August 7 — Psalm 98

“O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory. The LORD has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises. Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody. With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD. Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it. Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy at the presence of the LORD, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.”

Psalm 98 is the Old Testament text for Isaac Watts’s Christmas hymn, “Joy to the World!” Watts writes of heaven and earth rejoicing at the coming of the King. An interlude that depends more on Watts’ interpretation than the psalm text, stanza three speaks of Christ’s blessings extending victoriously over the realm of sin.

The joy in this Psalm is so palpable, and obvious, that there is no surprise it has sparked such a hymn as “Joy to the World”.

The hymn celebrates the birth of Jesus as the coming of the LORD to rule the world with truth and grace. It uses the language and themes of the psalm in order to say that the birth of the savior is an event of the kind and significance proclaimed in the psalm. The psalm announces the coming of the Savior — Emmanuel, G-d with us as king of the world — and along with Psalm 96, these Psalms are considered companions.

The hymn “Joy to the World!” catches and repeats the joy of humankind — and interprets Christmas as the decisive event in the reign of G-d, the savior whose presence changes history for all people.

Let us pray:

Lord God, we sing to you a new song, for your victory is ever new. In the resurrection of Christ you have given us a glimpse of your future, and in your victory over death you have shown us how we shall overcome the last enemy. As the seas roar and the hills sing together, we too will praise you for your great triumph, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever.

Amen.