向耶和華唱新歌、在聖民的會中讚美祂(詩149篇)

你們要讚美耶和華、向耶和華唱新歌、在聖民的會中讚美他。(詩 149：1)

讀到詩篇這裡，已接近詩篇整卷的尾聲。回首整卷詩篇，都是在表明如何向神禱告、如何讚美神。本篇第一節再次提到一個讚美神的方法：要「向耶和華唱新歌，在聖民的會中讚美祂」。

這是在說，讚美天上真神，要唱「新歌」，不是隨便的歌。何謂「新歌」呢？怎麼唱？

在聖經中多處提到「新歌」，特別是在啟示錄中，聖民頌讚神所唱的就是新歌。

我又觀看、見羔羊站在錫安山、同他又有十四萬四千人、都有他的名、和他父的名、寫在額上。我聽見從天上有聲音、像眾水的聲音、和大雷的聲音．並且我所聽見的好像彈琴的所彈的琴聲。他們在寶座前、並在四活物和眾長老前唱歌、彷彿是新歌．除了從地上買來的那十四萬四千人以外、沒有人能學這歌。(啟 14：1-3)

關於新歌，這裡說：「除了從地上買來的那十四萬四千人以外、沒有人能學這歌。」可見不是人編的，更不是世俗的靡靡之音，而是「心被恩感，歌頌神」的讚美詩歌。

當用各樣的智慧、把基督的道理、豐豐富富的存在心裏、〔或作當把基督的道理豐豐富富的存在心裏以各樣的智慧〕用詩章、頌詞、靈歌、彼此教導、互相勸戒心被恩感歌頌神。(西 3：16)

讚美神，就不是在讚美人、甚至讚美自己，所以有沒有感動？動不動聽？技藝高不高超？並不是重點，而是有沒有「發自內心」的真誠，且是「心被恩感」，絕不是來自於情慾的「為賦新辭強說愁」，只為彰顯自己的能力所勉強編寫出來的詩歌。關於新歌，是來自於「用各樣的智慧，把基督的道理、豐豐富富的存在心裡」，是在聖靈裡多方咀嚼聖經神的話，藉由聖靈的感動，所發出的頌讚，絕不是無病呻吟的作品。

既然說「新」，自然是從來沒有在別的地方使用過的。因此新歌除了對神唱，就絕不用在其他場合來「表演」。像詩篇曾說：

我們怎能在外邦唱耶和華的歌呢？耶路撒冷阿、我若忘記你、情願我的右手忘記技巧。我若不記念你、若不看耶路撒冷過於我所最喜樂的、情願我的舌頭貼於上膛。(詩 137：4-6)

這裡可以看出讚美神的新歌，是不會輕易對人唱的。另外，新，自然是分別為聖的，必定是由分別為聖的人所唱出來的，就像那從地上買來的十四萬四千人一樣，是聖潔毫無瑕疵的人。人不聖潔，就唱不出耶和華的新歌，因為新歌是神同在才能唱出來的。沒有用真實敬拜的心來唱詩，就不是新歌。

因此，讚美神，要先求自己聖潔，用謙卑感恩的心，唱分別為聖的詩歌，且要在聖民當中讚美祂，如此才是神所喜悅的。

所以，平常我們唱詩讚美神時，有反省自己如同十四萬四千人那樣的聖潔嗎？我們會重視唱歌時的炫技、更甚乎誠心誠意的讚美嗎？我唱詩是因感念神的大恩而唱的嗎？我唱的，真的是神面前所悅納的新歌嗎？

我朝見耶和華、在至高神面前跪拜、當獻上甚麼呢？豈可獻一歲的牛犢為燔祭麼？耶和華豈喜悅千千的公羊、或是萬萬的油河麼？我豈可為自己的罪過獻我的長子麼？為心中的罪惡獻我身所生的麼？世人哪、耶和華已指示你何為善、他向你所要的是甚麼呢？只要你行公義、好憐憫、存謙卑的心、與你的神同行。(彌 6：6-8)

By Isaiah Kao

Sing to the LORD a New Song, and Praise Him in the Assembly of the Godly Ones  (Psalm 149)

“Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song,

And His praise in the assembly of the godly ones.” (Psalm 149:1, NASB 2020)

As we read this psalm, we are nearing the end of the entire Book of Psalms. Looking back over the whole book, it consistently shows how to pray to God and how to praise Him. In the first verse of this psalm, once again a way of praising God is mentioned: “Sing to the LORD a new song, and praise Him in the assembly of the godly ones.”

This tells us that when praising the true God in heaven, we are to sing a “new song,” not just any song. What, then, is a “new song”? And how should it be sung?

In many places in the Bible, “new songs” are mentioned, especially in the book of Revelation, where the praise sung by the saints before God is described as a new song,

“Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the sound which I heard was like harpists playing on their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth.”

(Revelation 14:1–3, NASB 2020)

Concerning the new song, it says: “no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth.” This shows clearly that it is not composed by humans, nor is it worldly or decadent music. Rather, it is praise that comes from "a heart deeply moved by grace", a song that truly glorifies God.

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

(Colossians 3:16, NASB 2020)

To praise God is not to praise people, nor even to praise oneself. Therefore, whether one feels emotionally stirred, whether the song sounds pleasant, or whether the technique is impressive,these are not the focus. What matters is whether it comes from a sincere heart, "a heart that is truly thankful and moved by grace". It must never be a song that comes from fleshly emotion, nor something forced " for new phrases, pretend to be sad" to display one’s own ability. A new song comes from "letting the word of Christ richly dwell in the heart", from repeatedly meditating on God’s word and from praise that flows out through the Holy Spirit's prompting. It is never a "needless lamenting" creation.

Since it is called “new,” it naturally means that it has never been used elsewhere. Therefore, a new song is sung to God alone and is never used in other settings as a form of “performance.” As the Psalms say:

“How can we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?

If I forget you, Jerusalem,

May my right hand forget its skill.

May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth

If I do not remember you,

If I do not exalt Jerusalem

Above my chief joy.”

(Psalm 137:4–6, NASB 2020)

From this we can see that a new song of praise to God is not something lightly sung before people. Moreover, since it is “new,” it is set apart as holy. It must be sung by those who are set apart as holy, just like the 144,000 who were purchased from the earth, who are described as holy and without blemish. A person who is not holy cannot sing the LORD’s new song, because a new song can only be sung where God’s presence is. Without a heart of true worship, what is sung is not a new song.

Therefore, when praising God, we must first seek personal holiness. With humble and thankful hearts, we are to sing songs that are set apart as holy, and to praise Him among the holy people. Only such praise is pleasing to God.

So, usually when we sing hymns and praise to God, do we examine ourselves to see whether we reflect the holiness of those 144,000? Do we value vocal display and skill more than sincere and wholehearted praise? Do we sing because we truly remember God’s great grace? What we sing, is it really a new song that God accepts?

“With what shall I come before the LORD

And bow myself before the God on high?

Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,

With yearling calves?

Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams,

In ten thousand rivers of oil?

Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts,

The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

He has told you, mortal one, what is good;

And what does the LORD require of you

But to do justice, to love kindness,

And to walk humbly with your God?”

(Micah 6:6–8, NASB 2020)