Singing a Most Difficult Song

Psalm 98:1,2

In our natural life it is so much easier to learn a new song than to learn an equal number of lines that do not have rhyme and rhythm. Yet to sing, as the psalmist exhorts us in Psalm 98:1, 2, with these words, "O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath done marvelous things; His right hand, and His holy arm hath gotten Him the victory. The Lord hath made known His salvation: His righteousness hath He openly showed in the sight of the heathen," is a most difficult thing to do. Note carefully that we are exhorted to sing of salvation and of God's righteousness.

Indeed, to sing this with the lips is not difficult. But to sing it with the heart and unto God is something else. Those two facts must be borne in mind. We must sing, with the heart and unto God, of the salvation we have in the righteousness of Christ, Who is God's holy arm.

This song is not new in that it has different music and has in it new thoughts that have not been sung before by others. God's work is unchangeably what He promised the day we fell with Adam into sin. Salvation is one sure work God's people have known since Adam and Eve heard it. But to sing of salvation with the heart is something new to him whose songs, as he is by nature, express the lust of his flesh, the lust of his eye, and the pride of life.

And even though we may know all about that salvation and righteousness of God, singing it to Him is not only difficult but, as we are by nature, impossible. We must be born again by His right hand to —

    Sing a new song to Jehovah
    For the wonders He hath wrought;
    His right hand and arm most holy
    Triumph to His cause have brought.
    In His love and tender mercy
    He hath made salvation known,
    In the sight of every nation
    He His righteousness hath shown. (PRC Psalter)

Be honest with yourself.  What is it you like to listen to over your radio, off the tapes and records which you buy? What songs rise up in your mind and do you sing at work and in the home? Is it Christ and what He did for us to bring us the righteousness of God? Do you sing of His cross?

Read: Psalm 96     
Psalter versification: #261:1

Daily Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism 

Song for Meditation: Psalter #188/89
Why not sing along??

Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Deuteronomy 4:1-49 
Luke 6:39-49 ; Luke 7:1-10 
Psalm 68:1-18 
Proverbs 11:28 
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Quote for Reflection:

"God has given us this Gospel not merely for the purpose of securing to us life hereafter, but of making sure of this life even now.  It is a true and sure Gospel; so that he who believes it is made sure of being saved.  If it could not make us sure, it would make us miserable; for to be told of such a salvation and such a glory, yet kept in doubt as to whether they are to be ours or not, must render us truly wretched.  What a poor Gospel it must be, which leaves the man who believes it still in doubt as to whether he is a child of God, an unpardoned or a pardoned sinner! Till we have found forgiveness, we cannot be happy; we cannot serve God gladly or lovingly; but must be in sore bondage and gloom…The Bible gives no quarter to unbelief or doubting.  It does not call it humility.  It does not teach us to think better of ourselves for doubting.  It does not countenance uncertainty or darkness."   --Horatius Bonar, “The Everlasting Righteousness,” pub. 1874