Psalms 98
Text:
"1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. 2 The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. 3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord! 7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it the world and those who dwell in it! 8 Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together 9 before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity."
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Lexicon:
vs. 1 - new song (chadash shiyr) - "fresh song, unheard of song"
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vs. 1 - worked salvation (yasha') - "to be delivered, to be liberated, to be victorious, to be free and safe"
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vs. 2 - made known (yada') - "to declare, to reveal oneself, to show anyone anything, to teach, to acquaint"
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vs. 2 - revealed (galah) - "to uncover, to make known, to lay bare, to disclose"
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vs. 3 - remembered (zakar) - "to call to mind, to think of, to recall, to keep in remembrance, to mark so as to be recognized"
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vs. 3 - seen (ra'ah) - "to look at, to perceive, to consider, to learn about, to watch, to discern, to see the sun, to live, to enjoy the light, to behold"
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vs. 4 - joyful noise (ruwa') - "to shout, to split the ears with sound, to raise a sound, to shout for joy over a conquered enemy, to cry out, to shout in triumph, to cry out with a loud voice"
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vs. 9 - judge (shaphat) - "to govern, to vidicate, to punish, to rule, to condemn the guilty, to pronounce a sentence"
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vs. 9 - righteousness (tsedeq) - "justness, rightness, straightness, what is right and ought to be so, what ought to be so, righteousness of God as covenant-keeping in redemption, deliverance of people enjoying salvation"
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vs. 9 - equity (meyshar) - "evenness, level, smoothness, happiness, peace, friendship, sincerity"
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What does this reveal about God's character?
God is our deliverer. He has rescued us from sin and death through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God is not hidden from us, but continually declares Himself, His goodness and His righteousness throughout the earth. He is not far off from us, but can be found by us. God is the judge. He holds the world to His standard of righteousness, which is unattainable apart from rightness with God through Jesus.
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Questions:
1) Have I chosen to receive salvation through Jesus Christ? Please visit our Resources page for more information on this.
2) Do I sing to the Lord? The Bible doesn't say to sing to the Lord only if you have a nice voice. It commands us to sing and shout joyfully to the Lord, regardless of how we sound. Remember, it's not about us, but about Him.
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3) In what ways have I seen God today? He is everywhere; we just need to open our eyes to see His majesty and glory.
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4) Do I sometimes (or often) play the judge instead of allowing God to assume His rightful role?
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5) In what areas of my life do I need to seek righteousness? Has God been convicting me of anything lately?
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Prayer:
Father God, thank you for your salvation and deliverance from sin. That alone is reason to praise your Name forever, but yet you continue to bless my life in innumerable ways. You are a good God, and you are a loving God. Lord, please show me any areas in which I need your righteousness to cover me. Call me my heart to true repentance. Thank you for your glory displayed throughout the earth. It points the lost to you and reminds the saved of your presence and goodness. Open my eyes to see your majesty displayed. Call me to an attitude and spirit of thankfulness. May I be aware of your presence and sensitive to your Spirit's leading. As David so often did, I command my soul to continually bless the Lord (Psalms 103:1-2). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!