Psalm 98:1 tells us that we are to sing a new song to the Lord in response to the wonderful things He has done. Most of the times I have read that passage I have blown by that verse on my way to the rest of the Psalm. Mistake, big mistake.
If you are like me – well I tend to get in devotional and individual worship ruts. That is I do the same thing pretty much every day. While that works for me and the Lord honors that with His presence; leading me into new, deeper, and greater understanding of Him and His grace, it does not honor Him. I need to be creative in my personal worship of Him. Come to Him with new energy, new approaches, new songs.
We read verses like this in Psalms and think, “That’s a nice idea.” It is a command. The verb is imperative. It is not a suggestion, it is a requirement.
If you are like me – well I tend to get in devotional and individual worship ruts. That is I do the same thing pretty much every day. While that works for me and the Lord honors that with His presence; leading me into new, deeper, and greater understanding of Him and His grace, it does not honor Him. I need to be creative in my personal worship of Him. Come to Him with new energy, new approaches, new songs.
We read verses like this in Psalms and think, “That’s a nice idea.” It is a command. The verb is imperative. It is not a suggestion, it is a requirement.
Excellent reflection, Mike, and I like your thoughts on the "new song." I've been challenged by that idea for some time. Walter Brueggmann in his excellent reflections on the theology of the Psalms (I love his heart, if struggling at times with his head) notes that the "new song" is a song of salvation.
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be affirmed in Revelation 5:1-14 where in John's magnificent heavenly vision he sees all of redeemed creation in worship giving the "lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David" who looked like "a Lamb standing, as if slain" (humm...that ought to give me pause) as the only One worthy to take the sealed scroll because He "was slain, and did purchase for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation." (v.9). If that's not a song of salvation we'll never hear it, I think.
That's worth a lifetime (or rather, eternity) of meditation I think.
I've still got a long way to go! Thanks, Mike.