The Joy of Advent

INTRODUCTION

2 Samuel 5:25 ESV

And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.

God brought His enemies low by the hand of His King.

In 2 Samuel 5, David drives the Philistines out of the hill country and into the coastal plains.

It is a great victory for the name of the Lord and the people of God.

So what happens after King David’s great victory?

He had a procession of victory.

There was a parade into Jerusalem.

The ark of God had been in the house of Abinidab, but now it was coming back to the city of David.

And as the ark comes into the city, David is celebrating.

2 Samuel 6:14–15 ESV

And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.

He is dancing and leaping before the Lord and shouting

He continues this as the ark comes into the city

His wife despises him for it

But he says to her:

2 Samuel 6:21 ESV

And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord.

There was joy in the victory of the Lord and coming of His glory in the ark (2 Samuel 6:16)

There was joy over the Lord working preserving His people through His Anointed King (2 Samuel 5:25)

And there was joy in the people of God as the King blessed all of them in the name of the Lord (2 Samuel 6:18)

CONTEXT

2 Samuel 6 is not our text today. Our series is not “Christmas in 2 Samuel”

It is “Christmas in the Psalms” and we will be in Psalm 98 this morning.

But even though Psalm 98 is a general Psalm with no historical setting, David’s victory parade with the ark is a fitting image to help us as we read this passage.

Because Psalm 98 is meant to be just that—a picture of a victory parade.

But David isn’t the King that is being celebrated—it is God Himself.

The One made the heavens and earth.

The One who redeems His people.

The One who will make all things right in the end.

And as those who call ourselves the people of God, we should be marching behind Him in triumph, joyfully sounding out His exaltation.

For He is the worthy God and He has given us an even better King than David.

Let’s stand together for the reading of God’s Word:

Psalm 98 ESV

A Psalm. Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord! Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

PROCESSION OF PRAISE (v. 1, 4-8)

I have three teaching points for us this morning and my aim is to show what God deserves and what we must bring Him as we consider the joy of Advent.

Here is the first point:

1. God the King deserves a joyful procession of praise (v. 1, 4-8).

Each week in our worship service, we have a “Call to Worship,” typically in the form of reading the revealed Word of God.

Psalm 98 has often been used by church’s in their “Call to Worship” portion of their liturgy.

And that is because the whole Psalm is truly a “Call to Worship.”

In fact, each of the Psalm’s three stanzas begins with a call to worship the Lord.

Verse 1: Oh sing to the Lord a new song

Verse 4: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth

Verse 7: Let the sea roar, and all that fills it

A NEW SONG (v. 1)

The first call to worship emphasizes singing a new song to Him.

The command to sing is one of the most emphasized commands that we see in the Bible.

There are over 50 direct commands to sing.

There are around 400 mentions of singing in the Scriptures.

And one of the the repeated commands involving singing is that we would belt out “new songs” to the Lord.

This is one of six Psalms that entreats us to sing new songs.

Isaiah 42 calls for all people to sing a new song to the Lord.

In Revelation 5’s heavenly worship scene, the four living creatures and the 24 elders are singing a new song before the throne of God

And in Revelation 14, the people of God are singing a new song and no one can learn it unless they have been redeemed by the Lord.

When the Psalmist says “new song” he is not talking about new content.

It is new in perspective.

God did not bless Old Testament believers any less than New Testament believers.

God has always been faithful to His people in His plan and in His time.

But throughout redemption history, as the people of God experience the blessings of God from generation to generation, we sing new songs.

For example, Psalm 97, 98, 99 are all different songs that were new as the Holy Spirit inspired the Psalmists to write them.

But if you read the content of the Psalms, they are all very similar.

New songs about the same self-revelating God who is putting His grace and glory on display in His creation and His saving acts and His promises.

JOYFUL NOISE (v. 4-6)

The second call to worship is focused on making a “joyful noise” to the Lord.

The second stanza begins and ends this way with a staircase of worshipful commands in between.

There are four instruments mentioned in verses 4-6.

