1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. 2-3 The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 5-6 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord! 7-8 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the Lord. 9 For he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. Psalm 98 English Standard Version

Sometimes I hear a new song with words that really capture my attention. At other times the words of a song I knew in the past strike me with fresh meaning. This Psalm speaks of both such situations. The writer called on God's people to sing a new song to the Lord, yet it was still on the theme of the salvation God brings about. They had sung such songs before. It's been suggested that vs 1-3 refer to when God brought and end to Babylon’s power and the Jewish people were allowed by Cyrus, the new King of Persia, to return to Israel. They saw it as God's judgments taking place in the world and were filled with joy. (vs 9) But it wasn't just Israel who were called to praise. Who else does he urge to sing this new song? (vs 4)

He says it’s a song for all the nations on earth to sing, and urges them to use all sorts of instruments to accompany their praise. (vs 5-6) Why should the nations sing this new song? (vs 2-3)

Because God's mighty act of rescuing His people had been done in full view of the nations. They’d seen how marvellous a God He is. Since when has any nation been swallowed up as Israel was, and then come back to their land? That should make everyone realize what a mighty God Israel served. But it wasn't just people who fill the earth - who (or what) else should praise God? (vs 7-8)

He called upon nature itself to join the new song of praise. Why? Could vs 9 be the answer?

He sees God as making all things right in the world by His judgments. Think of that in the light of the apostle Paul's words in Romans 8 where he wrote: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” (Romans 8:18-22)

The book of Revelation tells us that because of what Jesus Christ did at Calvary, He was entitled to make God's purposes known to all creation. That caused those in heaven to sing a new song to the Lord. And the apostle Peter wrote that “according to God's promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13) Nature has reason for praise!

There's an old hymn that goes: “Heaven above is softer blue, earth around is sweeter green; something lives in every hue that Christ-less eyes have never seen! Birds with gladder songs o'erflow, flowers with deeper beauty shine; since I know as now I know – That I am His, and He is mine!” It's an old song, but it is ever new. Is it the song of your heart today?