Psalm 98

What’s Happening?

Psalm 98 is a warrior’s victory song. It would likely have been sung as Israel’s soldiers returned home from a military victory. The first time a song like this appears in the Bible is after God defeats Pharaoh’s armies at the Red Sea. Back then, Israel sang that God was their champion who terrified their enemies, dismantled their chariots, and placed Pharaoh’s army in a watery grave (Exodus 15:1-4). While Psalm 98 has no specific victory in mind, it was written so Israelite warriors could praise God for what he had done on their behalf in battle.

The song begins by celebrating that God has been the ultimate warrior in their last battle and that he has single-handedly defeated Israel’s enemies and saved them from peril (Psalm 98:1). God’s victory was so precise, measured, and fair that even foreign governments applaud his work (Psalm 98:2). Likewise the warriors celebrate that God’s victory proves he is not only always on Israel’s side, but also that every nation in the world can see that there is no God like theirs (Psalm 98:3).

Since news of God’s victory has gone global, the song calls for the whole world to celebrate (Psalm 98:4). The nations should shout with their voices and play their harps, trumpets, and horns in recognition that God is both a warrior and king like no other (Psalm 98:5-6). The song finally calls on nature itself to join the ongoing chorus. The oceans roar and its fish frolic, the rivers clap with joy, and the mountain ranges sing together, rejoicing that Israel’s victorious king is coming home (Psalm 98:7-8). The song ends by celebrating that the precise, measured, and fair way God went to battle will be how he rules his kingdom and the world forever (Psalm 98:9).

Where is the Gospel?

In Jesus, God the warrior came to battle on our behalf once again. Jesus did not go to war against another nation but against a greater evil and more powerful enemy. He came to defeat death itself. Jesus is the only hero and only God in the history of the world to fight death and win. During the battle, he let the grave swallow him whole. But Jesus broke through death’s jaws and so broke death’s power over his people (Romans 6:9-10). Jesus battled death and won (Acts 2:24). His triumph over death is good news for the whole world because everything in creation is subject to death and decay (1 Corinthians 15:15-16).

So, like the warriors who sang Psalm 98, we too can sing victory songs. The powers of death, decay, and darkness wage war against us daily, but our God has defeated death and disarmed those who try to wield its power. Soon, all people will see Jesus the warrior appear once again to rid the world of its remaining evil (Revelation 1:7; 19:11). On that day, everyone Jesus has ever saved will celebrate and sing that Jesus has destroyed evil forever (Revelation 5:13; 21:4-5).

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see the God whose victories are good news for the world. And may you see Jesus as the hero who utterly conquered all his enemies and freed the entire world to sing his praises.