Bible Commentaries

A New Song

Psalm 96:1

What does a "new song" mean?

I. A living experience. There never has been an age of great poetry which was not first an age of great action, great thought, great living. We shall never sing a new song till we have lived a real, pulsing, genuine new life of our own, not the pale shadow of other and greater lives. Whatever songs and Psalm come echoing down the ages, we must hear God's voice with our own ears.

II. A bright outlook and bold spirit. The faith that has no future has no song on its lips, for there is no hope in its heart. History never "repeats" itself; every nation has a new role to fill, a new destiny to attain, a future of its own to mould and conquer. God has given us a new time and a glowing future, and He looks that we should sound out of this new time a new song.

III. What shall be the keynote of our new song to God in this generation? Shall it not still be Jesus? The highest genius may well lay its brightest tribute of rhythm and melody at His feet, and the lowliest voice may acceptably sing it. A songless faith is a dying faith. A faith that has a true song in it has the future before it, and heaven at last, where the multitude who no man can number will sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, ancient as time, yet new as the morning.

—W. R. Inge, Christian World Pulpit, p290.

References.—XCVI:9.—J. Bolton, Selected Sermons (2Series), p159. XCVI.—International Critical Commentary, vol. ii. p303. XCVII:2.—G. W. Brameld, Practical Sermons, p304. H. Melvill, Penny Pulpit, No2603.