How does Psalm 98:1 connect to God's deliverance in Exodus 15:6? Setting the Scene “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.” (Psalm 98:1) The Echo of an Earlier Song • After Israel crossed the Red Sea, Moses and the people broke into worship: “Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.” (Exodus 15:6) • Psalm 98 reaches back to that very moment. The psalmist invites a “new song,” yet the lyrics are rooted in the oldest victory hymn Israel knew—the Song of Moses (Exodus 15:1-18). • God’s “right hand” and “holy arm” in Psalm 98:1 mirror Exodus 15:6, showing that the same deliverer who split the sea still acts with identical strength. Marvelous Things: Past and Present • Marvelous in Exodus: – Waters piled up (Exodus 14:21-22) – Pharaoh’s army drowned (Exodus 14:27-28) – Israel walked free on dry ground (Exodus 14:29-30) • Marvelous in the Psalms: – Continual preservation of the nation (Psalm 78:12-13) – Future Messianic triumph anticipated (Isaiah 52:10; Luke 1:51-55) • The psalmist treats every fresh act of salvation as another chapter in the same story begun at the Red Sea. The Right Hand Motif • Symbol of power and authority (Psalm 110:1; Isaiah 41:10) • Literal intervention—God physically broke the strength of Egypt (Exodus 12-15). • A pledge for future victories—what He did once, He will repeat whenever His people need rescue (Psalm 44:3). Connecting the Two Texts 1. Identical language (“right hand”) ties the passages together. 2. Both celebrate a completed deliverance—not a possibility, but an accomplished fact. 3. Each passage calls for worship: Exodus 15 erupts into song immediately after salvation; Psalm 98 urges a “new song” because the pattern continues. 4. The psalmist’s confidence rests on historical reality: if God literally conquered Egypt, He can literally save again. Living the Truth Today • Remember: rehearse the concrete facts of God’s past victories (Deuteronomy 7:19). • Rejoice: let every fresh deliverance spark a “new song,” echoing Moses and the psalmist. • Rely: trust the unchanging “right hand” for present battles (Hebrews 13:8). |
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