Psalm 98:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together

NIV: Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy;

NASB: May the rivers clap their hands, May the mountains sing together for joy

CSB: Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains shout together for joy

NLT: Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy

KJV: Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together

NKJV: Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills be joyful together before the Lord,

Psalm 98:4–9 calls on everyone in the world to celebrate God with music and instruments. Likewise, nature itself should express worship of the Lord. These praises anticipate God coming to judge the world and establish His perfect justice (Revelation 20:4).

God has proven His glory through amazing miracles. He has accomplished salvation by His own power, honoring His loyal love for the nation of Israel. Every nation, including the Gentiles, can see what the Lord has done. All people should respond to this with praise and worship, using every type of instrument. Nature itself will echo praises of God. These celebrations look forward to God returning to earth, bringing justice and righteous judgment.

This psalm may have been inspired by a specific victory over one of Israel's enemies. Another possibility is celebrating the return of exiled Jewish people (Ezra 2:1). It is one of the "enthronement" psalms (Psalm 24; 27; 93; 95—99) which honor God as the ultimate ruler over the entire world. As with similar psalms, this song anticipates the Lord coming to earth in righteous judgment.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/21/2024 12:35:36 PM