The voice (sing praises)

The lyre

A small U-shaped harp

If you ever hear one, it sounds like someone should be telling an epic tale of a far off land as it is played

The lyre was a great instrument for providing melody in music in the ancient world

The trumpet

Don’t think of a shiny trumpet with valves and a nice tuning slide

Think more of a utilitarian bugle that would be used to announce the coming of a King

The horn

Much like the trumpet, the horn would have been utilitarian.

It would have been an actual animal horn used to rally the people and call them to attention.

On one hand you have the voice and the lyre—instruments of nuance and intricacy

On the other hand, you have the trumpet and the horn—instruments of announcement that were made to grab attention

But in both cases—the tender instruments and the brash ones—the noise should be joyful.

APPLICATION:

This is something that Pastor Ben and I have been talking about.

Christians should be the most joyful people—particularly in worship.

We are not here at a funeral observing grief this morning. We are here previewing a wedding feast.

We are celebrating our redemption and looking forward to the full fruition of it at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus.

What this means is that when we sing and make a joyful noise to the Lord, we should show that in our posture and our countenance.

Our posture as we sing should not read “Forced to be here,” but “Freed from Hell”

Our faces as we sing should reflect the words coming from our mouths.

Even as I sing about the seriousness of my sin, I sing on the balls on my feet because I am anticipating the part in the song or the service where we will reflect on the death of Christ that atones for sin.

Even as I sing about the “sorrows that like sea billows roll” I am anticipating the “peace like a river.”

The Puritan, William Gurnall, says we are most joyless regarding that which we are most complacent in.

For example—I do not like math. I do not care to learn anymore math. I’m totally complacent in mathematics and I have been for almost twenty years now. Complacency equals no joy. No joy equals complacency.

Well, where are we with the Lord? Do we sing joyfully?

We must. Otherwise, it might be a sign that we are fine with the status quo and that we even have found Christ and His Kingdom to be not so interesting.

We should not worship before the Lord as people who look like they just can’t wait to get back to the world.

If we know God the King to be the worthy Sovereign that He is, that should be evident in the joy that we bring before Him.

CREATION, NOT JUST COVENANT (v. 4, 7-8)

Now, as God’s people, we know that we must worship the Lord, but in verse 4 and in verses 7-9, the third call to worship turns attention to all of creation.

May a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth (v. 4)

Let the sea roar, along with everything in it (v. 7)

Let the world and all who dwell in it roar (v. 7)

Let the rivers clap (v. 8)

Let the hillsides break out into joyful song, just like the entirety of the earth (v. 8)

The Apostle tells us that when sin entered the world in the fall of Adam, more than just God’s image-bearers were impacted. All of creation is subject to the curse of sin.

Romans 8:20–21 ESV

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

And Paul goes on to say that creation groans for the redemption to come in the glory of the new heaven and the new earth and it is like a mother crying out in labor pains.

But the time will come when creation itself will not have pain. It will only cry out in praise.

But even before the coming perfection of eternity under God’s rule, creation now reveals the glory of God and praises Him simply by existing.

It isn’t that the pine tree in your backyard has a quiet time each day and sings, “How Great Thou Art.”

But that pine tree, even if no one ever saw it or gave it a second glance, praises God simply by being what He made it to be.

Most of creation will never be seen by the human eye. The universe is massive. We can’t even get to the bottom of the ocean and hang out.

But it all exists for the glory of its Maker.

FINAL APPLICATION FOR POINT #1

Whether it is in this congregation on a Lord’s Day or in your car or with your Sunday School class, we must join in on the procession of praise that we see in this Psalm.

I am convinced that most Christian spend too little time worshipping the Lord.

We listen to too many podcasts.

We watch too much Netflix.

We scroll too much social media.

We spend too much time texting and talking.

We would be far more joyful if we would turn it all off, grab a hymn book and go into the garage and belt out a couple.

We would be far more joyful if we turned off the Taylor and turned on some theologically rich Christian music that edifies us and compels us to joyfully praise the Lord.

And we would be far less dreading, despairing, depressed and defeated if we would be serious about daily joy in worship before the Lord.

After all, He is the only King who can procure joy from His subjects.

The kings of the earth threaten and procure submission, but they cannot cause the heart of their subjects to joyfully adore them.

But God is a King who gets joy from His subjects—and that is good news for us as His people.

He is the victorious King—join in His joyful procession of praise.

