Ps 95 – 98 is part of what is known as the royal psalms, celebrating God as King. Ps 98 is a celebration of God’s great love and redemption. It was probably written to celebrate the deliverance of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity but also prophetically, the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ and its coming judgment.
Worship is an active response to God whereby we declare His worth. We come collectively in response to what He has done for us. The heart of worship is the worship of the heart; God is actively looking for worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:23). Not that God is lacking anything because He’s complete and sufficient. When we creatures come before the Creator in worship, we find ourselves in the centre of His desire.
Worship should not be passive but participative. Heart worship and body worship are not mutually exclusive; God has made us to be both spiritual and physical. Out of the abundance of the heart (all that is within me), our body responds to God’s initiatives in our live. The 3 stanzas (3 verses each) progressively extend the call to worship God from the congregants in the temple to the people of the earth and then to the whole of creation; from singing to shouting and clapping.
We are encouraged to sing to the Lord a new song – a song of praise that celebrates God’s deliverance or blessing; such a song that has not been sung before. When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen were drowned in the Red Sea , Miriam took a tambourine and sang this song:
“Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider he had hurled into the sea.”
Ex 15:21 (NIV)
We have in our day many songs of redemption and of the cross. New songs are also sung in heaven by the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals…” (Rev 5:9) and by the redeemed of the Lord (Rev 14:3). Do you have a new song to sing to the Lord? The reason why we can sing praises to God is because of His love and faithfulness towards us (v 3). He is our righteous Saviour whose works of redemption rings across the ages.
The tempo of worship is raised a notch higher (emotions involved) when the psalmist enjoins the earth to shout for joy to the Lord. Shouting here goes with boastful adoration – jubilant song with music accompaniment of the harp, trumpet and horn. Shouting is associated with victory. The walls of Jericho
The second coming of Jesus Christ would be preceded by a trumpet blast and a mighty shout. “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” (1 Th 4:16).
The reason why we can shout with jubilation is because the LORD is our King – He is to be crowned King of kings.
Finally, the psalmist enjoins all of creation – those in the sea and on the earth, animate and inanimate objects to clap and sing for joy before the Lord. Hands are unique creation of God; they can perform complicated surgical operations and play beautiful music on instruments. Yet they are instruments by themselves to give praise to God. Clapping of hands is often an expression of support and gratitude. It typically accompanies singing and makes a beautiful melody when the congregation is clapping together. Clapping cheers the spirits and gets everybody involved so that they feel free to move and take part in praising God.
The reason why we can sing, shout and clap our hands is because God is our righteous Judge who would be coming back very soon to judge the earth with equity. So what are you waiting for? Begin to praise and worship God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength (Mk 12:30).
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