To Sing
Text: Psalm 149:1
Isn’t it ironic? Irony is a deliberate contrast in what is said or done, between plain and intended meaning.
Note the irony in these headlines.
Man is unexpectedly locked inside 24 Hour Fitness after they closed.
Warehouse worker packing stress balls punched his boss in face.
And how about this one? “Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of the godly!” (Psalm 149:1) Ironic? COVID-19 has put a lid on singing together in church (even with a mask). Singing together in worship is strongly discouraged, because it is a strong form of viral transmission.
So, has anyone been punched in the face? Hopefully our pandemic fatigue has not become pandemic frustration. Are we encouraging one another or attacking one another? How does God want us to act?
Don’t let down your guard. The enemy has been overthrown, but he’s still around to create havoc. “Let the high praises of God be in [our] throats and a two edged sword in [our] hands.” (Psalm 149:6) Where Israel fought with sword and spear, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood.” Our struggle is “against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil.” (Ephesians 6:12) Our struggle is not with each other.
Our struggle is against the evil one. He tries to smother people in the darkness of sin and death. Then, many are mute in speaking any word of thanks and praise. The famous Russian writer Leo Tolstoy wrote: “Life had grown hateful to me, and some insuperable force was leading me to seek deliverance from it by whatever means.”
To whom do you have deliverance? “For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation.” (Psalm 149:4) Humbled in confession, God adorns you with salvation. And, it is salvation by the One who conquered death. “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:10) Salvation belongs to the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world. Only in His precious and holy sacrifice are you washed white. This is what marks you as a godly one, a saint.
“For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be [your] shepherd, and He will guide [you] to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from [your] eyes.” (Rev 7:10, 17)
Your ascended Savior speaks to you. He is the word of life, the word of promise. He descended into the filth and darkness of your sin and brokenness to overthrow the evil one. Then, in Jesus you are forgiven. There is no fear in death, because the Lamb in the midst of the throne (your Good Shepherd) rose from the dead.
Do you recall the hymn – Battle Hymn of the Republic? “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He has loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword: His truth is marching on. Glory, glory! Hallelujah! Glory, glory! Hallelujah! Glory, glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.”
As I memorized that opening verse as a boy, the third verse was lost to me until recently. This is how it is read or sung: “In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me. As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free, While God is marching on.”
That is our ongoing battle. The Lamb of God transforms us to be holy in His sacrifice. Then, our Savior marches before us, to live to make people free. That is our song.
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus. Amen. •
— By Pastor Neil Stern,
St. Peter’s, Leduc AB