NOTES for Psa 98
1 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. |
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Before us is a call to sing a new song, and one may ask: why are new songs needed? Are the old ones not enough? Have they somehow become worse?
Of course they have not. But by composing new songs, we can feel anew, as if for the first time, what we are going to sing about. By expressing our feelings in new combinations of words that have never sounded before, we not only join the confession of faith of our great predecessors, but also strive, to the best of our own powers, however modest, to affirm that we ourselves are glad to remain in unity with the Creator.
At first such a call is addressed to people, which is natural; but then we see the psalmist extend the call to rejoice to the entire natural world. Here we have something greater than a poetic image, for not only our hearts but the whole universe must be transformed and must restore its unity with the Lord. This world could have been different if we human beings had proved worthy of the purpose for which we were created, but even now much depends on us. We are accountable not only for ourselves, but for the whole world entrusted to us.
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