St Alphonsus Liguori, following St Augustine and the other Fathers, interpreted this 'royal psalm' Christologically:
Scriptural and liturgical uses
Pope St John Paul II on the psalm
A General Audience given on 27 November 2002 provides a useful introduction to this psalm:
1. "The Lord reigns". The acclamation that opens Psalm 98[99], that we have just heard, reveals its basic theme and literary genre. It is a lofty song of the People of God to the Lord who governs the world and history as transcendent, supreme sovereign. It reminds us of other similar hymns - Psalms 95-97, which we have already reflected upon - which the Liturgy of Lauds sets forth as an ideal morning prayer.
In fact, as the faithful person starts his day, he knows that he is not left to the mercy of blind and dark chance, nor given over to the uncertainty of his freedom, nor dependent on the decisions of others, nor dominated by the events of history. He knows that the Creator and Saviour in his greatness, holiness and mercy, is above every earthly reality.
2. Experts have put forward several hypotheses on the use of this Psalm in the liturgy of the Temple of Zion. In any case, it has the character of a contemplative praise that rises to the Lord, enthroned in heavenly glory before all the peoples and the earth (cf. v. 1). Yet God makes himself present in a place and in the midst of a community, namely, in Jerusalem (cf. v. 2), showing that he is "God-with-us".
In the first verses the Psalmist attributes seven solemn titles to God: he is king, great, supreme, terrible, holy, powerful, just (cf. vv. 1-4). Further on, God is also described as "patient" (cf. v. 8). Above all, the emphasis is put on the holiness of God. Indeed, "he is holy" is repeated three times - almost in the form of an antiphon - (vv. 3.5.9). In biblical language this term indicates above all divine transcendence. God is superior to us, and he is infinitely above every one of his creatures.
This transcendence, however, does not make him an impassive and distant sovereign: when he is called upon, he responds (cf. v. 6). God is He who can save, the only One who can free humanity from evil and death. Indeed, "he loves justice" and has "exercises equity and justice in Jacob" (v. 4).
3. The Fathers of the Church have reflected at great length on the theme of the holiness of God, celebrating his divine inaccessibility. However, this transcendent, holy God drew near to humanity. Indeed, as St Irenaeus says, he already became "accustomed" to being with the human person in the Old Testament, showing himself in appearances and speaking through the prophets, while man "became accustomed" to God learning to follow and obey him. Indeed, in one of his hymns, St Ephrem stressed that through the Incarnation "the Holy One dwelt in the [Mary's] womb in a bodily manner, and behold, he dwells in the mind in a spiritual manner" (St Ephrem, Inni sulla Natività, 4, 130 Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on the Nativity, 4, 130, p. 99, Paulist Press, Mahwah, N.J., 1989). Moreover, through the gift of the Eucharist, in analogy with the Incarnation, "The Medicine of Life came down from above/ to dwell in those who are worthy of him./ After entering them,/ he set up his dwelling among us,/ so that we can be sanctified in him" (Inni conservati in armeno, [Hymns preserved in Armenian], 47,27.30).
4. This deep bond between the "holiness" and closeness of God is also developed in Psalm 98[99]. In fact, after contemplating the absolute perfection of the Lord, the Psalmist reminds us that God was in constant touch with his people through Moses and Aaron, his mediators, and through Samuel, his prophet. He spoke and was heard, he punished offenses but also forgave.
The sign of his presence among his people was "his footstool", namely, the throne of the Ark of the Temple of Zion (cf. vv. 5-8). The holy and invisible God also made himself available to his people through Moses, the legislator, Aaron the priest and Samuel the prophet. He revealed himself in words and deeds of salvation and judgement. He was pres ent in Zion in the worship celebrated in the temple.
5. So we can say that today Psalm 98[99] is fulfilled in the Church, the centre of the presence of the holy and transcendent God. The Lord did not withdraw into the inaccessible realm of his mystery, indifferent to our history and our expectations. He "comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the peoples with equity" (Ps 97[98],9).
God came among us above all in his Son, who became one of us, to instil in us his life and his holiness. This is why we now approach God with confidence not terror. Indeed, in Christ we have the High Priest, holy, innocent and unblemished. He "is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb 7,25). Our hymn, then, is full of serenity and joy: it exalts the Lord, the King, who dwells among us, wiping every tear from our eyes (cf. Apoc 21,3-4).
David invites his people to come to praise and invoke God on the Mount Sion. Now the Mount Sion is a figure of the Catholic Church, in the bosom of which we should invoke and praise Jesus Christ.The text
Psalm 98
Dóminus regnávit, irascántur pópuli: * qui sedet super Chérubim, moveátur terra.
|
The Lord has reigned, let
the people be angry: he that sits on the cherubims: let the earth be moved.
|
||
Dóminus in Sion magnus: * et
excélsus super omnes pópulos.
|
The lord is great in
Sion, and high above all people.
|
||
Confiteántur nómini tuo
magno: † quóniam terríbile, et sanctum est: * et honor regis iudícium
díligit.
|
Let them give praise to
your great name: for it is terrible and holy: And the king's honour loves
judgment.
|
||
Tu parásti directiónes: *
iudícium et iustítiam in Iacob tu fecísti.
|
You have prepared
directions: you have done judgment and justice in Jacob.
|
||
Exaltáte Dóminum Deum
nostrum, † et adoráte scabéllum pedum eius: * quóniam sanctum est.
|
Exalt the Lord our God,
and adore his footstool, for it is holy.
|
||
Móyses et Aaron in
sacerdótibus eius: * et Sámuel inter eos, qui ínvocant nomen eius.
|
Moses and Aaron among his priests: and Samuel
among them that call upon his name.
