A NEW PRAISE FOR THE SALVATION AND THE JUDGMENT According to St. Jerome, this psalm is a call to present a new praise, because the story of the crucified Son of God is a new praise, previously unheard of, or not perceived the way it should. This psalm is close to psalm 96, not only in its spirit and concepts, but in some of its words as well. This psalm, like the two ones before it, shouts to the Lord as the King of the universe. It is in its wholeness, a thanksgiving to God, flowing with joy and gladness. Some scholars believe that it concerns the return from captivity; But it is a psalm concerning the salvation works, and all the amazing works of God for the sake of His church beloved by Him. 1- An instigation to give thanks to the Lord 1 - 3 2- The whole earth shouts to the Lord 4 - 6 3- Nature partakes of the shouting to the Lord7 – 9 The title: A song of praise to the Lord for His salvation and judgment. 1- AN INSTIGATION TO THANK THE LORD: “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory” (1) It is befitting of us to enjoy the salvation work of Christ, which will never get old; to present a new praise, by a new heart, and a renewed mind. The perpetually amazing works of God bring an inner joy into us, as though new; and a continuous gladness, to say together with the prophet Jeremiah: “Because His compassions fail not; They are new every morning” (Lamentations 3: 22, 23). “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!” The new name is worthy of a new song. This thought conforms with what is written: “You shall be called by a new name” (Isaiah 62: 2). A new name warrants a new song. In the book of Revelation it came: “To him who overcomes. … I https://coptic-treasures.com/ 131 will give a white stone, and on the stone a new name written” (Revelation 2: 17; 3: 12). The new name concerns the Christians. Why is He worthy of a new song? “For He has done marvelous things”. He has done marvelous things among the Jews: He healed the paralytics, purified the lepers, and raised the dead to life … Whatever new He does is worthy of a new song. … Do you wish to know what new has the Lord also done? He died like a man to let men live; the Son of God was crucified, to lift us up high to heaven … Although He was in the form of God, before taking the form of man, He did that to decrease, for us to increase! “His right hand has gained Him victory”, or as it came in another version: “have worked salvation for Him”. This means that He saved humanity, His own work, and not of any one else. In other words, What He made Himself, He saved by Himself. He made man for eternal life; he who perished through his own iniquity. Yet He died, so that, by His right hand, He would keep man for Himself. “His right hand” in this phrase, refers to Christ’s authority; and “His holy arm” is a symbol of His power1. (St. Jerome) “Sing to the Lord a new song”. The new man knows this, but the old man does not. The new man is the new life, and the old man is the old life. The old life goes back to Adam; but the new life is conformed in Christ2. What is the holy arm of God? It is our Lord Jesus Christ. Listen to the prophet Isaiah say: “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isaiah 53: 1). Our Lord Jesus Christ is the right hand and the holy arm of God3. This same right hand, this same holy arm, this same salvation, is our Lord Jesus Christ, about whom is said: “All flesh shall see the salvation of the Lord” (Luke 3: 6). About Him, Simon the elder, carrying the infant Jesus, said: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation” (Luke 2: 29-30). … To whom has He revealed His salvation? to a part, or to all? Not to a particular part. … I wish no one would be deceived! I wish no one would say: “Look, here is the Christ, or there He is! Do not believe it” (Matthew 24: 23) … 1 On Psalms, homily 25. 2 On Ps. 98 (97). 3 On Ps. 98 (97). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 132 Listen to what follows: “His righteousness He has openly shown in the sight of the nations” (Psalm 98: 2) 1. (St. Augustine) “The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has openly shown in the sight of the nations” (2) God, the Judge of the whole earth is Just and Righteous; Being the Philanthropic, He seeks the salvation, and not the perdition of humanity; Hence “He made known His salvation, and His righteousness He has openly shown in the sight of the nations”. “The Lord has made known His salvation”. The psalmist did not say, “showed”, but said “made known”. The point here is: As the human race knew God, but because of their iniquity they forgot that they knew Him, God came by His own free will, and made known to man what he has lost. The phrase here says: What Adam knew, what Seth knew, whom Noah called, and for whom he hoped, was known by Noah, but was later forgotten by mankind; So God came to make it known anew2. (St. Jerome) “He has remembered His mercy and his faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God” (3) God is faithful in His promises, and merciful, not only to the house of Israel, but to all mankind. Who is Israel? If you think that God thinks only of one nation – the Jews? Listen to what follows: “All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our Lord” He did not say “the whole earth”, but “All the ends of the earth”, from end to end. I wish no one would distort, or doubt this. Great is the unity of Christ! He, who paid such a great price to purchase all: “all the ends of the earth3”. (St. Augustine) “For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all” (Romans 11: 32). … “And His faithfulness to the house of Israel”. Remembering His promise of mercy, He stays faithful. “He has remembered His mercy” toward all the peoples of 1 On Ps. 98 (97). 2 On Psalms, homily 25. 3 On Ps. 98 (97). