Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 98:9
Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
9. Cp. Psa 96:13.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Before the Lord, for he cometh to judge the earth … – This verse is essentially the same as Psa 96:13. See the notes at that verse. The psalm calls for universal praise. The very reading of the psalm – so joyous – so jubilant – so animated – so exulting – is suited to awaken the mind to praise; to rouse it to thankfulness; to fill it with joy. One cannot read the psalm without being a happier man; without being lifted above the world; without lofty views of God; without a feeling that he is worthy of this universal praise; without recognizing that we are in a world where the mind should be joyful; that we are under the dominion of a God whose reign should fill the mind with gladness.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 9. For he cometh to judge the earth] He comes to make known his salvation, and show his merciful designs to all the children of men.
With righteousness shall he judge the world] His word shall not be confined; all shall know him, from the least to the greatest: he shall show that he is loving to every man, and hateth nothing that he hath made. See the notes on Ps 96:10-13. There is a very great similarity between this Psalm and the Song or Magnificat of the Blessed Virgin. I shall note some of the parallels, chiefly from Bishop Nicholson.
This Psalm is an evident prophecy of Christ’s coming to save the world; and what is here foretold by David is, in the Blessed Virgin’s song, chanted forth as being accomplished. David is the Voice, and Mary is the Echo.
1. DAVID. “O sing unto the Lord a new song.” (The Voice.)
MARY. “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” (The Echo.)
2. DAVID. “He hath done marvellous things.” (The Voice.)
MARY. “He that is mighty hath done great things.” (The Echo.)
3. DAVID. “With his own right hand and holy arm hath he gotten himself the victory.” (The Voice.)
MARY. “He hath showed strength with his arm and scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.” (The Echo.)
4. DAVID. “The Lord hath made known his salvation; his righteousness hath he openly showed,” c. (The Voice.)
MARY. “His mercy is on them that fear him, from generation to generation.” (The Echo.)
5. DAVID. “He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel.” (The Voice.)
MARY. “He hath holpen his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy.” (The Echo.)
These parallels are very striking and it seems as if Mary had this Psalm in her eye when she composed her song of triumph. And this is a farther argument that the whole Psalm, whether it record the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, or the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, is yet to be ultimately understood of the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ, and the proclamation of his Gospel through all the nations of the earth: and taken in this view, no language can be too strong, nor poetic imagery too high, to point out the unsearchable riches of Christ.
ANALYSIS OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH PSALM
This Psalm has the two following parts: –
I. An exhortation to sing to the Lord, and the reasons of it, Ps 98:1-3.
II. A new invitation to praise him, and that it be universal, Ps 98:4-9.
I. He calls upon them to praise God: 1. Sing – a song or hymn, to the Lord – and to none other. A new song – a song of excellency.
For this exhortation and command he gives the reasons. His work was a work of power and holiness.
1. “He hath done marvellous things.” He has opened his greatness and goodness in the work of redemption. What marvels has not Christ done? 1. He was conceived by the Holy Ghost. 2. Born of a virgin. 3. Healed all manner of diseases. 4. Fed thousands with a few loaves and fishes. 5. Raised the dead. 6. And what was more marvellous, died himself. 7. Rose again by his own power. 8. Ascended to heaven. 9. Sent down the Holy Ghost. 10. And made his apostles and their testimony the instruments of enlightening, and ultimately converting, the world.
2. “His right hand and his holy arm hath got him the victory.” 1. It was all his own work, whatever were the instruments; for without his energy they could do nothing. 2. It was his holy arm – no bloody sword, but a holy hand, to do a holy work. 3. “He got himself the victory” over sin, Satan, death, and hell.
3. This salvation was made known: – 1. By himself to the Jews. 2. By his apostles to all nations.
4. This salvation has been applied. 1. He hath showed his righteousness – his method of justifying sinners through his own blood, and sanctifying them by his own Spirit. 2. This he hath openly showed, plainly revealing the whole in his Gospel. 3. He has done this in the sight of the heathen, calling them to be partakers of the same salvation promised to Abraham and to his posterity, both Jews and Gentiles.
