Psalm 98: Are We Seeking God's Direction?

The Need for Divine Guidance

Divine guidance is vital to living a life which is characterized by wisdom and godliness.

Faith in God does not mean casting aside all reason, but we should forsake all confidence in our own human reasoning. ( Matt. 16:23).  Discerning God's will and direction is only possible we come to rely fully on God’s revelation, on His wisdom, not our own.

Divine guidance requires commitment. Human reason rests only on what we can see, on our own perception of matters as we see it in present circumstances. Divine guidance rests upon the promises of God, on those “things which are not seen” ( Heb. 11:1).   The will of God is known by those who are willing to commit their future into the hands of the God of the Bible.   Read  1 Thessalonians 4:3-8

As for King David... He was a wise king who would gather with his people in the temple for a time of meditation and worship--and together seek God’s direction.  For us, the scripture declares God’s thoughts,  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.”  -Isaiah 55:8-9

Biblical meditation is “the act of focusing one’s thoughts in reflective thinking or contemplation to discern the meaning or significance of a plan or action.”  It renews our minds, exchanges our ideas for God’s, so we can begin to experience God’s ways. (Romans 12:1-2)   We are also told to “be of the same mind toward one another” which means that we must develop and maintain the mind of Christ. We are to “stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Romans 12:16, Philippians 1:27).  If our thoughts are contrary to God’s, then we  must exchange our thinking with God’s--He has given us His inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word.

—The psalm:    This is a hymn for public worship telling of the Lord’s kingship and the celebration of the Lord’s mighty acts on behalf of Israel.  David is calling out to all people hail Him as king.    The great event of divine deliverance was doubtless the return of Israel from captivity.  They are recognizing God accomplishing, by his great power, His love and faithfulness to them in covenant relationship. The people were waiting for the Lord’s coming for the full establishment of his reign.

Psalm 98   David Sings Praises to the Lord, a song telling of the Messiah who will come to rule God's kingdom.

¹     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.

²     The Lord has made known His salvation; 

     His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.

³     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.

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⁴     Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.

     Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.

⁵     Sing to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of a psalm,

⁶     With trumpets and the sound of a horn. Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King.

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⁷     Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it.

⁸     Let the rivers clap their hands--

        let the hills be joyful together before the Lord,

⁹    For He is coming to judge the earth.

     With righteousness He shall judge the world, and the peoples with equity.