SERMON SPOTLIGHT * 7/20/25
Because of the marvelous things that He has done and will do, the Lord is worthy of the loudest symphony of joyous noise and song. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.
SERIES: Summer in the Psalms, Vol. 3
TEXT: Psalm 98
TITLE: A Joyful Noise For Our King
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: The heart that sees the marvelous things that God has done breaks forth into a joyful noise.
POINTS:
I. The marvelous things He has done!
II. The joyous song we now sing!
SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes and text emphasis are taken directly from the pastor’s notes.
ILLUSTRATION: Secretariat - “Who here is a fan of horse racing? I’m not, but when I watched the film of Secretariat’s win at Kentucky, I suddenly realized that I was standing in my living in front of my TV and yelling WOW WOW - I got up off the couch and STOOD, held captive by the images and the sound of the announcer voice growing more and more excited - EXHILATERED, I kept yelling WOW WOW… Honey! You’ve got to see this! What got me out of my chair? I don’t even remember drawing the breaths to yell and exclaim. I just did! I wasn’t even there! But suddenly, just beholding this recording and hearing of something that had happened over 50 years ago, I was captivated. I began to herald and marvel at this amazing horse and the race that this was!”
“The grand truth claim of Psalm 98 is ‘the LORD has done marvelous things!’ The grand call to action of Psalm 98 is ‘a joyful song is to be sung!’”
“At the beginning of this Summer’s Series in the Psalms, we learned that the Psalms reveal Jesus to us! Psalm 98 speaks of God’s Messiah… the coming King of Kings… who ‘.. will judge the world with righteousness and the people with equity.’”
“Psalm 98 is prophetic. And it reveals things that happened when the Savior came, His first coming, and what will happen when He returns.”
“Opening, in Vs 1, with the imperative “Oh sing to the LORD a new song.” we see that there is a reason that we are called to sing this new song. The LORD ‘has done as marvelous things!’… marvelous things that would only happen when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Promised One of Israel, would come. The marvelous things of Vs 1-3 foretell the FIRST coming of Jesus into the world! Jesus HAS come and He has done these marvelous things through His life, death, resurrection, and glorification. One marvelous thing after another has been enumerated in verses 1-3 and all of them have been accomplished by our Lord and King Jesus! This Psalm intends to make known these marvelous things.”
“The First Thing: The Marvelous Triumph of His Cross
(Vs 1) ‘His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.’ The words “right hand and his holy arm” speak of God’s triumphant victory that would be accomplished at the Cross that His beloved Son would bear. Speaking in past tense (“he has done”), prophesying of marvelous things that would happen. The LORD takes us to Jesus’ cross where we behold with Him now His triumphant victory in defeating His enemies and redeeming sinners - purchasing them out of bondage to their sin, setting them free and making them His own. These marvelous things that have been done are described as HIS salvation. ‘...have worked salvation for him.’ The salvation that He has worked has been first and foremost FOR HIM!” Romans 11:36 says, ‘For from him and through him and to him are all things.’”
“ ON THE CROSS - Jesus “by his own unweaponed hand” triumphed over these who held weapons in their hands stretching his hand and holy arm out - blow after blow - as they nailed Him to His Cross… by his own nail driven hands… He triumphantly “worked salvation for Him” He alone accomplished our salvation by his own right hand, his most holy arm, receiving all the glory alone. These marvelous things were done by Him as He worked His salvation! What a marvelous thing He has done!”
“The Second Thing: The Marvelous Display of His Cross
Please read with me Vs 2. This is a marvelous display of God’s grace! His salvation was ‘made known.’ He ‘revealed’ his salvation… in plain ‘sight’ for all to see. If he had not made it known so plainly by the power of the Holy Spirit, we would have missed it! The marvelous things that Christ has done have been revealed! HE makes it known. WE could not have found. At the Cross, what was once veiled in types and shadows in the OT is now on full display. From Abraham’s hopeful answer to his son, Isaac, (Genesis 22:8) ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’ To John the Baptist’s proclamation in John 1:29: ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’ The message of the Cross is now ‘in the sight of the nations’ for all. The Scriptures make it clear for all.”
