Joy to the World: When Salvation Arrives

Psalm 98:1-9

OPENING & BACKGROUND (5–7 minutes)

“Psalm 98 isn’t written as a Christmas carol—but it became one. Tonight we’re going to see how an ancient worship song anticipates the coming of Christ and explains why Christmas is more than nostalgia—it’s a global announcement of salvation.”

Background Notes

Author: Unknown (often grouped with royal / enthronement psalms)

Setting: Likely written to celebrate a great act of God’s deliverance

Genre: Praise Psalm / Salvation Song

Big Idea: When God acts to save, praise cannot remain quiet.

Key Insight: Psalm 98 looks backward (what God has done) and forward (what God will do in final salvation).

Facilitator Question

Why do you think God wants His people to sing—not just believe—about salvation?

II. READ THE TEXT TOGETHER (RESPONSIVE STYLE)

Assign readers ahead of time or spontaneously:

Reader 1: Psalm 98:1–3 “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.”

Reader 2: Psalm 98:4–6 “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.”

Reader 3: Psalm 98:7–9 “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.”

After reading:

What words or phrases stood out to you immediately?

THE REASON FOR JOY (vv. 1–3)

“Salvation Has Been Revealed”

Key Truth

God’s marvelous works lead to joyful worship.

Cross Reference Readings (Call on Readers)

Exodus 15:1 – The Song of Moses Exodus 15:1 “1 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: “I will sing to the Lord, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!”

Isaiah 52:9–10 – “All the ends of the earth shall see…” Isaiah 52:9–10 “9 Break forth into joy, sing together, You waste places of Jerusalem! For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The Lord has made bare His holy arm In the eyes of all the nations; And all the ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God.”

Luke 2:10–11 – Angelic announcement to the shepherds. Luke 2:10–11 “10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

➡ Ask each reader:

What is happening in this passage?

What emotion or response does salvation produce?

Christmas Connection (Facilitator Guide)

Psalm 98:2 – “The Lord has made known His salvation” Psalm 98:2 “2 The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.”

Luke 2:11 – “Unto you is born…a Savior”

Facilitator Insight: Christmas is God making salvation visible—not hidden, not postponed.

Open-Ended Question

Why do you think God chose to reveal salvation through a baby rather than a display of power?

Illustration

A wrapped gift under the tree does no good until it is revealed and received. God didn’t just promise salvation—He unveiled it.

2. THE RESPONSE OF WORSHIP (vv. 4–6)

“Joy That Can’t Stay Quiet”

Key Truth

When salvation is real, worship becomes expressive.

Cross Reference Readings

2 Samuel 6:14 – David dancing before the Lord 2 Samuel 6:14 “14 Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod.”

Luke 19:37–40 – “If these should keep silent…” Luke 19:37–40 “37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” 40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.””

Revelation 5:9–10 – Heaven singing a new song Revelation 5:9–10 “9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.””

➡ Ask:

What does worship look like in this passage?

Is it quiet, expressive, structured, messy?

Facilitator Insight

Psalm 98 describes:

Shouting

Singing

Music (trumpets, horns)

Christmas Application: The angels didn’t whisper in Luke 2—they sang loudly.

Discussion Question

What keeps us from outward joy in worship sometimes—personality, tradition, fear, or routine?

(No pressure—this is reflection, not correction.)

3. THE SCOPE OF SALVATION (vv. 7–9)

“Joy That Goes Global”

Key Truth

God’s salvation affects all creation, not just individuals.

Cross Reference Readings

Romans 8:19–22 – Creation groaning Romans 8:19–22 “19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”

Isaiah 9:6–7 – The promised global King Isaiah 9:6–7 “6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

Revelation 21:1–5 – Creation made new Revelation 21:1–5 “1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.””

➡ Ask readers:

What role does creation play here?

Why include nature in praise?

Why Does Nature Join in Praising God?

Short Answer (for the room): Because creation knows what we forget—God is not finished yet.

Expanded, Facilitator-Friendly Answer

You might say something like this:

“Nature praises God because it was created by Him, damaged by sin, and promised redemption—just like us.”

Then unpack it in three simple movements, allowing people to nod rather than debate.

1. Creation Praises God Because It Was Made for Him

Creation exists to display God’s glory.

Psalm 19:1 – “The heavens declare the glory of God…”

Nature doesn’t choose whether to worship—it reflects obedience to its Creator.

“Rivers don’t clap because they’re emotional; they clap because they’re doing what they were designed to do.”

Facilitator takeaway: When creation worships, it is being fully itself.

2. Creation Praises God Because It Was Hurt by Sin

Creation didn’t rebel—but it suffers the consequences of humanity’s fall.

Genesis 3 – the curse reaches the ground

Romans 8:20 – subjected to futility

Thorns, decay, storms, death—this is not how it was meant to be

“Creation praises God not because everything is perfect, but because redemption is promised.”

Facilitator clarification (important): This is not nature-worship. This is creation longing for restoration.

3. Creation Praises God Because It Knows Restoration Is Coming

Psalm 98 points forward—not backward.

Psalm 98:9 – “For He is coming to judge the earth.”

Revelation 21 – God doesn’t scrap creation; He renews it

“The rivers clap their hands because justice is coming. The hills sing because brokenness is not final.”

This is why the praise is joyful, not fearful.

The Christmas Connection (Bring It Home Gently)

You might conclude:

“At Christmas, creation joins the song because the One who will restore everything has finally entered the world.”

The manger is not the conclusion—it’s the beginning of renewal.

One-Sentence Summary You Can Leave Them With

“Nature praises God because it knows what Christmas announces—that God has come to fix what sin has broken.”

If Someone Pushes Back

If someone says, “That sounds symbolic,” you can affirm and reframe:

“Yes—and symbolically, God is teaching us something very concrete: redemption is bigger than us, and joy is bigger than words.”

Christmas Insight

Jesus’ birth begins the process of restoring not just souls, but the entire world.

Christmas is the first chapter in God making all things right.

Open-Ended Question

How does knowing Jesus will judge the world “with righteousness” bring comfort—not fear—to believers?

APPLICATION & REFLECTION (5–7 minutes)

Personal Reflection Questions

Where have you personally seen God’s salvation at work?

Has the joy of salvation grown quiet in your life?

How might you intentionally express joy this Christmas season?

Simple Application

This week, intentionally express joy:

Through gratitude

Through worship

Through telling someone why Christmas matters to you

CLOSING THOUGHT & PRAYER

Closing Observation

Psalm 98 reminds us that joy isn’t manufactured—it’s born from salvation.

Prayer Prompt

Invite someone to pray—or close

“Lord, help us not to lose our wonder at the Savior who has come, is saving, and will come again.”