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1 Sing to God a brand-new song. He's made a world of wonders! He rolled up his sleeves, He set things right. 2 God made history with salvation, He showed the world what he could do. 3 He remembered to love us, a bonus To his dear family, Israel - indefatigable love. The whole earth comes to attention. Look - God's work of salvation! 4 Shout your praises to God, everybody! Let loose and sing! Strike up the band! 5 Round up an orchestra to play for God, Add on a hundred-voice choir. 6 Feature trumpets and big trombones, Fill the air with praises to King God. 7 Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause, With everything living on earth joining in. 8 Let ocean breakers call out, "Encore!" And mountains harmonize the finale - 9 A tribute to God when he comes, When he comes to set the earth right. He'll straighten out the whole world, He'll put the world right, and everyone in it. (Psalm 98 The Message Bible)
Everyone has their favorite hymn or praise song. But do you also have like your least favorite hymn or praise song? Are there songs that you see in the worship bulletin and think, "Why today? Man, I thought they had erased that hymn from the book years ago!" Or is that just me? Go on, confess! Nothing scares a congregation more than a new hymn/song. Yet, the truth is that as long as God is moving and touching lives, people will respond with new hymns and songs. Imagine the Bible without the Book of Psalms. Imagine your hymnal without Amazing Grace or How Great Thou Art? What we do lack is serious reflection on why those hymns were written and the history behind them. I won't go into them here, but suffice it to say that God moved and did amazing and incredible things and thus the result of a hymn, new at the time and I can only imagine the congregation saying to John Newton, "What? A new hymn? And YOU wrote it? This sounds made up!"
King David did not let that deter him. He felt God at work and so he wrote hymns. And this psalm could be one that shares a little of what David felt as he wrote and the why behind he wrote what he wrote. God deserves new hymns! And so he shares his list: God is Creator and God made all things and to be honest, it's a world of wonders. And God is the God who doesn't mind getting his fingernails dirty or rolling up His sleeves, for He is a God of involvement. God is a God who makes all things right. He is the God of salvation and is not shy about that; the world, the whole world should know about God's loving, saving grace. God is a God who does not forget us and loves us with a love that never dies. God commands attention and deserves our praise, and would sound incredible with an orchestra and a hundred-voice choir. Imagine that setting where trumpets and big trombones; The air should be filled with praises to God.
The reason for this cosmic celebration is clear: "A tribute to God when he comes, when he comes to set the earth right. He'll straighten out the whole world, He'll put the world right, and everyone in it." This isn't just remembering what God has done—it's anticipating what God will do. The psalm looks forward to the day when God comes to establish justice completely and permanently. When He arrives, He'll straighten out the whole world—every crooked thing made straight, every wrong made right, every injustice corrected, every tear wiped away. The whole creation is holding its breath for this moment, and the only appropriate response is to start the celebration now. We sing the new song not just for what God has already done but for what we know He will do. Our praise is both retrospective and prophetic—celebrating past salvation and anticipating future restoration. When you know how the story ends, when you're certain that God wins and makes everything right, you can't help but break into song. The brand-new song isn't optional; it's the only adequate response to a God who rolls up His sleeves, sets things right, and promises to finish what He started.
What has God done for you; and why haven't you written anything? Why no new hymn written by you or a new praise song? Or a poem? The paper remains blank; pick up a pen and start expressing yourself.
PRAYER: God who makes all things new, help us sing brand-new songs of praise for Your indefatigable love and mighty salvation, living as people who know the story ends with You making everything right—in Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Why not express your praise to God in a fresh way you haven't tried before—whether through art, music, writing, movement, or simply finding new words to describe His faithfulness—letting worship break free from familiar routines into genuine wonder.
I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God and you matter to me. Make people smile with joy as you express your love and gratitude towards God.
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
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