5. That which moved him to do this; his mercy, and truth: 1. “He hath remembered his mercy.” This mercy was to the house of Israel, and through them to the Gentiles; for the Gentiles were the first in the promise and covenant. There was no Jew when the covenant was made with Abraham: it was made with him while he was yet in uncircumcision; consequently the Gentiles, the whole human race, were originally included in that covenant. The descendants of Jacob were made depositaries of it for a season; but they, not having benefited by it, were rejected, and the salvation of Christ was given to the Gentiles, for whom it was originally intended, and who have kept the faith, and are daily profiting by it. 2. It is called mercy; for it was the merest mercy that said: “The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent’s head.” 3. He remembered this, it was never out of the Divine mind; “Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” 4. As this mercy was intended for every human soul; so it is here prophectically said: “All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” This Gospel has been preached, is now in the course of being preached, and shortly will be preached to every people under heaven.
II. A new invitation to praise God; and to do this in every possible way.
1. “Make a joyful noise.” Jump for joy, because of this most glorious news.
2. As all are interested in it, so let all do it: “All the earth.”
3. In all possible ways. With harp, psaltery, trumpet, cornet; with vocal, chordal, and pneumatic music. But it is the joyful music, the heart music, which the Lord seeks.
4. “Before the Lord.” In his immediate presence. Let all be sincere, pure, and holy. Remember the eye of the Lord is upon you: do not draw near with your lips, pipes, or stringed instruments, while your hearts are far from him.
5. And to make the music full, as if the inanimate creation had ears and hands to give an applause at the relation, and feet to dance because of it, he says: “Let the sea roar, the floods clap their hands, and the hills be joyful together.”
And for all this he gives a reason, with which he concludes: “For he cometh to judge the earth;” which may be referred to his first and second coming.
1. If to the first, then the sense is – Let all creatures rejoice because he comes to judge, that is, to enlighten, order, and govern the world. For this purpose he was incarnated, suffered, died, and rose again for the redemption of mankind; and has sent his holy Gospel to enlighten the world, and his Spirit to apply its truths to the hearts of men.
2. If we consider this as referring to his last coming, then let all men rejoice, as he comes to destroy evil, to root out incorrigible sinners, and to make a new heaven and a new earth.
3. All this shall be done with that rectitude of judgment, that there shall be nothing crooked, oblique, or savouring of iniquity in it: “For he shall judge the world, and the people with equity.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Before the Lord, for he cometh to judge the earth,….
[See comments on Ps 96:13],
with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity; both at his first and second coming, and during the intermediate time; see the note as before. The only difference is, that in Ps 96:13, it is said that he shall judge the people “with his truth”, here “with equity”, or “uprightnesses” f; in the most upright manner, according to the strictest rules of justice and judgment; see
Isa 11:3.
f “in rectitudinibus”, Montanus, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(9) See Psa. 96:13.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
REFLECTIONS
How blessed the thought, how full of glory the meditation! Jesus hath conquered all the enemies of our salvation! Himself, our Jesus, our Brother, our Husband, our glorious Head, is he that hath gotten the victory. And what endears it yet more is, that he hath gotten it in our name, in our stead; for us, and for our salvation: and all he is, and all he hath wrought, and all he hath obtained, is ours. And, my soul, pause, and consider how the communication of those mercies is endeared to thee. Jesus hath not only conquered, but made known: He hath not only remembered his mercy, and accomplished salvation, both toward the house of Israel, and to all the ends of the earth; but he hath, by his blessed Spirit, taught the souls of his people to believe in him, and to depend upon him. Well may every redeemed soul sing unto the Lord the new song of redemption. Let the sea roar with echoing the same, and all the trees of the wood clap their hands!
But pause once more, my soul, and ask thine heart, Canst thou sing this new song? Hath the Lord brought thee out of the horrible pit, out of the mire and clay, even out of the ruins of nature, and sin, and Satan, and put thy feet upon the rock, and a new song, even the song of Moses and the Lamb, into thy mouth? Oh! for grace to sing this new song with a new heart: to make Jesus, in his person, in his love, offices, salvation, the everlasting melody of the heart, and the rejoicing forever. Oh! for grace, that in the review of all the covenant love of God in Christ, I may be looking unto, and waiting for, his coming. Haste, my beloved; let the shadows of night flee away; and be thou like a roe, or young hart upon the mountains of Bether.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 98:9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
Ver. 9. See Trapp on “ Psa 96:13 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
people = peoples.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 98:9
Psa 98:9
“Before Jehovah; for he cometh to judge the earth:
He will judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with equity.”
