Works Volume 4, Book 4 · Psalm 98
The Ninety Eighth PSALM.
A Pſalm.
Paraphrase. The ninety eighth Pſalm, compoſed probably as a breviate of Moſes's ſong at the delivery of the Iſraelites, and deſtroying Pharaoh and the Aegyptians, Exod. 15.1, &c. is (as the ninety ſixth and ſeventh foregoing) a foreign A Prophetick Pſalm Chald.prediction of Chriſt's Kingdom, and the bringing the Gentile world in ſubjection to it: it is thought to have been compoſed by †foreign LXXII. Syr. Lat. &c.David.
1. O ſing unto the Lord a new ſong, for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand and his holy arm hath *helped him, … brought him ſalvation, or deliverance.gotten him the victory.
Paraphrase. 1. It is now a moſt opportune ſeaſon to praiſe and magnifie the Lord of heaven, for all the miraculous deliverances which he hath wrought, but eſpecially for that glorious reſurrection of the Meſſias out of the grave (the pawn and pledge of ours) a work of his omnipotent power, and an evidence of his fidelity in making good his promiſe to him.
2. The Lord hath made known his ſalvation; his righteouſneſs hath he openly ſhewed in the ſight of the heathen.
Paraphrase. 2. This mighty work of his in raiſing the Meſſias from the dead, and the exact completion of his predictions and promiſes therein, is by God appointed to be annunciated and proclaimed to all the men in the world; to the Jews firſt, beginning at Jeruſalem, Luk. 24.41. (ſee v. 3.) and then through all the Gentile regions, to every creature.
3. He hath remembred his mercy and truth to the houſe of Iſrael: all the ends of the earth have ſeen the ſalvation of our God.
Paraphrase. 3. And this not as a miracle onelyonly, though of a moſt ſtupendious nature, but as an act of infinite goodneſs, and promiſed mercy, and ſo of fidelity in performing it; the benefits whereof as they were firſt reached out to his own peculiar people the Jews, ſo were they to extend, and ſoon after to be preached and promulgate, to the utmoſt nations of the world, who have all their parts in the redemption from ſin and ſatan atchieved and wrought by it.
4. Make a joyfull noiſe unto the Lord all the earth; make a loud noiſe, and ‖cry …ehemently foreign Pſ. 96.12.rejoyce and ſing praiſe.
5. Sing unto the Lord with the harp, with the harp, and the voice of a Pſalm.
6. With trumpets and ſound of cornet, make a joyfull noiſe before the Lord the King.
Paraphrase. 4, 5, 6. This is true matter of the greateſt joy and exultation to all men, and deſerves to be celebrated in the moſt ſolemn manner, with all the inſtruments of muſick uſed in the ſervice of God; and all little enough to expreſs the glory of the work, and the infinite advantages deſigned to us, by Chriſt thus entring on his regal office, and ſubduing all the world to the power of the Goſpel, that Scepter of his Kingdom.
7. Let the Sea †make a loud noiſe foreign Pſ. 96.11.roar and the fulneſs thereof, the world and they that dwell therein.
8. Let the *Rivers foreignflouds clap their hands, let the hills ‖cry vehemently foreignbe joyfull together
9. Before the Lord, for he cometh to judge the earth; with righteouſneſs ſhall he judge the world, and the people with †uprightneſs. foreignequity.
Paraphrase. 7, 8, 9. The whole habitable world, the heathen people that have been long under the ſervitude of their falſe idol worſhips, ſhall now be redeemed from that ſlavery of ſin and Satan, their oracles and temples deſtroyed, and the doctrine of the true God, and practice of piety and juſtice and charity, ſet up in their ſtead, and thereby a moſt happy joyfull reformation wrought among men, which deſerves all the acknowledgments of humble and thankfull hearts. See Pſal. 96.11, 12, 13. and note d.
Annotations on Pſal. XCVIII.
foreignV. 1. Victory] From foreign to deliver, is foreign here in Hiphil, and being in conſtruction with foreign the dative caſe, ſignifies to bring help or relief to any. The Jewiſh Arab reads, And his right hand and his excellent power hath holpen his people. So Pſal. 116.6. I was brought low, foreign and he helped me. The Chaldee foreign hath relieved, or redeemed him: the LXXII. foreign, and the Latin ſalvavit ſibi, hath ſaved for him; the Syriack foreign, as the Chaldee, hath relieved, or redeemed him. This being here applied to God, that his right hand and holy arm hath relieved him, helped him, brought him ſalvation or deliverance, though by ſome figure it may be interpreted of God's relieving his people, and ſetting forth himſelf victorious in the eyes of men, yet moſt literally it belongs to the prophetick ſenſe, accompliſht in the reſurrection of Chriſt; for then in an eminent manner did the divine power, called foreign his, foreigni. e. God's, right hand, and God's fidelity in making good his promiſed relief (he will not leave my ſoul in hades —) fitly ſtyled foreign his holy arm, foreignbring him, i. e. Chriſt, relief, in raiſing his dead body out of the grave, and exalting him perſonally to God's right hand in heaven: and this peculiarly ſeems to be the foreign the wonderfull things, foreignthe complication of miracles, which are here mentioned in the beginning, and are the matter of the ſolemn thanſgiving in the enſuing Pſalm.
foreignV. 8. Clap] foreign ſhall clap the hands, is here applied to foreign the rivers, as an expreſſion of great joy. The whole heathen world are here expreſt by the ſeveral parts of this viſible globe, Sea, and World, and Rivers, and Hills, as before by Earth, and Sea, and Field, and Trees, Pſal. 96. ſee Note d. and ſo the joy that is here attributed to each of theſe, being the joy of men in the world, is fitly deſcribed by thoſe expreſſions of joy which are frequent among men; yet ſo as may have ſome propriety to thoſe inanimate parts, of which they are literally ſpoken. In triumphs and ovations it is ordinary among men to make a loud and vehement noiſe, and the roaring of the ſea is not very unlike that; and ſo likewiſe the mugitus which hath ſometimes been heard to break out from hills, in an earthquake;foreign and accordingly foreign make a loud noiſe, is here applied to the ſea, v. 7. and foreign cry vehemently, to the hills v. 8. And ſo the clapping of the hands being a token of delight and approbation, and the ſtriking or daſhing of the water in a river being, for the noiſe of it, a reſemblance of that, the rivers are here ſaid to clap their hands. The Chaldee, ſaith Schindler, explain it by foreign they ſhall ſtrike or play on the timbrels with the hand, but ſure that is a falſe reading of the Chaldee; the more emendate Copies reade foreign let the rivers clap their hands together, &c. and ſo the LXXII. foreign, ſhall clap the hand. The ſame phraſe is uſed of trees, Iſa. 55.12. and there both Chaldee and LXXII. agree in the rendring, foreign, they ſhall clap the hand, or applaud with the boughs, the claſhing of boughs together in the tree, being a like ſound to that of clapping of hands. The Jewiſh Arab reads, And let the people of the rivers ſtrike or clap their hands, and the people of the mountains all of them cry aloud or ſhout.