Grab a Lyre – Psalm 98

A text – Psalm 98

98:1 O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
98:2 The LORD has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
98:3 He 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.
98:4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
98:5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody.
98:6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD.
98:7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it.
98:8 Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy
98:9 at 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.

A reflection:

When Israel experienced deliverance or victory, psalms would be written and sung, praising God for that good deed and celebrating how faithful God had always been to the chosen people. This psalm is one of those praise psalms. It is often heard at Christmastime in our shared lectionary, the chosen texts for the church year used in many Christian congregations around the world.

So why this psalm for Christmas? The Christmas story doesn’t seem like a battle victory, or even a deliverance or freedom after captivity. Yet the psalmist calls for musical instruments to be used, and even for the sea and the floods and the hills to take part in the singing for joy.

The victory that God has delivered to human beings at Christmas is a victory, all right. It is the birth of the person who would become our Savior, the person who would embody the everlasting love of God for the human beings that God had created so long before. These poor creatures were doomed to a difficult earthly life and no hope of anything afterward. But Jesus would come along and change all that, because Jesus would be the one to break the power of death. God would raise him after his death. And just as Jesus has a new and permanent eternal life, Jesus invites us to have it, too.

It is God’s victory, in Jesus, over death, which is then given as a gift to anyone who believes in him. God’s victory is given to us as OUR victory. We can claim it. So grab a lyre or a trumpet or even a harmonica and sing and play for joy, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to celebrate the everlasting faithfulness of God in the person of Jesus. Merry Christmas and Amen!

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for winning the victory over death and then giving that victory of each of us. You are a generous and faithful God and we are overwhelmed by your graciousness and mercy to us. Help us to share our gratitude for this gift with others who might need some good news today.  Amen.