Psalm 98 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 98 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
Verse 2The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
Verse 3He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
Verse 4Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Verse 5Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody.
Verse 6With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.
Verse 7Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it.
Verse 8Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy
Verse 9at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
Devotion
God's victory was "the day" that the house of Israel wished to remember. It was a day of celebration that God had done a marvelous thing for them; yet at the same time it was a horrible thing for those defeated. Israel praises God who comes to judge the earth because they believe they have been vindicated, while the others have been condemned. Every day is full of winners and losers—often us. That "I'm right and you're wrong" attitude is with us all the time, showing that our hearts often trust ourselves and our judgment instead of trusting Jesus. Such misplaced trust is deadly when God comes to judge the earth with righteousness. Yet the righteousness of God of which the psalmist speaks is that steadfast love of God by which God makes us righteous by faith in Jesus whose victory on the cross is forgiveness for us.
Prayer
Our Father, your victory is over death because you resurrected Jesus. Give us faith in Jesus and his promise to make us victorious over death, to resurrect us to live in your mercy now and always. Help us in our tiredness and worries to quietly still be rejoicing in your mercy, our victory. Amen.