Psalms 98:6
With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse specifically mentions two different types of instruments – straight trumpets and curved horns – highlighting a rich and varied musical celebration. This isn't just generic noise; it's a deliberately orchestrated outpouring of joy directed specifically "before the King, the LORD."
This psalm is building to a crescendo of praise, celebrating a great act of deliverance by God. It calls on all creation to erupt in joyful noise, first with singing and harps, and then, in this verse, with the powerful blast of trumpets and horns before the Lord, who is explicitly named as King. This grand, noisy celebration anticipates God's coming to rule and to judge the earth righteously, bringing salvation and vindication to all.
Ever wonder what a 'joyful noise' sounded like in ancient Israel? It wasn't just singing!
This verse calls for a specific kind of celebration: the sounding of trumpets and horns. These weren't just any instruments; they were used in significant, often royal or religious, contexts.
Instruments of Majesty
Together, these instruments created a soundscape of awe and power, meant to draw everyone's attention to the presence of God as King.
The psalm calls God 'the LORD, the King.' What does this title reveal about Him and our relationship to Him?
Psalm 98 doesn't just celebrate God's actions; it proclaims His ultimate authority. By calling Him 'the King,' the psalm places Him in the highest position of power and sovereignty.
The Reign of God
Understand the original words
chatsotserah · Hebrew Noun
A metal instrument used in Israel for signaling, announcing, or accompanying worship, often associated with the presence and declarations of God.
shophar · Hebrew Noun
A ram's horn used as a musical instrument or signaling device, notably used at Sinai and the fall of Jericho; it carries connotations of divine summons and celebration.
teruw'ah · Hebrew Noun
A loud, expressive shout of celebration, worship, or victory directed toward God, reflecting the enthusiastic response of the covenant people to His character and deeds.
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God, revealed to Moses, signifying His eternal, self-existent nature and His faithfulness to His people.
Psalm 98 is rich with the sounds of worship, specifically the blare of trumpets and horns. These instruments weren't just for decoration; they were signals for divine gatherings and celebrations, calling attention to God's mighty acts of kingship and deliverance, especially in the context of the return from exile.
c. 1500 BC - 400 BC
Tabernacle and Temple Service
During the Tabernacle and later Temple periods, sacred trumpets (chatsotseroth) and horns (shophar) were integral parts of worship, used for signaling, announcing festivals, and accompanying praise. The Psalms reflect this established liturgical practice.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom and Worship
King David organized extensive musical choirs and instrumentalists for worship in Jerusalem, as recorded in 1 Chronicles. This era solidified the use of trumpets and horns in royal and religious celebrations, setting a precedent for Psalms like this one.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Conquest of Northern Kingdom
The fall of the northern kingdom of Israel to Assyria was a catastrophic event, leading to widespread exile. This context of national trauma and God's deliverance would have amplified the call for joyous praise for God's faithfulness.
c. 605 BC - 586 BC
Babylonian Exile
This passage describes the joyous occasion of bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, where trumpets, cymbals, and lyres were played, mirroring the celebratory use of instruments in Psalm 98:6.
2 Chronicles 5:12-13This account of the dedication of Solomon's Temple also highlights the use of trumpets and singers in praise to God, emphasizing the unified sound of worship that accompanies the Lord's presence, just as in Psalm 98:6.
Numbers 10:2This is a foundational passage detailing the use of trumpets for specific divine purposes, including calling assemblies and signaling for journeys, underscoring their sacred and communicative role before God that Psalm 98:6 echoes.
Revelation 19:11This future vision shows the triumphant return of Christ, a culmination of God's reign, and the heavenly hosts proclaiming praise with great joy, connecting to the 'King, the LORD' and the exultant worship described in Psalm 98:6.
pulpitPsalms 98:6: "With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King."
Verse 6. - With trumpet and sound of cornet; rather, with clarions and voice of trumpet. The chatsotseroth are "the straight trumpets, such as are seen on the Arch of Titus, used by the priests for giving signals" (Kay). The shophar is the ordinary curved or rounded trumpet or horn. Make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King; literally, before the King, Jehovah. (On the use of wind instruments in…
clarkePsalms 98:6: "With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King."
With trumpets - חצצרות chatsotseroth. Some kind of tubular instruments, of the form and management of which we know nothing. And sound of cornet - שופר shophar, the word commonly used for what we call trumpet.
The verse specifically mentions two different types of instruments – straight trumpets and curved horns – highlighting a rich and varied musical celebration. This isn't just generic noise; it's a deliberately orchestrated outpouring of joy directed specifically "before the King, the LORD."
This psalm is building to a crescendo of praise, celebrating a great act of deliverance by God. It calls on all creation to erupt in joyful noise, first with singing and harps, and then, in this verse, with the powerful blast of trumpets and horns before the Lord, who is explicitly named as King. This grand, noisy celebration anticipates God's coming to rule and to judge the earth righteously, bringing salvation and vindication to all.
This psalm is building to a crescendo of praise, celebrating a great act of deliverance by God. It calls on all creation to erupt in joyful noise, first with singing and harps, and then, in this verse, with the powerful blast of trumpets and horns before the Lord, who is explicitly named as King. This grand, noisy celebration anticipates God's coming to rule and to judge the earth righteously, bringing salvation and vindication to all.
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The Babylonian conquest and exile of Judah, including the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, represented a profound crisis of faith. Psalms calling for praise often anticipate or recall God's mighty acts of deliverance from such devastating periods.
c. 539 BC— this verse
Return from Babylonian Exile
The decree of Cyrus allowing the Jews to return and rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple marked a pivotal moment of restoration and divine intervention, deeply inspiring songs of thanksgiving and praise.
"With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!" — The verse specifically mentions two different types of instruments – straight trumpets and curved horns – highlighting a rich and varied musical celebration. This isn't just generic noise; it's a del…
