Offering a new song to the Lord

Photo by Roberta Sorge on Unsplash

“Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.” (Psalm 96:1-3, NIV)

Holy contentment

I believe that, far too often, we become content in our relationship with God, settling for far less than He desires for our lives. We may feel like God is confined to ancient history and that He has little impact on our lives today. We may sense that God is distant from the lives we live and that He cares little about the concerns of our hearts. In all actuality, God is nearer to us than our very next breath. He is a living God, who is just as active today as He was thousands of years ago.

Start singing

The Psalmist implores us to “Sing to the LORD a new song…”, to “…proclaim his salvation day after day…” (Psalm 96:1-2, NIV). Certainly, God is worthy of our very best singing, but I believe He also finds delight even in our out-of-tune attempts.

The problem is not that we aren’t singing, nor even that it’s slightly off-key, but that, so often, we are singing the wrong song. Our lyrics may be outdated and aimed at a God perceived to be out-of-touch with current culture. Our tunes are often based on an understanding of a God who is rules-based and law-oriented, not on a God who is loving and merciful. We sing songs of despair, even though God has given us a living hope. Our melodies are melancholy, even when God gives us “‘…life to the full’” (John 10:10, NIV).

So, I say, and I think the Psalmist would agree, “Get singing!” Live out the music God has placed in your heart. Sing it at the top of your lungs, so that everyone can hear. There’s a message in your melody. Don’t be afraid to share it with the world!

Prayer

Dear God, I pray that the songs I offer to you would be pleasing to your ear. Help me to live out the life you have called me into. Thank you for Jesus, my Savior. In His name I pray, Amen.