Theme: Singing a New Song
In this week’s lessons, we learn what it means to trust God for his help and blessing.
Scripture: Psalm 144:1-15
As we concluded yesterday’s study, we observed that the God of Moses, Joshua and David is our God too, and he is the same today as he ever was. He is also our Rock and our deliverer. What should be our response to this, to the fact that this is our God and that he has delivered us also, particularly from sin’s penalty and power? David’s response was to sing “a new song,” presumably the psalm we are studying. It is not the first time he has done this. The title to Psalm 18 says that David “sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul,” and toward the end of the psalm he himself said, “I will sing praises to your name” (v. 49). Psalm 40:3 declares, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.”1
In Psalm 18 the deliverance God gave was in the past, and the psalm is the “song” that thanks God for it. Here thanksgiving is petition. David is still waiting for God’s intervention. But so confident is he of God’s help that he is already singing about it.
If David were living in our time and were aware of our hymns, he might be singing this one by Isaac Watts, from Psalm 90:
Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
And since we are thinking here of our songs, let’s not forget that “new song” that is said to be sung in Revelation (Rev. 5:9). It is an antiphonal song, sung by the four and twenty elders, the angels, and the entire company of the redeemed. It is in praise of Jesus Christ. The first who sing are the twenty-four elders: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and
people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
Then the angels perform their part, singing loudly: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
At last “every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea” joins in, singing, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
There is nothing to add to that triumphant song but “Amen,” which is what the elders do say, after which they fall down and worship (Rev. 5:9-14).
1References to “a new song” are also found in Psalms 33:3; 96:1; 98:1; 149:1, though these are not said to be by David.
Study Questions:
What is David’s response to deliverance? From what is he delivered?
Why does David praise God for deliverance that has not yet occurred?
What new song is sung in Rev. 5:9? Who will sing it?
Application: List examples of God’s goodness and faithfulness to you from the past, the present, and even the future. Praise him for his love, grace, and mercy.
