Our Alleluia Song
It is thought that Psalm 98 belongs to a collection called “enthronement psalms” which includes Psalms 47, 93, and 95-99. Psalm 98 is a psalm of praise that shares the anticipated coming of the Lord to rule His people. Jesus fulfilled this anticipated coming where He came to save us from our sins and remind us of His merciful promises. He is both lovingly perfect and always just.
We read in this psalm that we, His people, are invited to sing a new song to the Lord with gratefulness in our hearts for His wonderful deeds. He has announced His victory and revealed His righteousness to every nation and promised to remember that He will always show love and faithfulness to His people in Israel. His charge was for the people to shout to the Lord and break out in praise and sing for joy. These were songs sung by the people of Israel in giving praise for the victory over their enemies which eventually led the exiles to return to their homeland.
Psalm 98 continues to ring true today as we sing the popular Christmas hymn “Joy to the World,” which was written with Psalm 98 as its lyrical text. This is one of the few Christmas hymns that didn’t speak of the first coming but instead referred to the second coming of Jesus. It has also been identified as, not only a Christmas carol, but also a “Kingdom hymn.” Isaac Watts wrote “Joy to the World” in 1719 but had no idea at the time how important these words would be or that he had just written one of the most popular Christmas carols in America.
Is this true of our lives today? Do we know how important our life is and do we announce the faithfulness and love that the Lord promises each day? We have no idea how the Lord uses our words and our lives to make a difference in our world today. The people of Israel went through hardships but continued to be a model from which today we learn how to live and trust the Lord our God. I pray that our legacy will model every day a new song that the Lord gives us demonstrating His wonderful care and love.
We are encouraged to break out in Alleluia and sing a new song in spite of our circumstances. Augustine said, “The true Christian should be an Alleluia from head to foot.” From the rising to the setting of the sun, we are called to make Alleluia our song this Advent season.
Have you let the Bethlehem child change your life through your Alleluia song today?
Colette Cross, Tallowood Single Purpose Connect Group Leader
