scripture and prayer reflection
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Lyrics
Far off hymns and funeral marches sound the same again
My ears are worn and weary strangers in a strange land
And I need a new song
I need a new song
And all I am is breath and vapor and shadows
And all I have is what I need, this I know
That I need a new song
Yeah I need a new song
Waiting in the night for you
Burning in the sky for you, you
There’s an aching in my body, within my lungs
This web of the bones around my heart is coming undone
Cause I, I need a new song
I need a new song
So I'm waiting in the night for you
Burning in the sky for you, you
Waiting in the night for you, you
I'm burning in the sky for you
Words are failing, my melodies falter
My voice is breaking, my heart is burning
'Cause blessing and honor, glory and power
Praise and worship, they belong to you
I need a new I need a new
Need a new I need a new
Need a new so I sing a new song
Far off hymns and funeral marches
All I am is breath and vapor and shadows
And all I have is what I need and this I know
Psalm 96:1-4, 11-13
1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.
Psalm 40:1-3, 11-13, 16-17
1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.
11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
12 For evils have encompassed me
beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.
13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
O Lord, make haste to help me!
16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!
Reflection
Audrey Assad opens this song with a description of how “hymns and funeral marches” have begun to sound the same — things have become monotonous, singing songs to God has become rote. We have now been in quarantine for more than a month, and the end date of this season is as of yet unclear. Many are experiencing a sort of deadness or numbness that comes with the monotony of each day looking more or less the same. This bleak flatness may not simply be relegated to the daily tasks we need to perform — in the same confined space as yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that — but may also extend into our interactions with God as well.
I’ve noticed what Assad describes in my own life — there can sometimes be a joy in singing the same songs again and again, of returning to beloved and steadfast truth over and over. But there can also come a time when my heart no longer engages with God in all-too-familiar songs. Words lose their meaning, melodies feel flat, cheesy, and repetitive. I can easily go on autopilot, singing along without thinking about anything in particular. At times I experience even an impatience to finish the song and get on to the next thing.
Many of the psalms instruct us to sing new songs to the Lord, probably in part because of this problem — the slow deadening of our soul toward familiarity. How often do we slowly lose track of the significance of the cross, of God’s love, of His holiness? Do we forget these things? No, but our souls become sleepy and deadened to them as they become formulaic. So how do we awaken? How do we figuratively or literally sing a new song to the Lord?
The unique language of Psalm 40 draws our attention to something important. The psalmist here does not start with an instruction to sing a new song. Rather, they reflect on how God has brought them out of great difficulty and that it is He who has given them a new song to sing. Reflecting on God’s grace and goodness may be the starting point of finding a new song, a new attention, a renewed love for the Lord. Singing a new song involves re-engaging with the God about whom and to whom we sing. It brings us back to truth in a way that helps us see the “same old truth” with fresh eyes.
Take time today to reflect on moments where God’s provision, His goodness, and His love have been apparent in your life. How can you notice His provision, goodness, and love even now, in this time of monotony or high stress? As you reflect, you might try writing your own psalm of praise to the Lord. It doesn’t have to be perfect, or even “good”, just write what you have noticed He has done in your life.