|
||
Invocábant Dóminum, et
ipse exaudiébat eos: * in colúmna nubis loquebátur ad eos.
|
They called upon the Lord,
and he heard them: He spoke to them in the pillar of the cloud.
|
||
Custodiébant testimónia
eius: * et præcéptum quod dedit illis.
|
They kept his
testimonies, and the commandment which he gave them.
|
||
Dómine, Deus noster, tu
exaudiébas eos: † Deus, tu propítius fuísti eis, * et ulcíscens in omnes
adinventiónes eórum.
|
You heard them, O Lord
our God: you were a merciful God to them, and taking vengeance on all their
inventions.
|
||
Exaltáte Dóminum Deum
nostrum, † et adoráte in monte sancto eius: * quóniam sanctus Dóminus Deus
noster!
|
Exalt the Lord our God,
and adore at his holy mountain: for the Lord our God is holy
|
||
Glória
Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.
|
Glory
be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
|
||
Sicut
erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, * et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
|
As it
was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
|
||
Scriptural and liturgical uses
NT
references
|
Rev 15:4 (3); Mt 5:35 (5)
|
RB
cursus
|
Matins Friday, II, 4;
|
Monastic/(Roman)
feasts etc
|
Nativity, Epiphany,
Corpus Christi, Ascension, Christ the King; Common of Apostles, female
saints, dedication of a church
|
Roman
pre 1911
|
Saturday Matins
|
Roman
post 1911
|
1911-62:
Friday Lauds . 1970:
|
Mass
propers (EF)
|
-
|
A General Audience given on 27 November 2002 provides a useful introduction to this psalm:
1. "The Lord reigns". The acclamation that opens Psalm 98[99], that we have just heard, reveals its basic theme and literary genre. It is a lofty song of the People of God to the Lord who governs the world and history as transcendent, supreme sovereign. It reminds us of other similar hymns - Psalms 95-97, which we have already reflected upon - which the Liturgy of Lauds sets forth as an ideal morning prayer.
In fact, as the faithful person starts his day, he knows that he is not left to the mercy of blind and dark chance, nor given over to the uncertainty of his freedom, nor dependent on the decisions of others, nor dominated by the events of history. He knows that the Creator and Saviour in his greatness, holiness and mercy, is above every earthly reality.
2. Experts have put forward several hypotheses on the use of this Psalm in the liturgy of the Temple of Zion. In any case, it has the character of a contemplative praise that rises to the Lord, enthroned in heavenly glory before all the peoples and the earth (cf. v. 1). Yet God makes himself present in a place and in the midst of a community, namely, in Jerusalem (cf. v. 2), showing that he is "God-with-us".
In the first verses the Psalmist attributes seven solemn titles to God: he is king, great, supreme, terrible, holy, powerful, just (cf. vv. 1-4). Further on, God is also described as "patient" (cf. v. 8). Above all, the emphasis is put on the holiness of God. Indeed, "he is holy" is repeated three times - almost in the form of an antiphon - (vv. 3.5.9). In biblical language this term indicates above all divine transcendence. God is superior to us, and he is infinitely above every one of his creatures.
This transcendence, however, does not make him an impassive and distant sovereign: when he is called upon, he responds (cf. v. 6). God is He who can save, the only One who can free humanity from evil and death. Indeed, "he loves justice" and has "exercises equity and justice in Jacob" (v. 4).
3. The Fathers of the Church have reflected at great length on the theme of the holiness of God, celebrating his divine inaccessibility. However, this transcendent, holy God drew near to humanity. Indeed, as St Irenaeus says, he already became "accustomed" to being with the human person in the Old Testament, showing himself in appearances and speaking through the prophets, while man "became accustomed" to God learning to follow and obey him. Indeed, in one of his hymns, St Ephrem stressed that through the Incarnation "the Holy One dwelt in the [Mary's] womb in a bodily manner, and behold, he dwells in the mind in a spiritual manner" (St Ephrem, Inni sulla Natività, 4, 130 Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on the Nativity, 4, 130, p. 99, Paulist Press, Mahwah, N.J., 1989). Moreover, through the gift of the Eucharist, in analogy with the Incarnation, "The Medicine of Life came down from above/ to dwell in those who are worthy of him./ After entering them,/ he set up his dwelling among us,/ so that we can be sanctified in him" (Inni conservati in armeno, [Hymns preserved in Armenian], 47,27.30).
4. This deep bond between the "holiness" and closeness of God is also developed in Psalm 98[99]. In fact, after contemplating the absolute perfection of the Lord, the Psalmist reminds us that God was in constant touch with his people through Moses and Aaron, his mediators, and through Samuel, his prophet. He spoke and was heard, he punished offenses but also forgave.
The sign of his presence among his people was "his footstool", namely, the throne of the Ark of the Temple of Zion (cf. vv. 5-8). The holy and invisible God also made himself available to his people through Moses, the legislator, Aaron the priest and Samuel the prophet. He revealed himself in words and deeds of salvation and judgement. He was pres ent in Zion in the worship celebrated in the temple.
5. So we can say that today Psalm 98[99] is fulfilled in the Church, the centre of the presence of the holy and transcendent God. The Lord did not withdraw into the inaccessible realm of his mystery, indifferent to our history and our expectations. He "comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the peoples with equity" (Ps 97[98],9).
God came among us above all in his Son, who became one of us, to instil in us his life and his holiness. This is why we now approach God with confidence not terror. Indeed, in Christ we have the High Priest, holy, innocent and unblemished. He "is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb 7,25). Our hymn, then, is full of serenity and joy: it exalts the Lord, the King, who dwells among us, wiping every tear from our eyes (cf. Apoc 21,3-4).
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