WHATCH'A SINGING?

Sometimes, I get into the habit of singing the line from the hymn, "Farther Along", "Tempted and tried, we're oft made to wonder, why it should be thus all the day (weeks and years) long."  It is so easy to hunker down in that mode of melancholy and the "glass half full" default thinking, however the Word of God challenges me to another perspective.  Psalm 98 is my refresher for my heart and mind today.

The psalmist is anonymous.  It could be a song or poem reminding us to "lift our heads for our Redemption draweth nigh." It could have been sung after the return of Israel from Babylonian captivity.  It is a song of victory.

Psalm 98 opens with a command, "Sing to the Lord a new song,".  New from the Hebrew is a fresh or new thing.  Again the circumstances, people, too much, or too less have the focus of the mind, and the psalmist commands me to sing a NEW song.  In other words, GET A NEW FOCUS!  Song carries the idea of a strolling minstrel moving about singing.  As I am in the mode of "getting it done" am I carrying about the new song of being "more than a conqueror"?  I can certainly see why Paul reminds us in Romans 12:2 to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  

Still in verse 1.  Why should I sing a new song?  "for HE has done marvelous things".  Looking back in my life, am I willing to speak counting the marvelous/extraordinary things that He has brought about in my life?  Do I have a new song of thanksgiving and rejoicing or am I still hung down in "tempted and tried"?  Looks like I may need to simply list those marvelous things HE has done for me and in me.  This is not the time for comparing and over analyzing...just list!  

Consider with me the rest of the verse: "His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him."  In Scripture, the right hand is the hand of strength in dexterity, the preferred hand symbolic of authority.  Right arm, the picture of being stretched out.  Salvation can also be liberation, salvation, or deliverance.  Isaiah 59:16 reminds us that God saw the predicament that Israel was in and there was no one to intercede for her, so His own arm worked salvation for her.  Hang in there a while longer.  

HE knew, from before creation, that the risk of creating man and woman and placing them in the plan that there was going to bring opportunity for sin and despair for humanity.  He certainly was not shocked at our choice to sin...ALL KNOWING GOD!   In giving the Law, HE knew it would be protection and order for us, but it could not "intercede" for man and bring salvation/deliverance from sin, thence, JESUS.  His right hand created man, but HIS holy arm brought us Jesus.  Jesus was stretched out for us on Calvary.  Verse 3, says that God made "HIS salvation known and revealed His righteousness to the nations."  

In verse 4,  making His salvation known, we must see this as actions of love and faithfulness to us and for us.  In the conclusion of the psalm, we move from singing a new song to shouts of joy bursting into "jubilant song".  So now I must internalize, "Cheryl, whatch'a singing" repeating over and over again to yourself?"  Will I focus on the marvelous works He has done in and to me?  Will I sing and shout because He delivered me from the power and the penalty of sin?  The old phrase of Martin Luther King comes to mind, "Free at last, free at last, Thank God Almighty, free at last."  More importantly to honor His Word, Romans 8:37, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."  We have a victor's song to sing...sing it!  Forever learning!  In process, still!  #IHAVETHREESONS.