RESPONSE OF REVERENCE (v. 1-3)

Now let’s go back to the beginning of the Psalm and take a look at verses 1-3.

We’ve gotten a sense of the universal nature of the call to sing new songs and make a joyful noise before the Lord.

But in the first few verses, the focus is on how God has really acted for His people in promise-keeping love.

He is the Redeemer and we must respond accordingly.

2. God the Redeemer deserves a joyful response of reverence (v. 1-3).

In these opening verses of the Psalm, we hear exactly why God is worthy of a new song.

Because He has done marvelous things.

Astonishing and wonderful things.

The Lord worked salvation and He has made His salvation known (v. 2)

We tend to think of spiritual salvation right away as born again believers on this side of the Cross, but for the Israelite Psalmist, this is also a reference to physical salvation.

God is the Redeemer of Israel who forgives their sin, but He also physically delivered them from the hand of Pharaoh in the days of Moses.

The Lord’s right hand has worked for salvation. Just His right hand. No weapon needed. He has the power within Himself to accomplish redemption for His people.

The Lord’s holy arm has worked salvation for the singing covenant people of God.

Psalm 19 says the creating work of His hands is proclaimed by the sky above.

Well, Psalm 98 says that the saving work of His holy arm is proclaimed by new songs in the mouths of God’s people.

In verse 2, the Psalmist says that His righteousness is revealed in the sight of the nations.

God did not deliver Israel in a corner.

He did it on the grand stage of ancient Egypt—a political superpower of the old world.

And just as He has revealed His righteousness, He has remembered His steadfast love and faithfulness to His people.

The house of Israel, God’s people that He chose because He loved them, were the recipients of the persistent love and mercy of God.

By His grace, they experienced what it was like to be loved by a faithful, all-powerful, ever-present God.

God’s steadfast love and faithfulness are often mentioned together in the Psalms. They are linked together on 25 different occasions.

Clearly the Lord wants us to connect the two. He wants us to understand that His lovingkindness towards us is not going to flame out.

This isn’t cheap romance.

This is covenant love. It never fails.

And this love is proven in His saving, delivering acts, which have been done in the sight of the nations. In sight of the ends of the earth.

CHRIST THE REDEEMER

Nowhere is this more clearly seen than in the first Advent of Christ.

In fact, these first few verses of the Psalm can be and should be directly applied to the our understanding of the life of Christ.

Who has done more marvelous things than the Lord Jesus?

Conceived by the Spirit

Born of a virgin

Healer of diseases

Feeder of thousands

Raiser of the dead

Crucified on a Friday of His own purpose

Resurrected on a Sunday of His power

Ascended to glory

Empowered the testimony of the church to spread throughout the world

In the words of Thomas Adams, He is the holy arm of God who bled to death for the life of sinners.

God has made salvation known by the appearance of His Son in the flesh.

He has shown His righteousness in the life of Christ and in the lives of those who trust in Him.

In Christ, God has remembered His covenant love in the most extravagant of ways, giving us His Son and a saving covenant of grace sealed by Jesus’ blood.

And anyone who believes in God’s saving promises, which find their Yea and Amen in Christ, will have their faith credited to them as righteousness—just like Abraham.

Anyone who believes, Jew or Gentile, will be a part of God’s people.

For the true Israel are those who believe God and know Him through His Son, Jesus, the Messiah.

Galatians 3:7 ESV

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.

So the Lord is indeed worthy of a new song—especially from New Testament believers who are not looking forward and trusting in a Messiah yet to come, but who are able to look back and trust in a Messiah who has already come in His first Advent.

MOSES, PSALM 98 AND THE MAGNIFICAT

In fact, Psalm 98 is directly connected to Advent and serves as a sort of bridge between Moses and the mother of Jesus.

Psalm 98 calls for a new song to be sung, but in many ways, it is a new song based on an old song and that old song is the Song of Moses.

Exodus 15:12 ESV

You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them.

Psalm 98:1 … “His right hand has worked salvaton...”

Exodus 15:16 (ESV)

Terror and dread fall upon them;

because of the greatness of your arm, they are still as a stone,

till your people, O Lord, pass by,

till the people pass by whom you have purchased.

Psalm 98:1 … “His holy arm...”