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 133 the nations. By so doing, He realized His promise to the early Patriarchs. “All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our Lord”; Not only Israel and Judah, but all the ends of the earth. The expression “all the ends of the earth” bears a secret meaning. As long as we are in the midst of this world, we cannot see God; but when we leave the world, to go up high, then we shall become qualified to see God1. (St. Jerome) 2- THE WHOLE EARTH SHOUTS TO THE LORD: “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praise” (4) “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth”. Not only Judah, but all the earth; shout to the Lord; Bring all the slogans of victory … Sing with your whole being; I wish your hands sing by giving; and your feet by hastening to do the good work2. (St. Jerome) “Sing to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of a psalm” (5) According to St. Jerome, the believer is like a harp or a guitar that plays a tune to praise God. If one string of the harp becomes weak or is broken, the harp would not give a good tune. “Sing to the Lord with the harp”. Let all the strings give a tune; for if one does not, it would not be a harp. … What would be your profit if you are pure, yet, at the same time, you are greedy? … Or if you are pure and generous in giving, yet, at the same time, you are envious?... What would be your profit, if, as a harp, you have six good strings, and one broken string? If one string is broken, the harp would not give a good tune3. (St. Jerome) Give God thanks, not only by your voice, but by your works as well. Praise Him and work. Sing with the harp and the guitar4. (St. Augustine) 1 On Psalms, homily 25. 2 On Psalms, homily 25. 3 On Psalms, homily 25. 4 On Ps. 98 (97). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 134 “With the trumpets and the sound of the horn; Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King” (6) St. Ambrose binds between singing praise to God using the trumpets (6), made of the horns of animals, and the clean animals with horns (Deuteronomy 14: 4); For the pure man uses the trumpets as though he, himself, has got horns, to declare the conquest in his battle against the devil, and his liberation from the servitude of the enemy, and his heavy yoke1. “With the trumpets and the sound of the horn”. In the book of Numbers (chapter 10) we read about two kinds of trumpets: one of drawn silver, and the other of the horns of animals; both of which are mentioned in the present verse … Now listen to what each of them symbolize: The drawn silver trumpet refers to the word of God: “The words of the Lord are pure word, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (Psalm 12: 6). The sound of the horn, in the Holy Book, on the other hand refers to the man of God with all his authority and power; according to the prophet Zechariah’s prophecy: “The Lord has raised up a horn of salvation for us” (Luke 1: 69) … The psalmist here, (6) means to say to us: ‘You should have the two kinds of trumpets: the silver for words, and the horn for power2’. (St. Jerome) The trumpets are made of bronze or silver drawn by being hammered … The righteous ‘Job’ has been a drawn trumpet, when he was tempted by such heavy calamities like the loss of his children and possessions; and his response was to say: “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1: 21)…. What a trumpet with a brave and sweet sound, by which he fearlessly fought his battle against Satan, not by his own strength, but by that of Him, by whom he was justified. I would dare to say, O brethren, that the apostle Paul was hammered by the same hammer, saying: “A thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me. Concerning this thing, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me: ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness’”” (2 Corinthians 12: 7-9). 1 Cf. St. Ambrose: The Patriarchs, 11: 56. 2 On Psalms, homily 25. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 135 The horn, being raised up above the body, is capable of producing a strong sound. He, who intends to be a horn, should prevail upon the body, overcome its lusts, and seek nothings of the flesh1. (St. Augustine) The voice of such people is “with trumpets and the sound of a horn”. When we endure the persecution of the wicked, with perseverance, and with no murmur against the judgment of God, we would be drawn trumpets that praise God. The righteous ‘Job’ was such a trumpet when he did not murmur against the Lord, although he was hammered by a multitude of strikes by Satan2. (Father Caesarius, bishop of Arle) 3- NATURE PARTAKES OF THE SHOUTING TO THE LORD: “Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it” (7) If we, as believers, are called upon to become a chorus to praise the Lord, together with the heavenly hosts; Nature itself, with the seas, rivers, mountains, etc. are also called upon to join the chorus to praise our Creator. He started by Israel (1-3), then by all the world (4-6), and finally he called upon all creation (7-8) to partake of that praise. “Let the sea roar”; and let the salty water turn sweet; as it happened with the bitter water of ‘Marah’ which was made sweet by casting the tree (of the cross) into it (Exodus 15: 25) 3. Receiving the tree of the cross, that bitter water of the Old Covenant became sweet. “Let the sea roar”. The sea refers to the Mosaic law; “Let the rivers clap their hands”; referring to the prophets; Let the hills be joyful together before the Lord”; referring to the apostles4. (St. Jerome) Brethren, When the apostles preached like drawn trumpets and horns, the sea roared, the waves were stirred-up, the temptations increased, and the persecutions found a place for themselves in the church. … Why did the sea roar? When it heard the joyful shouts of the psalms 1 On Ps. 98 (97). 2 Sermon 132:1. 3 On Psalms, homily 25. 4 On Psalms, homily 25. