Psalm 98 (97):8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The only son of his widowed mother was carried out dead; moved by compassion, the Lord commanded him to arise. These are indeed marvelous works. How remarkable are they? Behold, His powerful and holy hand restored him. Who is this holy hand of the Lord? It is our Lord Jesus Christ. As the prophet Isaiah states, Who has believed what we have heard, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore, His holy and powerful hand is none other than Himself. Jesus Christ is the mighty arm of God, the salvation of God, and the embodiment of truth; thus it is said that He healed on His behalf. The scripture does not merely say, His right hand healed the world, but that He healed for Himself—many find healing for their own purposes, not for Him. Consider how many seek physical restoration and receive it from Him; they are healed through Him, yet not for His glory. How, then, can they be healed by Him but not for Him? The healed are those who experience inward transformation. The inwardly healed are those who place their trust in Him, transforming into new creations; consequently, even the decaying flesh may ultimately return to perfect health. Let us therefore seek healing for His sake, trusting in His mighty hand.

The Lord has manifested His salvation. This mighty arm—the source of our salvation—is Christ Jesus, of whom it is prophesied: ‘And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ Simeon, upon encountering the child, proclaimed: ‘Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation.’ The Lord has declared His salvation. To whom has He revealed it? Not to a select few, but to all humanity. No one deceives, no one misleadingly claims, ‘Behold, Christ is here or there.’ To whom has the Lord made known His salvation? He has openly displayed His righteousness before the nations. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ embodies the right hand of God, the might of God, the salvation of God, and the essence of truth.

He has remembered His mercy to Jacob and His faithfulness to the house of Israel. What does it signify that He remembered His mercy and truth? It signifies that mercy prompted the promise; as His mercy was shown, it was fulfilled in truth. His faithfulness is to the house of Israel. Who constitutes Israel? To clarify, it does not refer solely to the Jewish nation; rather, all the ends of the earth have witnessed the salvation of our God. It mentions all the ends of the earth, emphasizing its expanse. Let no one diminish it; let no one scatter it. The unity found in Christ is strong. He who paid the ultimate price has redeemed all creation.

Because they have observed, "Cry out to the Lord, all the earth." You understand what it means to create joyful noise. Rejoice and raise your voices. If words fail to express your joy, let your shouts convey your delight; your heart must not remain silent concerning God and His gifts. When you speak to yourself, you engage in healing; when His mighty arm has healed you, proclaim to Him for whose sake you have been restored. Sing, rejoice, and create melodies.

Worship the Lord with instruments and voices. Praise Him with more than your voice; let your actions accompany your song so that you not only sing but also serve. He who sings and serves praises on the harp and on the lyre. Now, let us consider the instruments mentioned next: with pliable trumpets and the sound of the horn. What are pliable trumpets and horn pipes? Pliable trumpets, crafted from brass, take shape through hammering. If, through affliction, we allow ourselves to be shaped for the glory of God, we emerge as pliable instruments. Job exemplified this; when he faced immense loss and the death of his children, he became like a pliable trumpet in the depths of his sorrow, proclaiming, The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. How beautifully he spoke! That pliable trumpet still endures under the hammer. We have heard it shaped; let us now listen to its sweet sound. Shall we accept only good from the hand of God, and not also accept adversity? Oh, what a sweet sound! Who would not be stirred from slumber by such words? Who does not wish to believe that God will call them to courage in the face of battles against evil, not through their own strength, but through the One who forges them anew?

Observe how the Apostle was similarly shaped by this hammer: he spoke of a thorn given to him in the flesh, a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him. Behold, he is under the hammer; listen to him as he reveals: ‘For this reason, I prayed to the Lord three times that it might depart from me.’ And the answer was, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’ His Creator expressed a desire to refine this trumpet; it cannot be perfected without the hammer, for strength is revealed within weakness. Now hear how the pliable trumpet resonates: when I am weak, then am I strong.

What is the voice of the trumpet? The horn ascends beyond the flesh. To rise above it, it must have substance, durability, and the ability to sound forth. Where does this strength come from? It comes from transcending the flesh's constraints. Anyone aspiring to be like a horn must master the desires and lusts of the flesh. Concentrate your hearts on higher pursuits; this means rising above carnal desires. Those who of whom He spoke were not yet capable of such heights: I could not speak to you as spiritual beings, but as mere children, as those dwelling in fleshly matters. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it then and remain so now. The troubles of the flesh held them captive, preventing them from becoming true horn instruments.

While the horn may have origins in the flesh, it also transcends it. Therefore, if you are spiritual now, once carnal, live by the Spirit, allowing it to elevate you. You tread on earthly matters through the flesh, yet by the Spirit, you ascend towards heavenly realms. Though we live in the flesh, we do not fight according to it.

Brothers, do not scorn those who have not yet embraced the grace of God; remember while doing so, you still engage in self-serving attitudes. The trumpet that pleases God is not the one that boasts in itself; the trumpet of pride yields no fruitful results. Let the horn lift up your courage against evil, and do not allow fleshly pride to incite conflict among brothers. Raise a joyful noise before the Lord, our King.

