Sing a New Song

I truly believe the condition of the world today, in part, has come about because the church has lost sight of who we are and failed to live in the way the Lord desires that we live.  I believe a lot of church leaders have lost their way and have not taught their congregants (the body of Christ) the Word of God and thus, the knowledge they need to live the victorious life He has planned for them.  Hosea 4:6a reads, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge."

Psalm 22:3 (NKJV) teaches us a vital truth which a lot of the church has either forgotten or never been taught.  King David wrote, "But You (God) are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel."  The verb 'enthroned' indicates that wherever God's people exalt His name, He is ready to manifest His Kingdom's power in the way most appropriate to the situation, as His rule is invited to invade our setting.  Praise prepares a specific and present place for God among His people.  The KJV says it this way - "You inhabit the praises...."  To 'inhabit' means to dwell or abide.  We could say then, that God lives in the place where we praise or worship Him.  In this verse, the word 'praise' means a song or hymn of praise. Why is this vital knowledge?   We need to know that the Lord's desire is for us to live a life of worship.  We need to understand that through the act of worship, we experience constant communion and fellowship with Him.  He lives, inhabits, and is present in our praises.  We cannot save the world, He can!  Try as we might, without Him we will not succeed in living a victorious life! It was never God's intent or desire that mankind would "do life" apart from Him.  He loves us.  This is why He desires to have an intimate relationship with us. 

To worship God is vitally important in a believer's life.  Looking at John 4:23 and 24, we read, "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."  The Greek meaning for 'true' is: opposed to what is imperfect, defective, frail, and uncertain.  'Worshipers' (proskynetes) means: those who do reverence to, ('pros' is toward and 'kuneo' is to kiss; an act of homage, to make obeisance.  'Worship'  means: kneeling or prostration, to do homage.  'Spirit' in this verse is, the rational spirit, the power by which a human being feels, thinks, wills, and decides.  'Truth' is candor of mind which is free from pretense, simulation, falsehood or deceit. When we worship in 'spirit', we choose, by an act of our will, to do homage, to give reverence, and to adore Him.  To worship in 'truth' is to present to Him a heart that is pure and free from anything that is pretense, deceit, or that is unpleasing in His presence.  Worshiping our heavenly Father in spirit and truth is not optional.  It is, according to verse 24, what He requires and expects.

There is an expression of praise or worship that is repeated in various scriptures,(particularly in the Psalms) which encourages us to experience God on a whole new level.  Six times in the Psalms, the psalmist says to "sing to Him (the Lord) a new song."  As we read Psalm 33: 2 and 3, these verses express two ways or a combination of both to accomplish this.  "Praise the Lord with the harp; make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy."  In verse 2 the Hebrew word for 'praise' is yada which means especially to revere or worship with extended hands.  'Make melody' (sing, in the KJV) is the Hebrew word, zamar which means play musical instrument accompanied by  the voice.  Then in verse 3, the Hebrew word for 'sing' is shiyr, which speaks of the kind of song sung with the human voice.  'New' (hadas) means new or fresh. Shiyrah used for the word 'song' means abstractly singing. 'Play" is the Hebrew word, nagan, which means to thrum, beat a tune with the fingers.  We see, through these scriptures, that ways we are to worship the Lord are: by raising our hands, with our voices, playing musical instruments, and singing or playing new songs.

 As I think about it, all of the Psalms were a new song, as they were all set to music.

Paul penned these words in Ephesians 5:18b and 19, "but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord..."  Then in Colossians 3:16 (NASB20), he wrote, "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." These acts, psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, and singing are examples of praise and worship, sung to God, from the heart of sincere worshipers.

 According to 1 Corinthians 14:15b, " I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding." The 'new song' can be sung in one's own language (with the understanding), or with the spirit, in a Spirit given heavenly language.  Both the words and melodies are often spontaneously created out of our love for God and by His Spirit.

 The 'new song' is also mentioned in Psalm 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1-3, and Isaiah 42:10.

 As we enter into worship, in spirit and truth, as God requires, we can become so captivated and engaged in our worship that we spontaneously sing a new song vocally, expressing His majesty and our adoration. The Spirit could also lead those playing instruments into 'zamar' or 'nagan', singing or playing  a new song in worship to God.  We were blessed to have experienced this, in hearing an amazing 'new song' played on the drums in Toronto.

We read in 2 Samuel 6 that when the ark of God was returned to the City of David, David became so enthralled with the presence of the Lord he danced (leaping and whirling) before the Lord.  "King David modeled the truth that loving the Lord with all one's heart, soul, and strength is the way to cultivate devotion.  David continually responded to life's circumstances with a heart of worship" (Truth in Action - NSFLB)

When we fully know and understand that God is enthroned in and inhabits our worship, so that, when we worship, we experience constant communion and fellowship with Him, it is a life changer! 

We need not be a professional singer or dancer in our private worship.  We need a heart for God and a desire to bless and please Him.  We need to follow David's example, to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and strength.  We need to become so enamored, enraptured, and captivated by the presence of the Lord that we allow the Holy Spirit to help us express our love for Him in new ways!

When you face various situations or trials and do not have an idea of how to deal with them, begin to worship God and invite the presence of the Lord and His rule to invade your setting.

Worship God in spirit and truth!

 Dance before Him with all your heart!

 Sing the new song that He stirs in your heart!