“Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things, for His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation.”  Psalm 98:1

Our culture is inundated with singing talent shows. Competitions such as American Idol and The Voice give contestants a chance to wow the judges with their amazing vocal ability. The song is a means for the singer to momentarily turn the spotlight on themselves and outshine the other vocalists.

In stark contrast, the psalmist wants us to sing, not to show how awesome we are, but to proclaim the awesomeness of the Lord. He’s inviting worshipers, both the individual as well as the congregation, to join the magnificent symphony of praise emanating from creation (Psalm 98:4-8).   

Singing begins with an awareness of the “marvelous things” the Lord has done. And there is nothing more glorious, more mind-blowing, or more beautiful than salvation.  

To the people of the Old Testament, this meant singing about the countless times the Lord had delivered them from their enemies. As followers of Jesus, however, we have a much fuller understanding of salvation, for we live on the other side of a bloodied cross and vacant tomb.  

When we grasp how staggering it is that He saved us from our sins, a song should “well up” inside of us that we can hardly contain. Singing is an outward expression of the inward joy of salvation.

But think about this…

Salvation is not the end of the work of God in our lives; it’s merely the beginning. We shouldn’t only celebrate what He did in our past but what He is doing in our present.  

So, the psalmist urges us to sing not just any song but a “new song” to the Lord. New works of God should result in new songs to God, overflowing from His ongoing work in our lives.  

This doesn’t mean we have to compose a chart-topping worship song and win an award for “Songwriter of the Year.” We should, however, express fresh praise for recent manifestations of the Lord’s goodness and grace.  As King David declares, “His praise should always be on our lips” (Psalm 34:1).   

Ask yourself: 

1. How is the Lord currently working in my life?  
2. What are the “marvelous things” that I’ve seen Him do recently?            

A lot of us coast through life without ever thinking about such questions. In our busyness, we often fail to pay attention to what the Lord is up to. Granted, we will never be able to see every way He’s working. But shouldn’t we, as sons and daughters of the living God, be able to articulate at least one marvelous thing He’s done lately? 

Remember, whether big or small, ALL of His works are marvelous!

Even if you don’t have a musical bone in your body and could never qualify for a singing competition, you can still live out this Scripture. You see, God doesn’t hear our voices – He hears our hearts.  

Let the way you live today be your Song of Praise to the Lord. 

Written by Jonathan Munson, Executive Director, RFTH