Psalms 98 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

A Psalm. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. A new song - A song of excellence. Give him the highest praise. See on Psalms 96:1 (note).

Hath done marvellous things - נפלאות niphlaoth, "miracles," the same word as in Psalms 96:3, where we translate it wonders.

His holy arm - His Almighty power: -

Hath gotten him the victory - הושיעה לו hoshiah llo, "hath made salvation to himself."

The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. Made known his salvation - He has delivered his people in such a way as to show that it was supernatural, and that their confidence in the unseen God was not in vain.

He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. He hath remembered his mercy - His gracious promises to their forefathers.

And his truth - Faithfully accomplishing what he had promised. All this was fulfilled under the Gospel.

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With - the voice of a Psalm - I think זמרה zimrah, which we translate Psalm, means either a musical instrument, or a species of ode modulated by different voices.

With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King. With trumpets - חצצרות chatsotseroth. Some kind of tubular instruments, of the form and management of which we know nothing.

And sound of cornet - שופר shophar, the word commonly used for what we call trumpet.

Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the sea roar - These are either fine poetic images; or, if we take them as referring to the promulgation of the Gospel, by the sea all maritime countries and commercial nations may be intended.

Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together Let the floods clap their hands - נהרות neharoth, properly the rivers - possibly meaning immense continents, where only large rivers are found; thus including inland people, as well as maritime stations, and those on the sea-coasts generally; as in those early times little more than the coasts of the sea were known. The Gospel shall be preached in the most secluded nations of the world.

Let the hills be joyful - All the inhabitants of rocky and mountainous countries.

Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity. For he cometh to judge the earth - He comes to make known his salvation, and show his merciful designs to all the children of men.

With righteousness shall he judge the world - His word shall not be confined; all shall know him, from the least to the greatest: he shall show that he is loving to every man, and hateth nothing that he hath made. See the notes on Psalms 96:1-13 (note). There is a very great similarity between this Psalm and the Song or Magnificat of the Blessed Virgin. I shall note some of the parallels, chiefly from Bishop Nicholson.

This Psalm is an evident prophecy of Christ's coming to save the world; and what is here foretold by David is, in the Blessed Virgin's song, chanted forth as being accomplished. David is the Voice, and Mary is the Echo.

1. David "O sing unto the Lord a new song." (The Voice).

Mary "My soul doth magnify the Lord." (The Echo).

2. David "He hath done marvellous things." (The Voice).

Mary "He that is mighty hath done great things." (The Echo).

3. David "With his own right hand and holy arm hath he gotten himself the victory." (The Voice).

Mary "He hath showed strength with his arm and scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts." (The Echo).

4. David "The Lord hath made known his salvation; his righteousness hath he openly showed," etc. (The Voice).

Mary "His mercy is on them that fear him, from generation to generation." (The Echo).

5. David "He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel." (The Voice).

Mary "He hath holpen his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy." (The Echo).

These parallels are very striking; and it seems as if Mary had this Psalm in her eye when she composed her song of triumph. And this is a farther argument that the whole Psalm, whether it record the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, or the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, is yet to be ultimately understood of the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ, and the proclamation of his Gospel through all the nations of the earth: and taken in this view, no language can be too strong, nor poetic imagery too high, to point out the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke [1831].