Text: Psalm 98:1-9
In this 2-week reading plan, we are assuming a posture of thanksgiving before the Lord by meditating on ten Psalms of Gratitude. Rather than provide a written response to each Psalm, we have offered a simple yet meaningful activity designed to help us recall God’s mercies to us and through time. So grab a journal, and let’s create our own songs of thanksgiving to God.
Psalm 98
Praise the King
A psalm.
Sing a new song to the Lord,
for He has performed wonders;
His right hand and holy arm
have won Him victory.
The Lord has made His victory known;
He has revealed His righteousness
in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered His love
and faithfulness to the house of Israel;
all the ends of the earth
have seen our God’s victory.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth;
be jubilant, shout for joy, and sing.
Sing to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and melodious song.
With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn
shout triumphantly
in the presence of the Lord, our King.
Let the sea and all that fills it,
the world and those who live in it, resound.
Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the mountains shout together for joy
before the Lord,
for He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world righteously
and the peoples fairly.
Dig Deeper:
Our God is forevermore victorious! In Psalm 98, the Israelites declared that “all the ends of the earth have seen our God’s victory”—and they joined loudly in the chorus of praise. Let’s do the same as we work through the text below.
1. Look at verses 1-3. Why were the Israelites singing a song to the Lord?
2. Now look at verses 7-9. Why should we sing a song to the Lord?
3. Why did the Israelites celebrate their victory with so much noise?
4. How can we celebrate the Lord’s victory?
Shout to the Lord! Sing His praises!
Note to self: Stop to remember and praise Him during ALL times!!
I love how this verse implores us to Shout for Joy to the Lord. There is something uplifting and encouraging when we raise our voices in praise or excitement in any circumstance…the Lord gave us the ability to Shout and it is to be used for His glory and our good!
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
He remembered us and for that we got to spend eternity in HIS presence- that’s why we shout for joy!
It is amazing what God has done for us in Christ. It is the difference between spending this life in either guilt free thankfulness or self condemnation. And it is also the difference between spending eternity in either heaven or hell. It is a complete and absolute game changer. Ps 62:7 NLT My victory and my honour come from God alone, He is my refuge, a rock where the enemy cannot reach me. And what can separate us from His love? Nothing – Rom 8:38,39. Hallelujah.
Lord, I know that I take things for granted. But, if I stop trying to determine the difference between good and evil, I know I can find thankfulness by living in you. You are the only determiner of what is bad vs. good. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to mess up because it keeps leading me back to You. I want to live in You and through You because you are glorious in all aspects. I love You.
Lord, thank you that you’re redeeming all ends of the earth. Every flower, cloud, body of water and dry land, they all belong to you. You reign over every mountain range, island and coastal land. You’re people inhabit all these places! Great is your salvation for your people and their land. Bless you, Lord. Bless you.
Oh Lord, You are worthy of so much praise! You are for me, you are with me, you have answered prayers! You have done great things! Thank you, God, for who you are, and who I am in Christ!
Shout the Lord’s name up top the mountains, Let the world know of His greatness!