Sing!

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. 

                          Psalm 96:1

Sing!

I’m the kind of person that loves to sing.  Unfortunately, I have not been blessed with a beautiful voice like Francesca Battistelli or Carrie Underwood, but I still love to sing.  I often find myself humming and making up words to songs that might someday be popular.  I consider myself blessed to be able to carry a simple tune.  The bible says to sing a new song unto the Lord.  A new song can signify a new season of life in which the believer is rejoicing in the goodness of God, rejoicing about a passing storm or an answered prayer or promise.

A Song of Anticipation

 In Isaiah 54:1, God instructs, “Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child, burst into song you were never in labor.”  In this sense, God was asking for a song of praise and worship for what God was about to do.  God was about to grant this woman (signifying Israel) the children she never had.  He even tells Israel, “Enlarge the place of your tent…lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes…for you will break forth on the right hand and on the left…your seed will inherit the gentiles” (Isaiah 54:2-3).    God was about to take away the shame and replace it with joy.  Sometimes we too have to praise God in advance for what we know He is about to do in our lives. What is God about to do in your life?

A Song of Praise for an Answered Prayer

In Luke 1, Mary, the future mother of Jesus sang a new song.  After visiting her cousin Elizabeth and finding out that Elizabeth would too bare a child in her older years, Mary pondered over the excitement that these two babies one day change the world. In response to God’s answered promise to not only her life, but the children of Israel, Mary sang,

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior for He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.  From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me---holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.  He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.  He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.  He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.  He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers. Luke 1:46

Mary understood that what was taking place in her life was going to change the course of history and that Israel would finally receive its Messiah in the form of her son.  Her heart could not hold in the excitement and anticipation and her heart and soul broke forth into singing.  Her song rose within her spirit. This song rose from the spirit of a woman who was blessed because she believed in what the Lord said He would do in her life (Luke 1:45). Her song came from a woman who trusted in her God. It came from  a woman that had just received an answered prayer.  What prayer has God just answered in your life?

When We Stop Singing

Some of us have stopped singing because of pain and anguish.  In Psalm 137, the people of Israel had been taken captive to Babylon. The people of God were known by the Babylonians for the songs of Zion, however, they found it very hard to sing in such a land and during such a sad time in their lives.  Psalm 137 says, 

“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?”  Psalm 137:1-4

 Enduring hardship, unanswered prayers, hurt, and other trials, we find it hard to sing the song of praise to God in our own lives.   How can we possibly sing a song of praise when we are in enduring a test of our faith?  My challenge to you is to find the strength to sing a song of praise anyways.  Despite everything, sing because God is with you and He will never leave you.  Your hardship will soon come to an end and that song might just be the thing to give you grace to make it to the end.  Praise will keep you going.  Praise will keep you strong. Praise will move mountains on your behalf.  Don’t lose your praise! Don’t lose your song!  

 A Song of Deliverance

In Psalm 126, the song of the Israelites changed from that of sorrow to that of joy.   God answered and their song became one of rejoicing,

When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.  Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.  The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad…  They that sow in tears shall reap in joy… He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

God always answers!  God always brings us to a place of joy no matter what trials He allows us to experience.  What song are you singing today?   If you are experiencing blessing, sing!  If you are experiencing an answered prayer, sing!  If you believe God is for you and has everything under control, sing!   If you are experiencing heartache, still sing.  Let God complete the work in you as you sing your way to victory!