As you celebrate and delight in the sounds of the trumpets and the voice of the horn, observe what follows: Let the sea and all within it echo praise. When the Apostles became like pliable trumpets proclaiming the truth, the sea roiled; its waves surged, and storms arose, leading to persecution against the Church. The sea stirred during the season of joyful exaltation, when hymns of thanksgiving were raised, delighting the ears of God and causing the waves to rise. Let the depths of the sea, along with everything within, stir in reverence. Let the rivers clap their hands! The sea stirred, and the rivers rejoiced as persecution arose, while the saints found joy in God. The rivers rejoice through deeds—what does it mean for rivers to clap hands? It symbolizes actions of joy. The waters represent those transformed by God, flowing with the Holy Spirit. To the thirsty, He calls, saying, Come to Me and drink. All who believe in Him will have rivers of living water flowing from them. These rivers will rejoice, celebrating actions that bless God, while the hills join together in gladness.

Before the Lord, for He has come; for He has come to judge the earth. The hills represent the great ones; they shall rejoice as the Lord arrives to judge the earth. However, some hills will tremble at His coming. Thus, we have both good and bad hills: spiritual greatness versus the prideful. Let the hills rejoice together before the Lord, for He is here to judge the earth rightly. What brings Him here, and how will He arrive? He will execute justice in His judgments. Let the hills rejoice, knowing His judgment will not be unfair. When one comes to judge without mercy, even the innocent may tremble, fearing an unjust reward or condemnation; but when He, who cannot be deceived, comes, let the hills rejoice freely; they shall be enlightened and vindicated. The righteous hills will celebrate because the Lord shall judge the earth with fairness. If the righteous rejoice, the wicked should tremble. Yet behold, He has not yet come; why then should they tremble? They should amend their ways and rejoice instead. Your anticipation of Christ's return rests in your hands. His delay in coming serves to allow for repentance before judgment. He is yet in heaven while you are on earth; heed His delay and seek discernment. His advent may be daunting for the hard-hearted yet gentle for the faithful. Evaluate your own hearts; if hardened, soften and rejoice if tenderized, for He is coming. As a Christian, you may find peace in your desire for His kingdom. You plead, ‘Thy kingdom come.’ Correct yourselves that you do not pray against your own selves.

The lesser among them are brooks, while others are more vigorous torrents. Who are they? Those who possess water at times but wither under the heat of day. "Let the rivers splash their hands together." Not just one, but many; as there are numerous saints, there are corresponding rivers. Yet they exist in harmony, for they belong to Christ and share a spirit of unity. "The rivers shall speak with their hands together." Through their hands, they shall proclaim: the deeds of the saints resonate as praise to God. Christ receives glory not merely through words but through actions—not by speech, but through works. "Let the rivers speak with their hands together." This is why He declared in the Gospel, "If anyone thirsts, let him come and drink, and rivers of living water will flow from his belly" (see John 7:37-38). "Let the mountains rejoice in the presence of the Lord" (Psalm 97:8-9). What connection exists between rivers and mountains? Yet, the psalmist, referring to the perfected saints, stated "rivers" rather than "streams.” Reflect upon the arrangement. Let even the sea and the entire earth be stirred; the rivers may splash their hands together, representing His saints. Mountains signify nothing less than the utmost righteousness. Furthermore, let us state: “Let the sea, which once stood still, be stirred, for it shall be moved at the advent of Christ.” The agitation of the sea relates to the teachings of Moses. The rivers waving their hands signify the prophets. The rejoicing mountains represent the apostles.

Cyril remarks that Divine Scripture often draws parallels between the holy prophets, apostles, and evangelists and springs or rivers; above them stand the guides of the holy churches, who lead the nations in divine truths and possess the skill of teaching mysteries. Thus, when you hear of these holy rivers splashing with their hands, envision this rather as an expression of joy, delight, gladness, celebration, all arising because the Lord has redeemed the heavenly realms. Isychius suggests that the rivers symbolize the works of the Spirit; designated as rivers, they intertwine with the arrival of Christ. It can also be said that the earthly rivers began to exult and celebrate when they were sanctified by the Jordan during Christ's baptism, marking the joyous union of all waters. The mountains shall rejoice.

If one considers the earthly mountains, they too exult, for it is in those high places that the Jewish people once offered sacrifices to idols, as recorded in the book of Kings; yet with the coming of Christ, those sacrifices have come to an end.

Several Greek manuscripts opt for αυτον to signify the clarity and benevolence of this assistance (v.2 and v.3). This call to thanksgiving is envisioned as a universal expression (v.4), which should be as grand as possible (vv.5-6), with references to pipes made of metal symbolizing celebration. The act of clapping hands represents joy, a gesture often associated with royal greetings (2 Samuel 11:12). The concepts of coming and going here indicate a continuous presence; even inanimate creation is invited to join in, as the Judge of all the earth receives honor (v.9).

This aligns with the prophecy of Ezekiel, who spoke many generations after David, stating: "And I will raise up to them a shepherd, My servant David" (Ezekiel 34:23). The new song expresses gratitude for the Nativity and Resurrection of Christ, celebrating how marvelously He has redeemed humanity from sin through His Precious Blood. The right hand and the power—the divine strength of Christ—are what enabled Him to rise from the dead and reign. Through His immense humanity, Christ, as the right hand and power of the holy Father, brought salvation to the sinful and lost servant through His sufferings.