Praise The King

INTRO

According to Warren Wiersbe, Isaac Watts had Psalm 98 in mind when he wrote the famous hymn, “Joy to the World.” Wiersbe said the song wasn’t about the manger but instead was about the Messianic kingdom.¹

TEACHING

Psalm 98:1-3: In the first three verses, Nelson’s Commentarysaid there was a call to praise God as Savior (vv. 1–3). These verses feel much like a repeat of Psalm 96. The psalmist praised God for He had performed wonders, or miracles, and won victory (v. 1). According to Nelson’s Commentary, “The right hand of the Lord is a way of referring to His great salvation of Israel from Egypt.”² So, it was a way of singing about how God has saved us out of the land we didn’t want to be in; how He saves us from all the stuff we’ve come from.

In verse 2, the psalmist said God revealed Himself to the nations—meaning the Gentiles. God’s salvation was designed to spread to the nations. It is clear that God designed Israel to be a light to the nations. Isaiah 42:6 says God appointed His covenant people to be a light to the nations. Isaiah 49:6 also says God would make Israel “a light for the nations, to be My salvation to the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 60:3 says, “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your radiance.” Because of God’s movement in their lives, nations would be drawn to the Messiah. These verses are a call to praise God as our Savior. In verse 3, God remembered His love and faithfulness to Israel, and all the nations have seen God’s victory. Everybody in all lands will see God’s hand on the nation of Israel. According to John MacArthur, “These words are a metaphor for the Lord’s establishment of His righteous kingdom on earth.”³

Psalm 98:4–6: Nelson’s Commentary says these verses focus on the call to praise God as King.⁴

Psalm 98:7–9: Nelson’s Commentary says these verses focus on the call to praise God as the coming Judge.⁵ Again, this psalm feels so much like Psalm 96. Psalm 96:1 called for “all the earth” to “sing a new song to the Lord.” Compare this command to Psalm 98:1. Next, compare Psalm 96:12 with Psalm 98:8. Both psalms have the same ending. Psalm 96:13 says God is coming to judge the world with righteousness. Psalm 98:9 says God will judge the world righteously and the peoples fairly.

Cooper P. Abrams III wrote about the second coming of the Messiah based on Psalm 98. He offers another perspective, which may be good to see. Remember, our phrase for the book of Psalms is the King of Glory. The emphasis of Psalm 98 is that we need to get ready because Christ is coming back. Abrams says this psalm is about Christ’s return and that the earth is singing a new song because of His return (v. 1). He proposes verse 2 is about Christ returning here on earth; while others suppose “His victory” could refer to Israel’s victory over the Medes and the Persians and the Babylonians when the Jewish exiles returned to the land. But Armstrong proposes this is about Christ and the victory He has already given us. Armstrong goes on to say God fulfills His promises through Christ in verse 3. So, in verse 4, all the earth is singing because of Christ. He goes on to say that in verse 7, because of Christ’s return, all of the earth comes together.⁶

So, what do we do with the fact Christ is coming to judge the earth? MacArthur says Psalm 96:13 and Psalm 98:9 are talking about the time when Christ will return to the earth.⁷ Acts 1:11 says Christ will return to earth in the exact way He was taken to heaven. The second time He comes, He is coming to judge us. Why would there be a reason for joy if there’s judgment coming? Because Jesus will put an end to the cruelty, the evil, and all of this stuff that we have to deal with. So, let’s look at what’s going to happen.

In Revelation 16:16–21, Armageddon begins to take place. In Revelation 17:10, seven kings come together and go against each other; but when Christ comes, they stop fighting each other and fight Christ. When Christ comes to judge the earth, this is the stuff that He’s going to experience. Christ is going to come and He is going to have to battle. Revelation 18 describes the fall of Babylon and the wiping out of the wicked people. In Revelation 19, there is a lot that happens after the end of seven years. This seven-year period begins with about three-and-a-half years of peace, then the Antichrist reveals himself and things get really bad for three-and-a-half years. In the first three-and-a-half years, the temple is rebuilt and there is some measure of peace. Then, the Antichrist puts himself in the Holy of Holies, in the temple, to equate himself with God. For the next three-and-a-half years, all hell breaks out. Some (pre-tribulation) believe they will be raptured and therefore won’t be here for these events. But, I want to get you ready just in case you are here, When Christ comes and cleans house at the end of the seven years, the Antichrist, the beast, and the false prophet will be judged and cast down into a lake of fire. Then, there will be two little groups of remnants left; the antichrist remnant, and a Godly remnant. In all of this, there is a 1,000 year reign. In Revelation 20:1–6, the devil is cast into the pit, where he will be held for 1,000 years until he is released for a short time. So, in Psalms 98:9, when we are talking about Christ coming to judge the earth, this is the process we are talking about. During the 1,000 years when the devil has been cast into the pit, Christ is going to reign on earth.

So when we get excited about the coming Judge, it is because we know we are getting that much closer to the King of Glory actually showing up in our lifetimes. But if He shows up in our lifetimes, we have to realize it could be a really hard, really tough season. Yes, He will come to judge all the wickedness, but there is a lot of stuff that comes with that. When we praise God as the Savior, as the King, and as the coming Judge, He is coming to clean house. After all this process, Revelation 20:11–15 talks about the judgment of the unsaved. Everyone who has died will be judged according to their works. There is a second death is to be cast into the lake of fire for those who are not found written in the book of life.

When we are talking about the coming Judge and praising Him for what is to come, we need to understand what is really coming.

CLOSING

When you think about the coming Judge, the best way you can prepare people is to tell them the good news. If you don’t want to tell it, then you sing it. Joy to the world, for He is coming! We want everyone to be ready for the return of Christ by delivering the good news.