The Meaning of Psalms 98:8 Explained

Psalms 98:8

KJV: Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together

YLT: Floods clap hand, together hills cry aloud,

Darby: Let the floods clap their hands; let the mountains sing for joy together,

ASV: Let the floods clap their hands; Let the hills sing for joy together

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Let the floods  clap  [their] hands:  let the hills  be joyful  together 

What does Psalms 98:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 98:1-9 - Worthy Of Praise From All The Earth
This psalm is parallel to Psalms 96:1-13. That dealt with the reign of God; this deals with the victory on which that reign is based, Psalms 98:1. God could create without restraint, but before He could redeem, He had to quell the resistance of evil and to overcome the prince of this world. Hence the long conflict; but salvation was wrought by that Holy Arm which was outstretched on the Cross, and by the Right Hand which gave itself to the nails. In the Resurrection and Ascension our Lord's righteousness and salvation were openly manifested. See Colossians 2:15.
The "Hallelujah Chorus" of Psalms 98:4-9 well befits the triumph of Christ. Earth that shared in the fall of man shall participate in his redemption. See Isaiah 32:1-20. Too long has nature groaned and travailed, like an imprisoned captive; but she shall have her rebirth. When Jesus is King, seas and floods, mountains and hills, are filled with music. Nature is like a stringed instrument that awaits tuning and the touch of a master-hand. Revelation 5:1-14, gives the counterpart of the psalmist's summons; here the Apostle tells us that the song which started from the elders was echoed back from all things in heaven, on earth, and in the sea, and all that is in them. Be optimistic. Eat your meat with gladness and singleness of heart. You are on the winning and singing side. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 98

1  The psalmist exhorts the Jews
4  The Gentiles
7  And all the creatures, to praise God

What do the individual words in Psalms 98:8 mean?

The rivers let clap [their] hands together the hills let be joyful
נְהָר֥וֹת יִמְחֲאוּ־ כָ֑ף יַ֝֗חַד הָרִ֥ים יְרַנֵּֽנוּ

נְהָר֥וֹת  The  rivers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: נָהָר  
Sense: stream, river.
יִמְחֲאוּ־  let  clap 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מָחָא  
Sense: to strike, clap (the hands).
כָ֑ף  [their]  hands 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: כַּף  
Sense: palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand.
יַ֝֗חַד  together 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַחַד 
Sense: union, unitedness adv.
הָרִ֥ים  the  hills 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
יְרַנֵּֽנוּ  let  be  joyful 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רוּן 
Sense: to overcome.