“The Third Thing: The Marvelous Atoning Blood of His Cross
Please read with me Vs 2b. A little bit of study will reveal that God’s Righteousness is synonymous with justification. But let’s look at one place for some help on this: Romans 3:24-25. Sinners stand guilty and justly under the wrath of God. BUT He has done an almost indescribable, wonder-filled, and marvelous thing in revealing his righteousness. The good news is ‘he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.’ He is our justification. God the Son, Christ Jesus, has put himself ‘forward as a propitiation by blood,’ ‘to show God’s righteousness!’ Jesus, by the Marvelous Atoning Blood of His Cross has done the unimaginable! He in full display, offers Himself (being “put forward” by the Father) as the sacrificial Lamb of God, and sheds his blood on the Cross.”
“The Fourth Thing: The Marvelous Promise-Fulfilled in His Cross
…to the “ends of the earth”: VS. 3. The language of Vs. 3 makes it clear that the covenant promise to God’s people will stand. Though they would forget him, he would not forget His covenant (steadfast) love and faithfulness. The joyous truth of 3b is that the Cross would fulfill his promise that salvation would be for all people … to ‘all the ends of the earth’. The message of the Cross knows no bounds. There is nowhere on earth that the Marvelous good news would not reach and bring salvation!”
“BY GRACE we draw near to the Cross and SING A NEW SONG”
“After seeing the marvelous things of Verses 1-3, as we surveyed the wondrous Cross of Jesus, we have reason after reason after reason to SING and SING like we never have before… truly singing a JOYOUS NEW SONG. …and Psalm 98 ups the volume now in Vs 4-9 as they describe what can be none other than divine accompaniment to our new song! Beginning with another imperative in Vs 4 - “Make a Joyful noise” - An Orchestra now gathers, joining the song that we sing! The volume begins to rise as ‘instruments’ in Vs 4 - 8 join the Choir of the Saved!”
“ALL EYES… FIXED ON THE KING. ALL JOY… FOUND IN THE KING. ALL PRAISE AND MUSIC CONDUCTED FOR THE KING. Everything in all of creation proclaiming loudly in a symphony of joyous noise (not one instrument left out, not one voice - no matter how strained - harmonized in a particular direction - not just singing to whoever might hear, not singing to whoever might care, not singing in a random blast of noise to cosmos but a SONG ARRANGED by the Spirit of God and SUNG to and for HIM!”
“See how marvelous it is that Jesus, our Savior, has come! Look for the marvelous return of Jesus, our Judge, falling on his mercy and grace. Marveling that His justice has been satisfied by the Cross of Jesus. (Vs 9) ‘He will judge the world with righteousness, and the people with equity.’ Revealed at the culmination of all things, we behold the justifying work of the Cross for all who will believe on Jesus Christ for His salvation.”
“The loudest thing that Psalm 98 says is this: Because of the marvelous things that He has done and will do, the Lord is worthy of the loudest symphony of joyous noise and song. His praises sung by all of creation - the loudest voices being of those that He has saved!”
QUOTES:
Charles Spurgeon - “Idols have fallen, superstitions have withered, systems of error have fled, and empires of cruelty have perished… not by the aid of others—but by his own unweaponed hand his marvelous conquests have been achieved. Sin, death, and Hell fell beneath his solitary prowess, and the idols and the errors of mankind have been overthrown and smitten by his hand alone.”
Song Lyrics from “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”:
”When I survey the wondrous Cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain, I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride
See from His head, His hands, His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did ever such love and sorrow meet?
Or thorns compose, so rich a crown
Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
All who gather here by grace, draw near and bless Your name”
APPLICATION:
The sense of awe and wonder should fill our minds when we behold the majesty of God in the marvelous things that He has done…SO SEE AND WORSHIP.
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Isaiah 11:4
Hebrews 1:8-9
Revelation 19:11
Colossians 2:15
SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Rejoice
The Lord Almighty Reigns (Psalm 93)
I Have A Shelter
All Things
Sing
NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 63
THE BOOK OF THE QUARTER:
