Back to Psalm 98

Introduction

The traditional Hebrew text of Ps. 98:1a reads as follows:^[1]. מִזְמ֡וֹר * שִׁ֤ירוּ לַֽיהוָ֨ה ׀ שִׁ֣יר חָ֭דָשׁ כִּֽי־נִפְלָא֣וֹת עָשָׂ֑ה There is disagreement among interpreters when it comes to the "new song" mentioned in verse 1, especially when it comes to what prompts the new song. This gives us four options of understanding what provokes the new song of verse 1. By affirming that "The song is pure praise of the great God who is King, Creator, Savior, and Judge", Tanner and Jacobson (2014:726) infer that praises are what motivate the new song. The different interpretations as far as what prompts the new song of Psalm 98:1 are as follows:

Option 1: Yahweh’s saving works and military victory
Option 2: Yahweh’s faithfulness and loyalty to Israel
Option 3: A fresh experience of God acts
Option 4: Congregational Praise to YHWH at festival time

Argument Maps

YHWH’s saving works

Some interpreters/scholars like Futato or Tate propose that the “new song” of Psalm 98:1 is prompted by YHWH’s saving deeds and military victory. Their arguments are mainly based on the context of the Psalm: the literary context, the use of military language and expressions in connection to YHWH, and the psalm being a celebration of the victorious power of YHWH. The arguments for and against this view are as follows:

 
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[YHWH’s saving works and military victory]: The new song should be understood as an act of recognition because of his military victory or after YHWH's saving deeds.
 + <Salvation and victory in the literary context>: The root "to save" or "to win a victory" is used three times in the Psalm (הוֹשִֽׁיעָה, יְשׁוּעָת֑וֹ, יְשׁוּעַ֥ת אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ). 
  + [Three verses of the Psalm mention a victory or salvation]: Psalm 98:1, 2, and 3. 
  + <The nature of wonderful deeds prompt the new song is salvific or about the victory >: The causal proposition of verse 1 mentions "wonderful deeds" and in this context those deeds are found in verse 2.
   + [The second verse of our Psalm is about victory or salvation ]: Psalm 98:2.
 + <Military language>: The Psalm shares many expressions and images drawn from the military context
  + <The "new song" expression used in military context>: A “new song” is often sung in response to military victory (cf. Futato 2009:314, Tate 1998:524, Walton 2009:402).
 + <Celebration of the victorious power of YHWH>: God's people sing a new song to celebrate his victorious power and faithfulness to them.(''New Living Translation Study Bible'' 2008:Ps 98 🄲).
  + <Celebration YHWH's new saving deed>: In other passages, the language "new song" is used in the context of celebration of YHWH's new saving act like in Psalm 40:3 (Barker 2020:923 🄲). 
  + <The joyous celebration of the whole Psalm >: The joyous celebration portrayed in the whole Psalm are a response to YHWH's saving deeds (VanGemeren 2008:732🄲).
 - <Other divine deeds and character may account for the new song>: There are other divine deeds and character that can rightly account for the new song and not only his saving and victorious deeds. #dispreferred
  + [YHWH's justice and equity]: Psalm 98:2, 9
  + [YHWH's faithfulness and loyalty to Israel]: Psalm 98:3
  + [YHWH's universal judgment]: Psalm 98:9
  + [YHWH's universal kingship]: Psalm 98:6

Yahweh’s faithfulness and loyalty to Israel

Among interpreters many think and affirm that the "new song" of Psalm 98:1 is a response to YHWH's faithfulness and loyalty to Israel. Their argument turns around the explicit mentioning of YHWH's remembrance of his loyalty and faithfulness towards Israel in the broader context of Psalm 98:1-3. This two key concepts seen elsewhere in the Old Testament are therefore the elements prompting the "new song" of verse 1.

