David Bahn – Reflections

Psalm 98

Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!
7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who dwell in it!
8 Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together
9 before the Lord, for he comes
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.

On Sunday mornings I like to read the Psalms. This morning I read Psalm 8; 38; 68; 98; and 128. Two of those are fairly accessible (Psalm 8 & 98). One is easily dismissed in politically-correct circles (Psalm 128). The other two are more difficult to explain and don’t lend themselves to ready life-application. And while this one (above) is more easily grasped and embraced, the fact that it is fairly simple and straight-forward might cause one to overlook its deeper and more profound personal implications.

The idea of singing a new song has a little to do with learning a previously-unfamiliar hymn or singing a newly-released Christian contemporary song from Chris Tomlin. While these may well be worthy of our praise to God, the newness of the song has less to do with it’s unfamiliarity to us as it has to do with the song that springs from a heart made new by the work of the Holy Spirit who brings us to faith in the One who makes all things new. The old song of hopelessness, guilt, shame, and self-gratifying pursuits has been replaced with a song of praise to God who has filled our hearts with hope, forgiven our most vile sin, glorified us with Christ, and pointed us to the abundant life of service to God and neighbor.

In the mean time we wait. The world is not fully set right. Our hope is not yet realized. Nations and lands, the world and all creation may roar and tremble. But there is a song that goes on. From church to church, from Christian home to majestic cathedral: songs of praise will arise this day to the glory of God and the praise of his name.

I’ll be happy to join my voice with those who sing his praise this morning. Whether we are able to gather with the saints at Holy Cross, here in Colorado Springs, or whether it is the five of us who are here kept in by the severe cold and the attendant discretion of keeping a newborn safe and warm: we will sing God’s praises. We have seen God’s salvation in the birth of the Bethlehem Baby, the teaching of the Galilean prophet, the suffering death of the Son of God on the cross and his triumphant resurrection from the grave. And we rejoice in his steadfast love and faithfulness.