Sixth Sunday of Easter: May 21, 2006

Acts 10:44-48

Psalm 98

1 John 5:1-6

John 15:9-17

Cupped Ear/Psalm Sounds

Hear the Alleluias in this psalm during the season of Easter. Psalm 98 fills us with the sounds of song, music, and praise. Isaac Watts heard this psalm as he composed his famous Christmas hymn "Joy to the World."

Singing begins this psalm of praise. Hear the voices of choirs recalling the marvelous deeds of God (v. 1). Listen for the echoes of Exodus 15 as Moses sang about "marvelous things," "right hand," "holy arm," and "salvation." Verses 1-3 invite all of Israel to remember and to praise the character of God: steadfast love and faithfulness.

The second section in verses 4-6 raises the crescendo of praise to all the nations. All the earth is invited to sing and to praise God with joy and instrument. Praise is no longer limited to just Israel; all of the human community is included.

The full symphony of praise is reached when all of creation sings. The human choir and all its instruments are not sufficient to praise God's marvelous acts. Therefore the sea will roar and the flood will clap and the hills will sing for joy (vv. 7-8). Why? God is coming to judge humanity and the whole creation with love and righteousness.

Open Mouth/Psalm Speech

If there is a dominant theme in this psalm, it is one of joy and praise. What a wonderful theme for the Easter season. The preacher might develop a sermon on the joy of worship. Remind the people of God that to worship God is the highest praise we can offer our Lord. It could be very transforming. One might point to the psalm's wonderful metaphor of hills singing and floods clapping in creation's response to the love of our Creator. This might help challenge our reluctance to worship or sing or pray on some Sundays as misplaced.

Better yet, the preacher could remind the people that the only thing that continues from the church in this world to the saints in heaven is worship! DRB

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