“Oh sing to the Lord a new song”–Psalm 96:1
My Brothers and Sisters in Christ our King,
In the 150 Psalms, we discover the exhortation to sing over 60 times. And what is in view in these commands is singing that is directed to the Lord and King of our salvation.
Of course, we’d expect as much in Israel’s official ‘worship book,’ since we know that the expression of our love and adoration for God by means of song is essential to worship. Those redeemed by our gracious God in both testaments were and always will be a singing people when they gather together! In fact, this simple point is proven very easily by reflection on the last book Holy Scripture where the Apostle John describes the Church in glory as singing in the presence of the Lord forever (Rev. 14:3; 15:3). What’s intriguing here in Psalm 96:1, however, is that the saints of God are summoned to sing “a new song” right now, daily even, and not simply while gathered in wordship.
As we reflect upon this simple line from verse 1 on this new Monday, I want to speak about the personal and daily application of this exhortation.
The use of the word “new” would surely suggest that there is, or was, an ‘old’ song that we must not sing anymore. Something “new” should flow continually from our lips, and should replace whatever was there before. So, what could this “new song” be? And where does it come from? What are its lyrics? And what is the ‘old’ one it replaces?
Perhaps you’ve greeted a family member or friend with the standard ‘How you doing?’ and they answered, ‘Same old song and dance.’ What they mean by this is that nothing has changed about their lives, as far as they can see. It is, then, a cry (or song) of resignation. To use the words of Ecclesiastes, it is one of surrender to the perpetual “vanity “of life (Ecc. 1:14). Life moves on, many times unpleasantly. And as a popular idiom expresses it, ‘Stuff happens’ (which is usually followed by, ‘Get over it!’).
All over our world at this very moment, people are ‘singing.’ While they may not be literally singing, there is for sure some kind of a ‘melody’ turning over in their hearts. There is a ‘song,’ an arrangement of thoughts and words, bouncing around in the brain that reflects their outlook on life. The ‘lyrics’ of such ‘songs’ are often hopeless, vain, vulgar, angry, bitter, full of malice towards others, complaints about this or that, and general negativity in response to life as it meets us on this side of Eden. And, as you know so well, these inner songs of futility often leak out of the soul and into the mouth where they are sounded aloud for all to hear. If you but stop and listen just for a moment, you can hear our whole world singing away, crying out with bitter, often curse-laden, expressions of pain and sorrow, all caused by humanity’s guilt and estrangement from God.
These, then, are the ‘old songs’ that we all have sung. And, if we are honest, they may well be the lyrics we’ve been singing lately, even as followers of Jesus.
While the temptation surely exists for all believers to revert to such songs of emptiness (and we are all guilty of such ‘singing’), the author of Psalm 96 calls upon us to fight back by singing something blessedly “new.”
Thankfully, we get real help with this from some of the other places in the Psalms where we are told to sing to the Lord. Especially enlightening is Psalm 40:3–
“He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.”
There’s the answer!
The “new song” sounded by those whom the Lord has saved, and is ever transforming, comes from Him directly! It is His special gift to those whom He has loved, graciously favored, flooded with His saving mercies, and indwelt by His Spirit. The ‘lyrics’ consists of praises, words of adoration, expressions of gratitude, and the exaltation of His glorious attributes. These “new” lyrics are to replace the old ones that reek with the odor of this lost world and of unredeemed hearts, those souls that have never been transformed by Divine mercy and delivered from the vanity of this life.
No, my Beloved! We sing the songs of those who have been redeemed! We sing “songs of loudest praise.” Each of us who have been rescued and restored by amazing grace can now sound out these blessed words: “I will sing of my Redeemer and his wondrous love to me; on the cruel cross he suffered, from the curse to set me free.”
These Divinely given words are to replace all of the old tunes that characterized us before we were found by Jesus. And all the day long, every day, the melodious praises of our Savior are to flow from our mouths as expressions of our new heart!
So, let me encourage you to sing today! But don’t be tricked into singing the ‘Same old song and dance.’ In those inevitable moments of weakness that will afflict all of us, lift your eyes to your Lord and Redeemer. Behold His love, His grace, His goodness, His glory, His greatness, and His unfathomable kindness toward you in Christ Jesus. Then, sing away!
Today, and each day that will follow, you’ve got a brand new song that needs to be performed not only for your Lord, but for this lost world that only knows the ‘oldies.’
I love you all so much, and my heart is filled with praise for you!
Mike
PS: Next Up, Psalm 100