And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed
people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and
you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on
the earth.”[1]
We
have no idea what the music of this new song sounded like. To have the four
living creatures and the twenty-four elders suddenly erupt into harmonious acapella
singing is simply beyond our capacity to imagine. Suffice it to say that it
would sound better than anything we have accomplished or created here on earth.
What
stood out to me today was that the little preposition “for” connects us to two
sides of a song, and also to a pattern that flows throughout the Scriptures,
and through all the songs of praise and worship the church has ever presented
to God in spirit and in truth.[2] In
this case, one side of the song tells us that Jesus is the only one worthy to
take the scroll and open its seals, while the other side of the song tells us
why this is so.
Why
is Jesus worthy to take the scroll and open its seals? Because he was slain for
the redemption of people from all over the earth, and throughout all the rest of
time. Why are there persons who would sing praises to Jesus Christ? Because he
has made these ransomed people into a kingdom and priesthood to God.
There
is always a reason for the specific declarations of praise we offer to God. When
Moses and the Israelites sang a new song to God it was expressed like this: “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has
thrown into the sea.”[3]
Once again the preposition “for” connects the expression of worship to the
reason for the expression of worship. Israel had just experienced God
delivering them from a terrifying attack on their nation, and now they are
singing to God based on what he just did for them, and all the things this
experience revealed and reminded of the attributes and activity of God.
Another
example of this is: “Sing to him a new
song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. For the word of the
LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.”[4] Notice
the preposition “for” tells us why we should sing a new song with musical
accompaniment and loud shouting. First, the attribute mentioned is “the word of the LORD is upright”. Second,
the activity of God is described as “all
his work is done in faithfulness.” We sing new songs of praise and worship
as we have new experiences of God’s unchanging attributes, and his unstoppable works
of faithfulness.
Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! 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! For great is the Lord,
and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.[5]
We
are called to sing, tell, and declare the glorious and marvelous works of our
God “for” our God alone is great, he alone is greatly to be praised, and he
alone is to be feared above all the other gods created by the world, the flesh,
and the devil.
Another
Psalm exhorts: “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.”[6]
Why sing a new song? “For” these reasons: God has done marvelous things, and
his right hand and holy arm have worked salvation for him, just as the four
living creatures and twenty-four elders are singing in their new song.
I
could show more examples, but I am more interested in encouraging us to take
the time today to look at God. Both his attributes and his activities are
firmly established in the testimony and witnesses of Scripture. There is sufficient
evidence of his glorious character and his wonderful works that our verdict
should be expressed in songs of praise and worship.
Don’t
begin with trying to praise God, or write new songs. Begin with looking at God
in his word and in prayer, in private and in fellowship with other believers,
and watch what happens to your heart as you allow God’s word to get under your
skin, so to speak. The more we see the reasons “for” worship, the more often we
will find ourselves worshiping in spirit and in truth.
From
my heart,
Monte
© 2013 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~
in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the
English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright ©
2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.)
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