“Before Jehovah.” These words belong to the preceding verse, carrying the meaning that all that singing and the joyful noises, the clapping of hands, etc. shall be performed “before Jehovah.”
“Jehovah cometh to judge the earth … he will judge the world.” It is amazing that Anchor Bible translates this as God’s coming to “Govern the world. No, God’s Final Judgment, indicated here, will not be for the purpose of “governing the world.” A summary of some of the things God has revealed that will be accomplished upon that Great Day includes the following:
(1) God will wipe this Adam off the face of the earth (Zep 1:3).
(2) The earth and everything in it will be burned up (2Pe 3:10).
(3) A new heaven and a new earth shall appear (2Pe 3:13).
(4) All nations shall be summonsed before the throne of Christ for judgment (Matthew 25).
(5) The redeemed shall receive their reward, and
(6) the wicked shall be banished from the presence of God forever (2Th 1:9).
(7) There shall be a general resurrection of the dead (Heb 9:27).
(8) Cosmic disturbances of the greatest dimensions shall occur; every mountain, and every island shall be moved out of its place, and the sun shall become black (Rev 6:12 ff). At that time, of course, the probation of Adam’s race shall have been concluded.
Mankind is repeatedly warned that the Great Judgment spoken of here will not be a day when Christ will begin to reign and govern the earth; “That will be the day he will end his reign on earth” (1Co 15:20-28), The reign of Christ is going on at the present time for those who love him (Mat 28:18-20).
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 98:9. Before the Lord connects this verse with the preceding one on the subject of gratitude for the works of creation. The present verse adds the thought that the Lord cometh (when occasion requires) to judge the earth. His judgment will be righteous, for it will be with equity which means with fairness. It has always been true that God is no respecter of persons. (Act 10:34.)
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
for he cometh: Psa 96:10, Psa 96:13, Rev 1:7
with righteousness: Psa 67:4, Psa 72:2, Isa 5:16, Act 17:31, Act 24:25, Rom 2:5, Rom 2:6
Reciprocal: Gen 18:25 – Shall Jdg 11:27 – the Judge 1Sa 2:10 – judge 1Ch 16:33 – because Psa 7:8 – The Lord Psa 9:4 – right Psa 9:8 – General Psa 50:4 – judge Psa 58:11 – verily he Psa 68:3 – rejoice Psa 72:3 – by righteousness Ecc 3:17 – God Isa 16:5 – judging Isa 33:22 – the Lord is our judge Isa 42:3 – he shall Isa 51:5 – mine Jer 11:20 – judgest Joe 3:12 – for Mic 4:3 – he shall judge Zec 14:5 – the Lord Mal 3:5 – I will come Mat 25:6 – Behold Mat 25:32 – before Joh 5:22 – General Joh 8:16 – yet Rom 2:2 – judgment Rom 2:16 – God Rom 3:6 – for then 2Co 5:10 – we 1Th 3:9 – before 2Ti 4:1 – who Heb 10:30 – The Lord shall Heb 12:23 – God Rev 19:11 – and in
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The prospect of Yahweh balancing the scales of justice is good reason for universal rejoicing. His "coming" describes a literal visit to this earth, rather than just a heavenly judgment and reign. [Note: See Allen, Rediscovering Prophecy, pp. 39-54. For a discussion of Yahweh as the Divine Warrior, see VanGemeren, pp. 630-35.]
This psalm should help God’s people view the Lord’s coming to earth to reign as a blessing, rather than something they should fear. Even though He will rule with an iron rod (Psa 2:9), His coming will be a good thing for humankind. We who are believers should rejoice greatly as we anticipate it, and we should pray for its arrival (Mat 6:10; Luk 11:2).