Exodus 15:13 ESV

“You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.

Psalm 98:3 … “He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness”

Then in Exodus 15:14-15, we see a response from the surrounding nations...

Exodus 15:14–15 ESV

The peoples have heard; they tremble; pangs have seized the inhabitants of Philistia. Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed; trembling seizes the leaders of Moab; all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.

Psalm 98:3 … “All the ends of the earth have seen...”

But then, as you fast-forward to the New Testament, Mary’s song, known as the Magnificat, is a new song based on an old song, which is based on an older song. Mary quotes Psalm 98 as she sings:

Luke 1:49 ESV

for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

Psalm 98:1 … “He has done marvelous things”

Luke 1:51 ESV

He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

“His holy arm” again in Psalm 98:1

Luke 1:54 ESV

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,

Psalm 98:3 … “He remembered steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel...”

From Moses to the Psalmist to Mary, the mother of Jesus, God has been giving His people cause to sing a new song as He redeems them and breaks loose the bonds of slavery and sin.

But you must believe in Christ. This is the only way for someone to be washed clean of their sin. This is the only way to be made right with God.

Turn from sin and turn to Christ.

He will put a new song in your mouth.

ANTICIPATION OF AUTHORITY (v. 9)

And it is urgent that this would happen. It is urgent that you would repent and place faith in Christ and be forgiven of your sin and receive eternal life because the Jesus who was born in Bethlehem promises to return.

The first time it was “Holy Infant, tender and mild”

The second time, it will be “Holy Judge, eyes like flames of fire”

But while the return of the Lord in the flesh, judging the nations, should cause us to tremble, it should also cause us to rejoice.

In fact, that is what is in view in Psalm 98. This is less of a warning and more of a call to praise God because He will make things right.

3. God the Judge deserves a joyful anticipation of authority (v. 9).

I mentioned Romans 8 earlier and how God has subjected creation to the curse of sin and creation groans with labor pains, awaiting the Lord Jesus’ return, when creation will be melted down by the judgment of fire and then restored.

Romans 8:22 ESV

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

But in Psalm 98, creation is called to cease its groaning and to roar with praise. To clap its hands and sing for joy and put a little Southern in the Baptist, if you know what I mean.

Why is this? Why should creation stop groaning?

Well the answer comes in the psalm’s final sentence:

He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

God is going to make all things right. He will do this through His Son’s judgment of the world.

When we come back to Acts in January, Peter is going to go preach to Cornelius’ family and he will say:

Acts 10:42 ESV

And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.

Lord willing, as get even further along in Acts, Paul will say this in reference to Jesus:

Acts 17:31 ESV

because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Creation should praise and not groan because the One who was raised and ascended will return and descend and behold, all things will be made new.

When we return to Revelation at Midweek in January, we will hear John say:

Revelation 21:1 ESV

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

Revelation 21:5 ESV

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

You and I should be like creation.

We groan plenty in this life.

Our bodies hurt.

Our hearts get heavy.

Misunderstanding and miscommunication break down relationships.

Sin and its consequences seem to be all around.

It is not hard to find cause for groaning.

But like creation, we must go from groaning to praising, keeping judgment in view.

Christian—you know that Jesus is coming back.

We believe this as much as we believe in His death and resurrection.

Anticipate His authoritative judgment and His Messianic rule and reign.

Anticipate the coming of King Jesus in all His majestic splendor, smashing the nations like a piece of pottery and ruling them forever with His rod of iron

CONCLUSION

AS THE BAND RETURNS...

I want to say that now is the time for us to practice what has been preached. Immediate application.

We are singing Joy to the World.

I’m not asking for a fake, Osteenian smile from you.

But sing with the posture and countenance of a joyful person to the best of your ability.

You don’t have to dance like David with all your might, but even if you just tilt your head back and push your voice a little further than normal, join the procession of praise.

Every time you hear the words of Psalm 98 in the lyrics of Joy to the World, let your heart soar a little.

He comes to make His blessings flow, far as the curse is found!

Joyfully respond in reverence

He rules with truth and grace!

Joyfully anticipate His authoritative return with the fields and the floods. The rocks, the hills and the plain.

And with each verse—Like King David, repeat the sounding joy.