Sing Praise to the Lord - Part II

“Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!” ~ Psalm 98:1

This Lord’s Day we will begin our worship service by singing from the ARP Psalter: Psalm 98, “O Sing a New Song to the Lord.” Here are a few of the lyrics we will consider in preparation for worship:

“O sing a new song to the Lord, for wonders He has done… He victory has won… He called to mind His faithfulness, His love to Isr’el’s house; the great salvation of our God… For He shall come, He surely comes; the judge of earth to be…”

Psalm 98 is a wonderful reminder that our worship of Almighty God ought to be rooted in two distinct realities — realities that are evident in almost every psalm. Once you see them, they’re hard to miss.  We worship God because of who He is and what He has done.

First, we worship God “for wonders He has done” (His Magnalia Dei). Christian worship should intentionally contemplate God’s works in history (“He victory has won”) and in salvation (“His love to Isr’el’s house; the great salvation of our God”).  In our age, worship is far too often focused on us. It revolves around our needs, experiences, and feelings. Of course, the psalter is replete with language about the needs of God’s people, the experiences of God’s people, and the feelings of God’s people. But all of those things must be subsumed under the majesty of who God is and what He has done. So we worship Him first of all for what He has done.

Second, we worship God because of who He is. In other words, we worship Him according to His holy character.  Verse 3 recounts God’s “faithfulness and love.” Those words together remind us of His covenant commitment to His people. God is a God who never fails, who always keeps His promises.  Verse 7 is a wonderful reminder of His future faithfulness — that He will judge the world according to His “righteousness” (He is righteous), and “with equity” (He is just).

I am sure if you skimmed through the rest of the psalms you would see in each one a reference to God’s person and His work. But don’t miss this: it’s not just that we must worship God for these things; it’s that we get to worship God because of these things! Look again at Psalm 98: “Make a joyful sound… let joy resound… shout with joy… the mountains sing with joy before the Lord.”  In other words, worshiping God for who He is and what He has done isn’t simply a duty; rather, it is the joy of every heart that has been captivated by these very truths.  So come to worship this Lord’s Day with hearts full of joy, and “sing a new song to the Lord, for wonders He has done”!

Rev. Kyle Lockhart, Associate Pastor