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Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! (Psalm 96:1, ESV)
Reading this psalm, I always sense an inherent meaning: even though my singing is more akin to fingernails on a chalkboard than Phil Wickham, when I find a new song in my heart to sing, that song saves me from depression, discouragement, and defeat.
It’s so easy to wallow in self-condemnation, give up, and blame others when things go awry. Stop! Let’s sing a new song.
I’ve been discipling a young pastor, and recently, going through a chapter on joy in First Steps Conversations, we discussed what keeps us from rejoicing in all things. He mentioned a quote that I had read years ago and had forgotten, but it helped us understand what can hinder our new song. The quote was from Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in Redding, California. He says …
I’ve never come out of a season of introspection encouraged.
Johnson didn’t mean that we should never evaluate or reassess; he suggested that it’s too easy to wallow and become more comfortable in the mud of regret, vengeance, and despair than to stand up, take a shower, and move forward.
A new song forms in our heart when trials give rise to a thought, a vision, and a new (or renewed) direction that encourages us to change course or continue. Nothing gives energy, forgiveness, a better perspective, release, and hope than composing a new song.
Recently, my wife said, “Listen to this new country song, it expresses how I feel, what I’m thinking.” A new song does that and, in the lyrics, we find release. They become our friends, marking important moments, and a nostalgic euphoria when we hear them again years later.
I need to hear a new song often. How about you?
My mother’s death, our house burning, a church financial crisis, being excluded from a ministry that I’d led for decades, no longer preaching regularly, the emotional burnout from parishioners, the difficulty of immersed solitude needed to write books, on and on — so many songs from my past.
Psalm 96 has become my inspiration for new melodies.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! (vv. 2-3)
When we lose the greatness and goodness of God, our lives become discordant with criticisms and self-absorption, as we can’t heal our wounds without God. Life can turn us against God, but reading Psalm 96 will bring us back …
Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! (vv. 6-7)
Psalm 96 was written after the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile. They were fewer in number, the rebuilt temple was inferior to Solomon’s temple, Babylon still ruled Jerusalem, and their hoped-for Messiah was still a distant (and perhaps forgotten) hope. Their solution, not self-pity, but a new psalm listing 20 reasons (in 13 verses) to praise God.
Here’s the list …
Salvation, glory, marvelous, great, feared, creator, splendor, majesty, strength, beauty, protector of families, name above all names, deserving of our offerings, holy, He reigns, righteous judge, sustainer of the universe, bestows joy, and faithful!
We know we are singing a new song when our praise to God exceeds our disgruntled complaints.
Amen. Peace out!
Notes of a new song given to John Newton many years ago, but is still blessing all of us today!