A New Song

Sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord! Praise his name! Day after day announce that the Lord saves his people.
Tell people about his glory. Tell all the nations about his miracles. The Lord is great! He should be highly praised.
He should be feared more than all ⌊other⌋ gods because all the gods of the nations are idols. The Lord made the heavens. [vss 1-5]
Splendor and majesty are in his presence. Strength and beauty are in his holy place.
Give to the Lord, you families of the nations. Give to the Lord glory and power. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves.
Bring an offering, and come into his courtyards. Worship the Lord in ⌊his⌋ holy splendor. Tremble in his presence, all the earth! [vss 6-9]
Say to the nations, “The Lord rules as king!” The earth stands firm; it cannot be moved. He will judge people fairly.
Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad. Let the sea and everything in it roar like thunder.
Let the fields and everything in them rejoice. Then all the trees in the forest will sing joyfully in the Lord’s presence because he is coming.
He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and its people with his truth. [vss 10-13]

(Psalms 96:1-13 GW)

Many times I've heard music playing in the background at restaurants, doctor's offices, and in some stores. It used to be called Muzak, a mix of pop songs dressed up like an orchestra playing classical music. It was typically bland and monotonous.

Popular Christian music on "family-friendly" radio stations can sound the same way. The same songs played over and over and in modified versions. I can only listen to it for a short while.

Most songs regardless of the genre (pop, country, hip-hop, etc.) focus on romantic love, it's highs and lows. The style of music changes over the years but the content is the same.

Christian worship music was primarily God-centered but more songs seem to be worshiper-centered if you know what I mean.

Whatever the music, each generation brings a variation of style for younger ears typically looked down on by older generations. But it's all pretty much the same and some songs seem to get stuck in our minds, both good and bad.

What makes a new song new? It's not the style or even the content. It's when it is fresh and new in us, in our hearts and minds. Even older songs can seem new when heard because they're fresh or renewed for us.

Reading through the psalms we see lots of repetition of words and thoughts. But what makes these new is the way they're expressed and when they are sung.

Singing a song of joy in a time of darkness is singing a new song. A song of prayer and meditation in the midst of chaotic times can also be a new song. These can be the offerings of heart when we enter His presence in prayer or worship.

Have you experienced an older song become fresh and new in your heart?

Do you ever sing for joy in difficult or dark times?

Lift your heart and voice to the Lord in praise and worship in a fresh way. At times, it may seem the earth and the world join in around you!

©Word-Strong_2017

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I won't cover all 150 Psalms, but do selective devotionals through the rest of Psalms.

So if I skip one that you like... let me know and I'll try to cover it!