Sing to the LORD a New Song (Psalm 98:1-9; Isaiah 42:10-17)
“Hallelujah! Sing to the LORD a new song—His praise in the assembly of the godly. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King. Let them praise His name with dancing, and make music to Him with tambourine and harp. For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the afflicted with salvation.
Let the saints exult in glory; let them shout for joy upon their beds. May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with shackles of iron, to execute the judgment written against them. This honor is for all His saints. Hallelujah!”
How can we sing new songs to the Lord? There are always new things for which we can thank God. We can rejoice that God is our Maker and that God is our protector. We can even dance and make music to praise the Lord. But what about the next part of the psalm?
“Let the saints exult in glory; let them shout for joy upon their beds. May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with shackles of iron, to execute the judgment written against them. This honor is for all His saints. Hallelujah!” We can praise God at any time, even during the night when we are in bed. But what about this two-edged sword? When we praise God, God can do amazing things. Do we have to seize a sword and chase people with it? No. But we can use the Word of God to protect ourselves and our families. We can rely on God to protect us.
APPLICATION: There’s an old praise song that goes, “With the high praises of God in my mouth and a two edged sword in my hand, I will march right up to the victory side right into Canaan land!” I learned that song while I was preparing to sit my written boards in General Surgery. The exam was an exhaustive one, and many surgery residents from big name programs were failing their first time around. I had a number of obstacles to overcome and I was coming from a small community hospital-based surgery program. It was only a few years since I had battled severe clinical depression. That fall I found myself singing that song repreatedly as I studied and prayed. Blessedly, I succeeded in passing during my first attempt.
There are many times in our lives when we feel at an extreme disadvantage. The forces opposing us are enormous while we feel totally inadequate. But God is never at a disadvantage and He is never inadequate. We can praise God at any time, but nights are very special. At night, there are fewer distractions and it is easier for us to hear from God. We can concentrate on God more fully. If I find I cannot sleep, I simply get up and read my Bible and sit quiet before the Lord.
What if you don’t feel like praising God? You can always begin by chanting “Praise you, Lord! Praise you, Lord!” Another effective prayer is that of St. John of God, “Lord Jesus Christ, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Even if you feel ridiculous when you first begin repeating these prayers, continue. You will find things shifting spiritually and emotionally and you may find yourself being led to all kinds of other prayers as well.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to remember that anytime can be prayer time and that You are always ready to listen if we will only seek You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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