Psalm 98 wasn’t written from comfort or ease—it was forged in the real pressures of ancient life: instability, loss, empire, exhaustion. Yet the Psalmist calls God’s people to shout, sing, and rejoice. Why? Because joy isn’t denial. It isn’t pretending things are fine. It’s defiance. It’s a deliberate act of re-centering on a God who keeps covenant even when circumstances fall apart.