Homilist Psalm 98:1-9 O sing to the LORD a new song; for he has done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, has gotten him the victory.… I. GENUINE PRAISE IS FOUNDED ON THE STRONGEST REASON (vers. 1, 2). Why should man be so urgently called on to praise God? 1. Because of the extraordinary deliverance which was vouchsafed to him — from the bondage of ignorance, carnality, prejudice, and guilt. Unfallen angels should always sing praises unto the Lord, and they always do; but we have no reason to believe that they have such deliverances to celebrate as we have. 2. Because all the extraordinary deliverances vouchsafed to him originated in the mind of God. "His mercy," "His truth, .... His righteousness." As transgressors of His laws and rebels against His government, men, instead of having any just reason for expecting deliverance, have the strongest reasons to apprehend eternal bondage. It was of His free love and compassion that He interposed. Therefore "sing unto the Lord a new song." II. GENUINE PRAISE SHOULD BE RENDERED BY ALL WITH RAPTUROUS ENTHUSIASM. 1. By all. This means all mankind. Praise should be as wide as the race. Its spirit, like the tide in ocean, should heave and swell, and rule the mighty mass. 2. By all with joy. True praise is not a ceremonial service, not an irksome duty, still less a moan of sadness, it is the soul breaking out into the transports of delight. 3. By all with enthusiastic rapture. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: {A Psalm.} O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. |
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