 
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[Yahweh’s faithfulness and loyalty to Israel]: The new song comes as a response to YHWH's faithfulness and loyalty to Israel, God's people. #dispreferred
 + <The literary context of YHWH's faithfulness and loyalty>: The Psalm explicitly mentions God remembering his faithfulness and loyalty to Israel, thus what prompts the "new song" of verse 1. #dispreferred
  + [God's faithfulness and loyalty to Israel]: Psalm 98:3 #dispreferred
  + <The context Psalm 98:1-3>: The broader context of Psalm 98:1-3 has as main idea, God's faithfulness and loyalty to Israel, and therefore provides the reason that prompts the "new song" of verse 1. (Barry 2016:Ps 98.1–3 🄲)#dispreferred
  - <Other literary elements may account for the new song>: The literary context provide other elements that may explain why sing "the new song".
   + [YHWH's victory or salvation]: Psalm 98:1, 2, and 3. 
   + [YHWH's justice and equity]: Psalm 98:2, 9
   + [YHWH's universal kingship]: Psalm 98:6
   + [YHWH's universal judgment]: Psalm 98:9
 + <The new song celebrates God's faithfulness>: God's people are called to sing a new song mainly because they have experienced God's faithfulness (''New Living Translation Study Bible'' 2008:Ps 98 🄲).#dispreferred

A fresh experience of God's acts

Among interpreters, some say that the "new song" of verse 1 is not merely a newly composed song. The "new song" must be understood as the "fresh" response God's people before a fresh experience of God's acts. The "new song" is here sung in response or in anticipation of any fresh experience of YHWH's acts and deeds in the life of his people. Similarly to other contexts of the Old Testament, a "new song" corresponds to a "new" activity of YHWH.


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[A fresh experience of God acts]: The new song should be understood as a response to a past, present or future fresh intervention of God in the life of his people. #dispreferred
 + <An unprecedented historical intervention of YHWH>: Psalm 98:1 talks about an unprecedented historical victory operated by YHWH (Tanner and Jacobson 2014:727 🄲). #dispreferred
  + <The Psalm itself is the new song>: The historical event prompts the Psalm which is the new song mentioned in verse 1. (Bratcher 1991:832–833 🄲) #dispreferred
   - <There is no explicit identification of the new song>: The "new song" is not clearly specified and "it may have been a new psalm, or the psalmist may simply be calling on them to renew their praise of God" (Adeyemo 2006:646 🄲).
 + <The "new song" after a fresh experience of God>: In the Old Testament, any fresh experience of God could lead to the creation of new song (Walton 2009:402 🄲).#dispreferred
  + [David requests for a new song when the ark of God was set it in the midst of the tent]: 1 Chronicles 16:7 #dispreferred
 + <Any fresh grace of YHWH>: The new song is a response to any fresh experience of God's grace (Carson 2018:993 🄲). #dispreferred
 + <A "new song" in anticipation of a fresh experience of God>: A new song is sang as God's people prepare to enter a new experience and relationship with YHWH (Keil and Delitzsch 1996:623🄲). #dispreferred
  + <Other passages support this anticipation>: There are other passages of the Old Testament that presents the concept of newness as related to the anticipation of God's fresh acts (Tate 1998:513–514 🄲). #dispreferred
 + <The joyous context of the Psalm>: Joy follows any fresh experience of God's redemptive act (VanGemeren 2008:318 🄲).  #dispreferred
  + [Psalm 98 portrays joy]: Psalm 98:4-6 #dispreferred
 + <Familiar elements with second half of Isaiah>: The context of the second half of Isaiah is a call to God's people (Schnittjer 2021, 502 🄲). #dispreferred

Congregational Praise to YHWH at festival time

Finally, some interpreters hold that the "new song" of Psalm 98 is prompted by nothing but the congregational praise and worship to YHWH at festival time. The new song is thus sung during an enthronement, accompanied with musical instruments, probably in the Temple for praising YHWH.