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 136 of thanksgiving, that brought pleasure to the Lord. … “Let the sea roar, and all its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it” 1. (St. Augustine) “Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together before the Lord: (8) Commenting on the saying of the apostle Paul: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (Romans 8: 19), St. John Chrysostom says: [Paul was more convincing in personalizing the creation, than the way the early prophets did, imagining the rivers clapping their hands2]. The rivers drew their waters from the divine Fountain – Jesus, who said: “My people have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living water” (Jeremiah 2: 13). He is the Fountain, and we are the rivers, assuming that we are truly worthy of being so called. He is the Fountain, and the saints are the rivers; those of less holiness are riverlets; and then there are the little drains. … There is not just one river, but several, as there are many saints … I wish they clap their hands; for the work of the saints is to praise God. Yet, Christ is not praised by words alone, but also by work; He does not seek just a sound, but He seeks work as well3. (St. Jerome) Those rivers clapped their hands; they rejoiced in the works, and blessed God4. By the hills he means the elites. When the Lord comes to judge the earth, some of the elites rejoice. but there are others who become terrified. There are good hills, as there are wicked hills. The good hills refer to the spiritual greatness, whereas the wicked hills refer to arrogance of pride5. (St. Augustine) We should not praise by words alone, but should work with our hands. By combining praise and work, man sings, accompanied by the sound of a musical instrument like a harp or a guitar. He sings divine words from heaven; and offers human works by his hands … Therefore, beloved brethren, stretch your hands and give the poor; 1 On Ps. 98 (97). 2 Homilies on Rom. Hom. 14. 3 On Psalms, homily 25. 4 On Ps. 98 (97). 5 On Ps. 98 (97). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 137 clothe the naked, and give hospitality to the stranger. By so doing, you praise God with piety and joy1. (Father Caesarius bishop of Arle) A great crowd will gather together to watch you fighting, being called to martyrdom (like those gathered together to watch a game between champions of great reputation). Going through such battle, let us say, together with the apostle Paul: “We have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men” (1 Corinthians 4: 9). The whole world, all the angels on the right and the left, and all men, including those on God’s side (Deuteronomy 32: 29; Colossians 1: 12); and all the others; They will all watch us fight for the sake of our Christianity. So it will be: either the angels will rejoice in heaven, the rivers, and all the trees of the valley clap their hands, the mountains rejoice (Psalm 98: 8; Isaiah 55: 12 LXX) for our conquest; Or, God forbids, the lower world will be overwhelmed with evil joy, on our fall2. (The scholar Origen) “For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world; and the people with equity” (9) Notice how he put righteousness first before equity … He comes to judge by His righteousness to turn the chaos into good ordinance3. (St. Jerome) Put your ways in order, and rejoice. It is within your authority to choose the way by which you wait for the coming of Christ. That is why He delays His coming; so that when He comes, He would not have to judge anyone. … He still has not come; He is still in heaven, and you are on earth. He is delaying His coming. So do not postpone the wisdom. For His coming will be cruel for those of cruel hearts, and gentle for the pious4. (St. Augustine) 1 Sermon 132:1. 2 Exhortation to Martyrdom, 18 (ACW). 3 On Psalms, homily 25. 4 On Ps. 98 (97). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 138 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 98 LET ME JOIN THE CHORUS OF CHRISTIANS Amazing You are, O the Creator who loves all His creation; You call all to become one chorus to sing praise; You are in no need for our praise, nor for our ministry; But You are the Fountain of joy and gladness; You long for all the earth to join the heavenlies; For all to become one chorus of praise; joyfully shouting. Grant me to join the chorus of the singers of praise; To know nothing but shouting, and clapping the hands; I praise You with my heart, mind, and all my emotions; My mouth utters the words of exultation; My lips would be sanctified by praising You; My hands practice the work of goodness; I praise You, not just by emotions and words, But also by my behavior and deeds; My whole being exults to You. Let Your Holy Spirit work in me like on a harp; Let Him strike on all my strings; Let my emotions be sanctified, together with my heart and mind; Let my words be sanctified, together with my works; Let me present in truth, a symphony of love, the work of Your fiery Spirit! Let the sea roar praising You; Let its salty water become sweet; When the tree of Your cross works in it; As it will turn the salinity of the literality of the law into the sweetness of the Spirit; Let the rivers clap their hands; As our works praise you together with our tongues; Let the mountains sing; As they rise up high, and testify to Your splendor. Grant me, with my weakness, a portion in praising You with my whole being. Grant me, O Lord, to sing to You with the trumpets and the sound of horns; You set out of the righteous ‘Job’, a drawn trumpet; You allowed for him to be hammered by temptations; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 139 To praise You with a sweet song, saying: “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord”; You made him a trumpet in the old Covenant; Let us also listen to the trumpet of the New Covenant – our teacher Paul; Whom You hammered with a thorn in the flesh; By crying out to You, and receiving the temptation well, He became a loud trumpet, whose sound is still heard by the ears of our hearts. Grant me, as well, to become a horn; Let me have a horn above my body; So as not to bow under the lusts of the flesh; Nor to seek them; By the spirit of strength, Grant me to walk according to the Spirit, and not according to the body; Let me live by the Spirit of strength; And enjoy the conquest by the work of Your fiery Spirit in me.
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