Sing a New Song: God’s Salvation Revealed and Righteous Judgment Coming

Psalm 98 calls God’s people to sing a “new song” because the LORD has acted with undeniable power, bringing salvation and making His righteousness known. It stresses that His victory is not hidden or private—He reveals it openly before the nations, showing faithful love and truth to Israel according to His covenant mercy. The psalm then widens the invitation: all the earth, rulers, and even creation itself are summoned to praise, as if seas, rivers, and hills join the worship. This joy is not shallow excitement; it is rooted in the fact that the LORD comes to judge the world. His judgment is presented as good news—He will judge with righteousness and equity, setting what is crooked straight.

Psalms 98:1 – 98:9

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