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

PSALMS 98:8KJV
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Psalms 98:8 (KJV)

What does Psalms 98:8 mean?

Psalms 98:8 pictures rivers and hills taking part in a joyful celebration of God. The singer calls on the natural world as though it could respond like a crowd, clapping and shouting together.

After the sea joins the celebration in verse 7, the scene moves to the land. The rivers’ moving waters suggest clapping hands, while the hills are pictured as raising a shared cry.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 98:8

  • “floods” — נָהָר (nahar): This word often means “river” or “stream.” Here, “floods” pictures flowing waters, rather than necessarily a destructive overflow.
  • “joyful” — רָנַן (ranan): This word can mean to give a ringing cry or shout for joy. The hills are pictured not just as feeling glad but as making a joyful sound.

Why Psalms 98:8 matters

  • The verse gives the celebration a wide reach. “Floods” and “hills” join the sea and its creatures from verse 7, so the picture includes both water and land.
  • The celebration has a reason in the passage. Verse 9 says the Lord is coming to judge the earth, treating the world fairly and its peoples justly.

Where else these words appear

“clap” Hebrew H4222 · used in 3 verses

  • Isaiah 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
  • Ezekiel 25:6 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast clapped thine hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with all thy despite against the land of Israel;

“joyful” Hebrew H7442 · used in 52 verses

  • Leviticus 9:24 And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
  • Psalms 81:1 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph. Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
  • Isaiah 24:14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.

“floods” Hebrew H5104 · used in 109 verses

  • Genesis 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
  • Ezra 8:31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.
  • Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

“together” Hebrew H3162 · used in 139 verses

  • Genesis 13:6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
  • Job 24:4 They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
  • Isaiah 41:1 Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.