The Psalmist begins Psalm 98 with a declaration of praise: “O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory”. We could all look over our lives and see the power and miraculous hand of God as He leads us through trials and unpredictable circumstances. Yet, our feeble human ability to keep a song of praise fresh in our hearts could be the reason discouragement sets in. It is easy to forget the miracle of yesterday when faced with a new giant today. Our song of praise becomes stagnant. This is possibly why the Psalmist places a reminder for us: “sing a new song”. Find something new for which to praise Him.
If our current circumstances seem void of praiseworthy attributes, the remainder of this passage gives us a solution. Think of salvation, righteousness, mercy and truth. This is quite a list to sing about. In fact, these gifts from God are not only available to all, but are available despite our current situation. No matter where I am, I can look to the God of my salvation and find a new song of praise in my heart for His mercy and for the truth of His Word. Through the application of these, He brings righteousness to my life. “I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me” (Psalm 13:6).
