Psalm 98, Clap Your Hands!

A psalm.

Like four psalms before it (93,95,96,97), this is a call to worship, a call to begin worship with singing. The Septuagint adds "David" to this superscription (says Alter.)

Kidner points out that this psalm was placed in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, as "Cantate Domino", Latin for "O sing to the Lord."

Psalm 98:1, Sing!

 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.

Like Psalm 96:1-3, the singer begins with instructions to sing a new song to God, in praise of His works.

Psalm 98:2-3, Righteousness for Israel and all the earth

 The LORD has made his salvation known 

and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

 He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; 

all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Both the local nation of Israel and all parts of the globe are witness to the righteousness and salvation of God. This global salvation is remembered in a New Testament letter, in Hebrews 10:12-14, where the Messiah high priest, Yeshuah, offers righteousness to all. As Kidner argues, this psalm is a rehearsal in preparation for that later event.

Psalm 98:4-6, Voices, harp, trumpets, ram horns

 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, 

burst into jubilant song with music;

 make music to the LORD with the harp, 

with the harp and the sound of singing,

 with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn-- 

shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

An array of musical are to be brought into praise YHWH: voices, harp, trumpets, ram's horn. Verse 5 is a classic ABBA chiasmus: "make music... with the harp, with the harp... singing."

Psalm 98:7-9, Clap and sing!

 Let the sea resound, and everything in it, 

the world, and all who live in it.

 Let the rivers clap their hands, 

let the mountains sing together for joy;

 let them sing before the LORD, 

for he comes to judge the earth. 

He will judge the world in righteousness 

and the peoples with equity.

The poet calls for all the world to rejoice, clapping hands and singing. Nature is personified here -- the seas can "resound" (Hebrew yir·‘am might be translated "roar" or "thunder"); the rivers can clap their hands; the mountains sing with joy. Alter calls this "the orchestra of nature," hearing a percussion section from the sea, followed by clapping and singing. This is a beautiful image of joyous nature. After all, it is all "very good" (Genesis 1:31)!

Similar portraits of Nature dancing in joy appear in Psalm 96:11-13 and Isaiah 55:12-13.