Sing to the LORD a new song
September 28, 2023 - Thursday, 25th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalm 149:1b-6a and 9b
“Sing to the LORD a new song” (Ps 149:1). When the people of Israel saw the dead bodies of the Egyptian soldiers on the shores of the Red Sea, Moses, Miriam, and the people of Israel sang a song to the Lord (see Ex 15:1-18; 21). It was something incredible. Trapped between the sea and the Egyptian army, they considered themselves already dead. But, the Lord intervened and saved his people. Miriam led the women into a festive dance and singing with tambourines (see Ex 15:20; Ps 149:3).
As we move to the New Testament, the singing continues. We find in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1-2), the songs of Mary, Zechariah, the angels, and Simeon. Jesus sang the psalms at the Last Supper (see Matt 26:30) and Paul and Silas were singing hymns to God while in prison (see Acts 16:25). In the Book of Revelation, we have a new song that praises the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ for his sacrifice on behalf of humanity (see Rev 5:9-10) and another new song being sung only be the redeemed – nobody else could learn that song (see Rev 14:3). The last song mentioned in the Bible is the one of Moses and of the Lamb that praises God for his justice, sung by those who conquered the apocalyptic beast (see Rev 15:2-4).
Since biblical times, singing has played an important role in liturgy, private devotion and spreading the message of the Gospel. One of the early Church Fathers, whom Pope Benedict XV in 1920 declared a Doctor of the Church, was St. Ephrem (ca. 306-373 AD). He is renowned for his collection of hymns, of which over four hundred still exist. In those hymns, St. Ephrem writes on the topics of faith, Christ’s incarnation and redemption, on Paradise, and on the blessed Virgin Mary.
St. Augustine wrote an entire homily on the topic of singing a new song to the Lord. The most famous quote from this homily is this one: “Listen to the Holy Spirit saying through me: Sing to the Lord a new song. Look, you tell me, I am singing. Yes indeed, you are singing; you are singing clearly, I can hear you. But make sure that your life does not contradict your words. Sing with your voices, your hearts, your lips, and your lives: Sing to the Lord a new song”.
“Sing a new song to the Lord”. Today, the songs remain part of our liturgical celebrations, private devotions, and a vehicle for spreading the Gospel. As Christians, new people of God transformed by God’s grace, we sing a new song to the Lord to proclaim the glorious deeds he accomplished in our lives.