Singing God’s praises

Sing a new song to the LORD!
Sing to the LORD, all the world!
Sing to the LORD, and praise him!
Proclaim every day the good news that he has saved us.
Proclaim his glory to the nations,
his mighty deeds to all peoples. (verses 1-3)

Read Psalm 96

Here’s a little puzzle: how do you get from God the Father to Jesus the Son in three steps? Easy: king, sing, song, son. Which, of course, is a little parable. When we look to God and remember, as we do each Christmas, how God sent his Son, Jesus, to be our saviour, we are moved to sing God’s praises.

This psalm is an amazing poem of passionate praise. The writer calls on the whole world – the people of the world and the whole created universe – to praise the Lord. We don’t know what particular victory that God had won for his people inspired this song.

How much more passionate should be our singing when we celebrate God’s mightiest and most wonderful saving act, his coming into the world as a human being to rescue us from our slavery to sin and our fear of death.

We have hundreds of hymns and carols to sing at Christmas, some movingly simple, some rich and deep with meaning. But all of them are inspired by faith’s heartfelt wish to ‘proclaim the good news that God has saved us’.

Help me to sing your praises passionately, good God, as I see the glorious salvation you have won for me through Jesus. Amen.

By John Vitale, in “Refreshment for each day” (LCA, Openbook Publishers (2003)

Visit the Daily Devotion archives page.