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The New Song

The Lord your
God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;
He will rejoice
over you with gladness;
He will quiet you
by his love;
He will exult over you with
loud singing.  Zephaniah 3:17
My Aunt Irene wrote me last
week that when her dad, my Grandfather, Gerhard Suderman died, the minister
spoke about him singing a ‘new song’ in Heaven. 
My grandfather directed the Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church choir for
many years after his father, Jacob Suderman directed the choir until he died in
1907.  When he came to this country Jacob
Suderman began a country music school for the children to learn music. My
Grandfather understood the importance of music.
 
One of my earliest memories
was playing the piano for my Grandfather. 
He was not a passive listener, but stood behind me tapping in rhythm on
my shoulder.  There was no budget for
music for his choir, one copy of a song sufficed.  He used a pitch pipe and sat in his kitchen to
learn each song he taught his choir by the ‘Vor-sang’ method.  He each sang phrase and the choir repeated it
after him, phrase by phrase. As Mom grew up, her one desire was to learn to
play the piano to accompany her Dad’s choir
The one song that has ‘forever
glory’ for each of us is learning to sing a new song to the Lord.  It usually cannot be found in the Top
Ten.  Being mere mortals, beloved by our
Creator, we have to see the music.  How
can we ever hope to create a song on this earth? I read the following verses
and found the answer. 
His Presence is all around
us. God exults over us with a song of salvation. 
He sings a song of rejoicing over us with gladness and he quiets us with
his lullaby of everlasting love.  His
volume is turned all the way up as he exults over us in song. 
How: Sing a new song of praise to him; play skilfully
on the harp and sing with joy.  Psalm 33:3
We have schools dedicated to
learning to play music with heightened skill. 
Many learn to play the piano when they are young.  These students learn the note tones and time
values plus the names of the keys until they match up without effort. When
frustration sets in, the learning may not always be joyful, especially playing
scales and Hannon.  As we learn the
language of music, we give praise to God the Father.  Playing music gives us another ‘voice’ to
give Him our adulation.
Who: Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to
the Lord!  Psalm 96:1
Have you ever wanted to be
in a group of musicians who play and sing with such abandon and to belong and
not feel like an outsider? Can you imagine all the people of the world in tune
and harmony whose only desire is to praise God with one voice?  When I see all the electronic instruments and
tools to create a glorious noise on stage, I realize that if the ‘whole earth’
sings to God, the hills and the mountains would shake in rhythm and the trees
would clap their hands.
What: 
He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our
God.  Many will see what he has done and
be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.  Psalm 40:3
I have a file crammed with
sheets and sheets of music.  So many
songs have been written on this earth of all kinds.  God has given us the ‘what’ of the new song.  It is a hymn of praise whose lyrics are what
God has done for us.  He created the
universe, He set the world into motion, He created us, and He gives us the power
of decision-making.  We can choose Him or
not.  He liberated His chosen people. He
sent his son, Jesus, to earth to die on the cross, be the bearer of sins of all
people.  Why?  He sent Jesus because of His great love so
that we might have salvation.  And we respond in song to sing ‘Amazing Grace’ and put our trust into our Lord.
Where: Sing a new song to the Lord! Sing his praises from the
ends of the earth!  Sing, all you who sail the seas, all you who live in distant coastlands. 
Isaiah 42:10
Do we need a cathedral to
give voice to our praise?  No.  Our Lord’s presence is everywhere about us
and in our hearts.  No matter where we
are we can lift up the new song.  He, who
knows our thoughts and our ways, hears our praise.  
When: Praise the Lord!  Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises
in the assembly of the faithful. Psalm  149:1
When do we sing a new
song?  We sing in the assembly of the
faithful.  Is it any wonder that we
celebrate and sing a new song with our brothers and sisters in Christ?  It is an encouragement for all of us to sing
God’s praises for all that He has done for us. Why? As we draw breath – the
song is sung when our heart belongs to our Lord and Father.
You make known to me the
path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your
right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11. 
The new
song is joyful and a forever song whose melody sings us into eternity. 
Why: 
Sing a new song to the Lord, for
he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his
holy arm has shown his saving power. Psalm 98:1
How many times are the
victorious here on earth praised?  The
victory on earth can be the winners of a ping-pong game, a chess game or a war.  It includes the many sports that seem to grow
and the teams vie for victory. Victories on earth can be awarded in many ways…with
prizes, money and fame. This world’s victories will not last and cower in the
greatness of the victory of our Lord.  We
sing a new song for we have salvation in his holy name.  What if we can’t sing?  Our new song comes from the heart and becomes
whom we are.  The new song is sung
through our walk with God in our actions and words. Will our voice be missed if
we do not sing the ‘new song’?  God, who
is omniscient and filled with glory, will know.
The lyrics by Tanya Blout
ring through the ages:  I sing because I’m happy.  I sing because I’m free.  For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He
watches me. 

Can we hide from our Creator,
our great I AM?  Not on this earth or
universe that He created.  There is nowhere
to hide from God, not even in the delusion that God is not. 
Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see
him?” declares the Lord. “Do
I not fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord
.  Jeremiah 23:24

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