 
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[Congregational Praise to YHWH at festival time]: A number of interpreters see a congregational praise to YHWH at festival time as the motivation for the new song of Psalm 98:1, (Tanner and Jacobson 2014:726 🄲). #dispreferred
 + <The new song is sung during an enthronement>: Just like other enthronement psalms like Psalms 47, 93–99, our psalm portrays a "worldwide party where both heaven and nature sing" (Tanner and Jacobson 2014:726 🄲). #dispreferred 
  + <The horn>: A horn (see v. 6) was blown to announce that a king took the throne (cf. also 2 Sam. 15:10; 1 Kgs. 1:34, 39; 2 Kgs. 9:13; Ps. 47:6-10). #dispreferred
 + <The new song is joyful singing accompanied with musical instruments >: The joyful singing to the accompaniment of musical instruments is a response of God's people in celebration of Yahweh’s universal kingship (VanGemeren 2008:732 🄲). #dispreferred
 + <The language suggests a congregation at festival time>: "Vv 4–6 form a subsection of the larger composition in vv 1–6. The language suggests a congregation at festival time being urged to shout and sing praise to Yahweh accompanied by musical instruments, except that the call is extended to all the earth” (Tate 1998:525 🄲). #dispreferred
  + <Trumpets>: The trumpets (see v. 6) “were generally sounded to convene assemblies [Num 10:3, 7] or tribal leaders [10:4], or to proclaim a coronation (2 Kgs 11:14; 2 Chron 23:13)” (NIDOTTE). #dispreferred #dispreferred 
 + <The Psalm depicts an event in the Temple>: The phrase "before YHWH" suggests a command to praise YHWH in the Temple (Bratcher and Reyburn 1991:846🄲). #dispreferred
 + <The “new song” is for a new festival occasion>:"Thus in cultic terms the reference may be to a “new song” for a new festival occasion. Every festival, or other occasion of worship, merited a new song to celebrate Yahweh’s new and renewed works" (Tate 1998:513–514 🄲).#dispreferred

Conclusion

After going through the four options above, we hold that YHWH’s saving works and military victory are the things that prompt the new song of verse one, thus we think that the first option is probably the right one. This argument the one that is built more around our text. For example it is difficult to argue that the concept of salvation/victory is not in the text, nor a central theme of the Psalm in general. This conclusion has a significant implication on the historical setting of the psalm. For example, the historical setting should not be found necessarily in the post exilic period like suggests the last option.

Research

Secondary Literature

New Living Translation Study Bible. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2008.

Futato, Mark D. "The Book of Psalms" in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009.

Barker, Kenneth L. éd. NIV Study Bible, Fully Revised Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020.

VanGemeren, Willem A. « Psalms » in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms (Revised Edition), ed. Tremper Longman III et David E. Garland, vol. 5. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008.

Tate, Marvin E. Psalms 51–100, vol. 20, Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1998.

Barry, John D. et al. Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.

Walton, John H. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (Old Testament): The Minor Prophets, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, vol. 5. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009.

Carson, D. A. Ed. NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018.

Bratcher, Robert G. and William David Reyburn. A translator’s handbook on the book of Psalms, UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies, 1991.

Keil, Carl Friedrich and Franz Delitzsch. Commentary on the Old Testament, vol. 5. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996.

Adeyemo, Tokunboh. Africa Bible commentary. Nairobi, Kenya; Grand Rapids, MI: WordAlive Publishers; Zondervan, 2006.

Tanner, Beth and Rolf A. Jacobson, « Book Four of the Psalter: Psalms 90–106 », in The Book of Psalms, ed. E. J. Young, R. K. Harrison, et Robert L. Hubbard Jr., The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014.

Schnittjer, Gary Edward. Old Testament Use of Old Testament: A Book-by-Book Guide. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2021.

References

↑ Hebrew text taken from OSHB

[1] Hebrew text taken from OSHB

[1]

What Prompts the “New Song” of Psalm 98:1?