From the Organ Bench

Psalm 98
The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.

In a book published in 1719, titled, The Psalms of David, Imitated in the Language of
the New Testament, the author paraphrased the second half of Psalm 98. We know by
heart the words of Isaac Watts (1674-1748). George. F. Handel ((1645-1759) composed
a hymn tune in common meter and named it ANTIOCH. It is a simple melody. A
descending scale with dotted rhythms is repeated in exploding variations. However, the
ingenious of merging Watts’ text with Handel’s music is the work of an American. The
early American church musician-arranger, Lowell Mason (1792-1872) is responsible for
translating the power of the text with the majestic melody and compressing it all into
nineteen measures of music:
Joy To the World, the Lord is come;
Let Earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Savior Reigns.

Let men their songs employ.
While fields, and floods; rocks, hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy!

He rules the world with truth and grace

And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness
And wonders of his love.
I cannot imagine celebrating a Christmas liturgy without the powerful joy of this
Americanized carol which graces our prayer.
The original Psalm 98 is a hymn of praise, celebrating the LORD as king. It was
probably sung during the festival liturgies celebrating the new year. Psalm 98 is related
to Psalm 96 in wording and content and also to the ideas expressed by Deutero-Isaiah.
All three texts selections demonstrate the global dimensions of the God of Israel.
The new year brings regeneration. Psalm 98 has a creedal ring to it. In a polytheistic
world, surrounded by polytheistic neighbors, Israel was the only monotheistic nation in
existence at that time. Unlike the pagan new year celebrations, the renewal of God’s
covenant with the community begins with a call to worship:
O Sing to the Lord a new song, for the Lord has done marvelous things!
The old songs do not express what is taking shape with the advent of God’s coming in the
new year. The old songs do not express the newness the Lord will bring. The new song is
the future deeds and miracles of the Lord.
The Lord’s right hand and holy arm have gotten the Lord victory.
“Holy” is a statement about this Lord. Holiness belongs to God. God is holy (Ps.99.9).
Because God is holy, God’s name is holy (Ps. 99.3, Ps. lll.9) and it cannot be profaned
(Lev. 20.3). Everything about God is holy: God’s Word, Will, Actions; God’s hand and
arm are holy. God is pure strength. God does not need any assistance from “helper bees”
from any government, including Israel, to win battles.
The Lord is not like other deities who are “wholly other,” separated and invisible from
lowly human beings. God’s holiness is very personal. The Lord is persistent in self
expression. This Lord is a God of action. This God not only comes to his people but
dwells with them in an unconditional covenant. Holiness is about what God does.
The Lord has made known his salvation;
The Lord discloses something else about himself. God is Savior. God is the mighty
deliverer of the people from their enemies.
He has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
The God of Israel is a Self-Revealer. This particular verb for “reveal” only appears once
in the entire Psalter (Ps.98.2). This act of self-revelation of God’s character is before the
eyes of “all” not “many”. The theology of these two verses is one of liturgy.
Worship is to result in justice and rightness. Israel’s annual celebration of covenant is
not defined by cycles of nature but by the character of God. Israel’s worship springs
from the self- revelation of the Lord to them in definite historical events. The “arena of
God’s glory” (Calvin called it:“theatrum gloriae Dei.” ), is an expansive openness to all .
Only Israel’s God is revealed to the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.
Two additional characteristics of this God are exposed. Unlike the contemporary gods of
the world, the Lord of Israel is a trusted, unwavering Lover. The phrase, “steadfast love”
occurs 127 times in the Psalter and 245 times in the entire Old Testament. It describes
that Lord’s perfection. The people of Israel are the first ones to experience the full force
of God’s love. They live in it. They are “housed” in it. The Lord is their “home, sweet
home.”

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
The mighty savior, the committed lover, the Holy One, extends his self-disclosure
everywhere. No place on earth is kept in the dark. No person on earth is excluded from
the embrace of this God who is Steadfast in Being Love “to all.”
This renewal is different. God interacts with people. This Lord does not need nor desires
the trite offerings of worship: little cakes, manipulative prayers, etc. Only the heartfelt
talk of lovers will do. Only the attitude of being in love will do. Being Loved by Love
changes everything in the House. So…
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, “all” the earth.
Break Forth into songs full of joy
Sing Praises!
This is how we are to sing praise to the Lord:
With the Lyre
With the lyre and the sound of melody!
With the brassiness of trumpets and the blare of the horn
Make a joyful noise before the King (the ruler of our hearts),
The LORD.
But praise does not end with the chosen people. The invitation to praise is extended to
“all” of creation by the Creator.
Let the sea Roar, and all that fills it;
Let the world and those who dwell in it “roar” with praise.
 Let overflowing rivers clap their hands
Let the Hills sing for joy
Creation is overwhelmed with joy because the Lord moves toward something, focused
and with purpose. The Lord moves toward the here and now, presently, in this ongoing
moment.
For the Lord comes to judge the earth.
The Lord comes to judge the world - with righteousness;
The Lord comes to judge the peoples (“all”) with equity.
The Lord‘s judgment is free from bias or favoritism. The praise of God and the
Judgment of God is not limited by time.

The influence of Psalm 98 is eye-opening. It is, in the language of the New

Testament, α π ο κ α λ υ π τ ε ι ν , revealing. The “new song” of the New
Testament is scored in the theological music of the Psalter. The Gentiles have been made
a part of the already existing musical drama. The Gentiles enter into the chorus of
Abraham and the royalty of the Davidic line, because the Conductor has not only cued
them in, but has placed them on the downbeat from the beginning. Psalm 98:1 is the basis
for Rev.5:9-10 and 14:3. Psalm 98.3 is the theme of Luke 1:54. Psalm 98:9 is found in
the kerygma, (i.e. the apostolic proclamation of salvation through Jesus Christ), of Acts.
28:28.
Paul in Romans 1:16-17 alludes to Ps.98.2. Psalm 98 provides clear support and
illumination for the universality of salvation for “all” in this letter.
The “new song” of the New Testament is not without the voice of the Spirit. Psalms,
hymns and spiritual songs are the way in which the Spirit speaks (Col.3:16). Only the
Word of Christ, The Voice of the Lord are found in them. It is the Lord of Israel who
speaks in the Spirit through Jesus to human hearts. “All” of that Word is for “all” of our
benefit: to exhort all; to comfort all, to instruct all; to assist all.
Perhaps those leading, who are tone deaf, should seek the assistance of a Voice Coach.
I happen to personally know a good one and I highly recommend his abilities as a
teacher.
He can be reached at any time:
For He Comes With Equity.