July 18, 2004
New Songs
Read: Psalm 40:1-10
He has put a new song in my mouth—praise to our God. —Psalm 40:3
Bible In One Year: Psalms 20-22; Acts 21:1-17
The song of the humpback whale is one of the strangest in nature. It is a weird combination of high- and low-pitched groanings. Those who have studied the humpback whale say their songs are noteworthy because these giants of the deep are continually changing them. New patterns are added and old ones eliminated so that over a period of time the whale actually sings a whole new song.
There’s a sense in which a Christian should be continually composing new songs of praise around the fresh mercies of God. Unfortunately, many of us just keep singing“the same old song.”
We must repeatedly affirm the fundamentals of our faith. But as the psalmist tells us, the works of God’s deliverance in the lives of His people are many. His works, which are more than we can count, give us reasons to express our praise to Him in numerous ways (Psalm 40:5).
So why do we express our testimony of God’s saving grace in the same old way year after year? A fresh experience of the mercies of the cross and of Christ’s resurrection power should continually fill our hearts and minds with new songs.
The gospel story never changes—thank God for that. But our songs of praise should be ever new. —Mart De Haan
To count them all at night;
That’s why we can give praise to Him
As fresh as morning’s light. —Sper
Seeing God’s work in our lives puts a new song on our lips.