Soundtrack for the Future

The soundtrack of my life has a playlist pressed through memories and reflects my loyalties, passions and choices. My songbook is full of my greatest hits, the archeology of my tastes reveals many clues to my identity. 

What is different about this new song is that is sung to the Lord and it is for everybody. It is to be sung in the present but it’s melody is timeless. It is not for special days or occasions but is to be proclaimed day after day.

Transcript

Day 96

Yesterday I was thinking about Paul and Silas singing in prison. 

It has been a long time since I sang with anyone else anywhere. I sing in the shower, wandering about the house or office and sometimes in the great outdoors but I calculate it has been 578 days since I last had the opportunity to sing with other people.

Today’s Psalm is an encouragement to sing. It is not an instruction to sing same old, same old tunes but rather to sing something different. This is not promoting a fresh release on Spotify or the use of a new hymn book. This is about singing a new song.

I have had some great times singing old songs. “Flower of Scotland” at Murrayfield, “God Defend New Zealand”, “Aotearoa” at Eden Park, “500 Miles” in Glasgow, “Sweet Caroline” at the Wellington Sevens, “Abide with Me” on the Kop, a few numbers I won’t name at Deacon Blue, Chris Rea and Elvis Costello concerts, some choruses in the old cookhouse at Scoughall and a number of songs of praise at camps, churches and festivals over the years. 

These songs in different ways, express commitment, channel emotion and celebrate belonging. They are special anthems for those who are with us but they are not everybody’s cup of tea. Their value grows through shared history and common allegiance. 

The soundtrack of my life has a playlist pressed through memories and reflects my loyalties, passions and choices. My songbook is full of my greatest hits, the archeology of my tastes reveals many clues to my identity. 

What is different about this new song is that is sung to the Lord and it is for everybody. It is to be sung in the present but it’s melody is timeless. It is not for special days or occasions but is to be proclaimed day after day.

The lyrics of this song concern salvation, the Lord’s glory, marvellous deeds, greatness, splendour, majesty, strength and glory.

“Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. 
Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. 
Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all peoples. 
For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. 
For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 
Splendour and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.” (96:1-6)

I like the way the message translates the next verse. Instead of “ascribe”

“Bravo, GOD, Bravo! Everyone join in the great shout: Encore! In awe before the beauty, in awe before the might.” (96:7 MSG)

The Psalmist is entirely taken up with the supremacy of the God who made the heavens and the earth over the gods of the nations. He looks forward to a day when this will be made clear to all the earth and it’s peoples. It as if he is standing on his feet applauding, yelling and wanting more.

Judgement is not the most comfortable idea to sing about. The Psalmist celebrates because the ending of injustice, the righting of wrongs and the establishment of a fair world is something to look forward to. It is surely going to happen and that future reality should affect our allegiance and our worship in the present. 

The song we find ourselves singing today may be tinged with sadness, marred by the brokenness of the world and lamenting what is lacking, but there is better day coming.  

God will judge the people with equity, righteousness and faithfulness.

“Bow before the beauty of GOD, 
Then to your knees-everyone worship! 
Get out the message-GOD Rules! 
He put the world on a firm foundation; 
He treats everyone fair and square. 
Let's hear it from Sky, With Earth joining in, 
And a huge round of applause from Sea. 
Let Wilderness turn cartwheels, Animals, come dance, 
Put every tree of the forest in the choir- 
An extravaganza before GOD as he comes, 
As he comes to set everything right on earth, 
Set everything right, treat everyone fair.”

(96:9-13 MSG)

This is the new song that is being sung already but will reach a crescendo when every living creature will join in. 

 Often in movies there will be a repeated melody which represents a main character or theme. It is a recurrent tune that is technically called a “leitmotif”. Jack Sparrow Ethan Hunt and Doctor Who are examples of figures who have personal themes in their respective franchises. Eric has a theme in Chariots of Fire and the Local Hero theme will instantly transport me to a quiet Scottish beach.  

The central character in the drama of the Bible is Jesus, he wins the victory, he is the hero, he drives the action and resolves the story. His motif plays through the new song and reminds us that it is because of his life, death and resurrection that there is salvation and that judgement can be faced with confidence. 

It is the Jesus song that we are invited to sing. It is a song that is only going to get louder and better. At the end there will be quite the crowd singing like nothing the world has ever seen. We get a little taste of it in stadiums, concerts, festivals and services but there will be much more to celebrate for much longer.

The soundtrack of our own lives will often take us back to a time, place or relationship in our past. This new song transports us forward to the future. 

In a sentiment expressed in another old song;

“I want to be in that number, when the saints come marching in”

Hope to see you there.