“O sing to the Lord a new song”
[Psalms 98]
Have you ever praised God in difficult and hard times? Have you ever experienced God's peace in your heart because of praise? Yesterday, I went to a coffee shop for dessert after dinner with four people. I asked one of the people what he did when he was hurt. He said he sang and then he sang the hymn “I’m Pressing on the Upward Way” verse 1. I was surprised that he sang that hymn at the coffee shop in front of us. Haha. If we look at the second half of Psalms 68:35 among the words I read at this morning's prayer meeting, the psalmist David says: “… the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!” God, who gives us strength and power, makes us to praise Him when we are in difficulties. By doing so, we experience God’s grace that gives us strength and power.
I would like to receive some lessons from Psalms 98:1-9 as we meditate on why we should sing a new song to God, and who and how should we praise Him, under the heading “O sing to the Lord a new song”.
First, why should we praise the Lord with a new song?
The reason is because the Lord had done wonderful things. Look at Psalms 98:1 – “O sing to the LORD a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.” Here, the “wonderful things” ultimately refers to “salvation”. In other words, the reason we should sing and praise the Lord is because of the salvation God has given us. Since God has fulfilled the promised salvation for us, the chosen people, we must praise God (Park). God saved us with His right hand and His holy arm (v. 1). In other words, God saved us with the right hand of His power and with the divine mean (Park). Why did God send His only Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to die on the cross for such sinners like us? Is it for us? In verse verse 1, the Bible says that God has given us salvation “for Him”. In other words, it means that God saved us to reveal His own glory (Park). So the psalmist says, “The LORD has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations” (v. 2). Because God saved the Israelites, “All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God” (v. 3). The reason why God gave this work of salvation to the Israelites is said: “He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God” (v. 3). The reason God gave the Israelites salvation is because of God's lovingkindness and faithfulness to them. God, who remembered that lovingkindness and faithfulness, gave the Israelites salvation. That is why the psalmist is exhorting us to praise God with a new song.
Second, who should sing to the Lord a new song?
It is “all the earth”. Look at Psalms 98:4 – “Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.” The Israelites who were saved in God's great love and faithfulness must praise God. Not only the Israelites, but we also ought to praise God with a new song. We must praise God for the saving grace that God has given us. God, who chose the Israelites in the Old Testament in love and promised salvation, faithfully fulfilled that promise and accomplished the work of salvation. In the New Testament era, the work of salvation was realized to all nations until the ends of the earth (v. 3) (Park). Therefore, all nations who enjoy the grace of salvation in God's lovingkindness and faithfulness must sing to God with a new song.
The psalmist says that in addition to all nations, even all creations should praise God with a new song: “Let the sea roar and all it contains, The world and those who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, Let the mountains sing together for joy” (vv. 7-8). This means that “the sea roar and all it contains”, “The world and those who dwell in it”, “the rivers” and “the mountains” should praise God together. Since the result of Jesus Christ's redemption work will be renewed not only for the people chosen by God, but also for all creation, all creation must praise God with a new song. Look at Romans 8:21 – “that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” The creation, like us, the children of God, are waiting and hoping to be released from slavery to corruption. Therefore, the creation must also joyfully praise God in anticipation and hope.
Third and last, how should we praise the Lord with a new song?
(1) We should praise the Lord joyfully.
Look at Psalms 98:4, 6, 8 – “Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises. … With trumpets and the sound of the horn Shout joyfully before the King, the LORD. … Let the rivers clap their hands, Let the mountains sing together for joy.” When we sing a new song to the Lord God with all creation, we should sing joyfully. This is because of the redemption God gave us in Jesus Christ. In particular, since we have the joy of salvation, we must joyfully praise God in the joy of salvation.
(2) We should praise the Lord with musical instruments.
Look at Psalms 98:5-6: “Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, With the lyre and the sound of melody. With trumpets and the sound of the horn Shout joyfully before the King, the LORD.” Like the psalmist's admonition to praise God with the lyre, trumpets, the sound of the horn, we should joyfully use all musical instruments to praise God's saving grace whenever we think about it.
Earlier this year, I participated in the funeral of Mrs. Jang Eul-soo and the Pastor Andrew Kim, and praised God the hymn that they loved, “How Great Thou Art”. They are the ones who praised the greatness of the Lord as much as possible until their death. I remember seeing them crying in tears because they were grateful for the race of salvation that God gave them. I also remember Mrs. Jang memorizing Psalms 23, starting from “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (v. 1) and ending with “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (v. 6). Their last appearance on earth was truly a beautiful image of praising the greatness of the Lord. Like them, I also want to stand before the Lord while living a life of praising the greatness of the Lord.
After praising “How Great Thou Art”,
James Kim
(Giving thanks to God for His grace of salvation)