Yahweh 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 Yahweh, all the earth! Burst out and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!
5Sing praises to Yahweh 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, Yahweh.
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 Yahweh, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.