Happy New Year! As a Christian I use the end of an old year and the beginning of a new year as a time of reflection and planning: looking back and looking ahead. Looking back helps me appreciate the accomplishments of the old year. Looking forward helps me plan for the opportunities of the new year. What happened during the past 365 days that met the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the old year? What did I learn from those experiences that will help me do a better job serving God during this new year? It’s nice to make a list of the goals and results as we look forward to the goals and possibilities of this amazing new year.
The greatest guide in my life is God and His Word. God is consistent. He never changes. What He said thousands of years ago is true today. He keeps the promises He makes to His people. What success God’s people had based on His Word then is the same success we can experience today. So, let’s go to the Word to see what’s new for the new year!
“Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. Praise the LORD with the harp; Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy. For the word of the LORD is right, And all His work is done in truth.”
Psalm 33:1-4
If you want a real blessing on this first day of the new year, read all of Psalm 33. Wow! What a testimony to the power of the Almighty God and blessings for His children. It will put a huge smile on your face and new song in your heart.
The word “new” is the Hebrew hadas. It means “new, fresh, unheard of.” Here’s what the great British preacher C.H. Spurgeon wrote about this verse:
“Our faculties should be exercised when we are magnifying the Lord, so as not to run in an old groove without thought; we ought to make every hymn of praise a new song. To keep up the freshness of worship is a great thing, and in private it is indispensable. Let us not present old worn-out praise, but put life, and soul, and heart, into every song, since we have new mercies every day, and see new beauties in the work and word of our Lord.” (“The Treasury of David,” Vol. 1, page 104-105, C.H. Spurgeon, Zondervan Publishing, 1966)
Amen! Every song of our heart and voice should be new to God for His new mercies and the beauty of His Work and Word. The songs we sing may be familiar, they may even be quite old, but we should sing each note, each word, as if it were brand new in our heart.
King David knew God so well and had been delivered from death so many times that he could write these words with great emphasis on the amazing salvation of God in his life.
“I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD.”
Psalm 40:1-3
Do you see what was important to David? Not just that God saved him out of a bad situation, but that many would see it and fear and would trust in the Lord. That should also be our emphasis.
“Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.” Psalm 96:1-3
“Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. The LORD has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” Psalm 98:1-3
“I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, The One who gives salvation to kings, Who delivers David His servant From the deadly sword.” Psalm 144:9-10
“Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, And His praise in the assembly of saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.” Psalm 149:1-3
I look forward to sharing more about what’s new for us in the new year, but let’s begin with the worship of our heart, mind and lips. Like King David of old, let’s sing to the Lord a new song, “For He has done marvelous things.”
Blessings!
Mark McGee
GraceLife Blog 