Long before God atoned for our sins through His Son and proclaimed forgiveness for all mankind, this Psalm declared one universal truth: regardless of time or ignorance, God’s redemption was already at work, and those who loved Him could perceive that salvation came by His grace. Because of this, we are called to live out the good news we have received.
Unfortunately, many believe that forgiveness is confined to a single religion, as if it belongs only to one group rather than all people. Yet Jesus did not come to established a religion—He came to show us how to be reconciled to the Father. After His ascension, believers met in homes to reflect on Jesus’ work and how it reconciled them to God.
Around A.D. 41–42 in Antioch, disciples of Paul and Barnabas were first labelled “Christians” by local observers, as recorded in Acts 11:26. From that day, the designation endured. At first, the term was likely used by outsiders—some scholars suggest even with a mocking tone—yet within a short time, believers embraced it as a badge of honour, as seen later in 1 Peter 4:16. However, as Christianity expanded, “Christian” increasingly became just a religious label. Unfortunately, for many today, this label has taken on associations that hinder rather than help people follow Jesus’ path to our Heavenly Father (Hebrews 10:19–23).
His Faithfulness To Us
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
The LORD has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God. – Psalms 98:1-3 (NIV)
People often praise God and sing new songs to Him when they feel they’ve received a blessing or been protected. We see this in the example of the Israelites, who sang a new song after God led them through the Red Sea, proclaiming His triumph over their enemies. Yet, they said nothing about God’s enduring love. Even today, many believers overlook His constant love and daily protection, offering thanks only during moments of visible deliverance, such as escaping an accident or receiving a long-awaited blessing like the birth of a child.
But the truth is, God blesses us continually and protects us in countless unseen ways. Many times, He removes threats from our lives before we’re even aware of them. Yet, we tend to thank Him only when we recognise how narrowly we escaped harm. It is these moments that we often count as His “marvellous deeds.”
However, we often fail to acknowledge the most astonishing act of all: God’s saving grace. Before we even realised our lost condition, He redeemed us from eternal death. That the Almighty God would set aside His glory, take on human flesh, bear our sins, and die in our place is a depth of love and grace that surpasses understanding. Even more, Jesus—having died—rose again on the third day through the power of the Spirit of God. His lifeless body breathed again, sealed within a tomb, brought back to life. This is the greatest wonder God has ever performed, all because He loves us and forgave our sins.
If anything else seems more marvellous to us than this act of agape love and redemption, it reveals much about the state of our hearts. Consistently or occasionally, when we find our God faithful, are we faithful to Him? The Gospel of John declares that by giving His only Son, God revealed His love to all mankind. Through the obedience of the Son, the world witnessed God’s salvation. And Jesus Himself emphasised that the Gospel must be preached to all nations as a preparation for His return (Matthew 24:14).
Shout For Joy Before The LORD
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn —
shout for joy before the LORD, the King.
Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy; – Psalm 98:4-8 (NIV)
In mainline churches, choirs are usually organised to lead the congregation in singing praises to God, while in other churches, worship teams with orchestras take on this role. In both settings, singers typically rely on well-tuned harmonies and musical notes to sing in unison. However, individuals who struggle to recognise pitch or follow musical notes often sing off-key, which can be frustrating for more musically inclined members.
In smaller prayer gatherings, if someone sings off-tune, the group may abruptly stop, and after subtly blaming the off-key singer, they resume, implicitly discouraging those who find it hard to stay in tune from participating. Interestingly, even skilled singers sometimes choose to remain silent, preferring to quietly reflect on the priceless meaning of the lyrics rather than sing. For choir or worship team members, however, such quiet meditation is rarely possible, as they must adhere to strict musical rules to maintain harmony and rhythm. But the people deprived of singing have this beautiful opportunity.
This Psalm encourages us to shout for joy to the Lord. This joy is not reserved only for mankind—it is extended to all creation. When the roaring sea crashes against the shore or the tempest whistles through the air, what sounds like chaos to many becomes inspiration for skilled musicians, who craft masterpieces from such noise. If humans can extract beauty from what others call noise, how much more can God, the Creator, delight in the raw, unrefined sounds of His creation?
This Psalm invites even those who cannot sing well to shout joyfully to the Lord. It teaches us that the expression of salvation’s joy can become a sweet melody in God’s ears, regardless of musical skill. For those who struggle to sing in tune, meditating on the message of the song and its connection to God’s Word can turn worship time into a deeply meaningful experience.
Unfortunately, there are always even infants who raise praises to God, unaware of timing or rhythm, yet their uncoordinated praises bring joy to His heart. When the children shouted praises in the temple courts, the Pharisees and teachers of the law were indignant. But Jesus affirmed that their cries were more pleasing to God than the rhetorical chants of the learned (Matthew 21:16). He revealed a truth: that spontaneous praise from a pure heart touches God more deeply than rehearsed ritual.
Once, a young artisan boy with a beautiful voice earnestly asked to join the worship team during a church service. His request was denied, and his mother struggled to comfort him. Ironically, the boy might have sung better than the strained voice she managed during the worship. In such moments, we often fail to recognise the cry of a sincere soul, favouring well-rehearsed performances over heartfelt expressions of faith.
A Judgement With Equity
Let them sing before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity. – Psalm 98:9 (NIV)
This Psalm concludes with an open invitation for everyone to sing, whether their voices rise from the depths of the heart or merely from the lips. Sadly, many today sing not before the Lord but before the camera, aiming to capture attention and gather views. Some find satisfaction in singing old hymns in their original melodies, appreciating the work of past composers. But for many, that’s where the worship ends—with the tune and the performance.
The writer of How Great Thou Art called us to sing from our souls. He wrote from a deep spiritual experience, pouring out his awe of God’s greatness. Yet today, we often treat this hymn as just another beautiful piece, enhanced by piano accompaniment, rather than a cry of the soul.
Likewise, the powerful hymn It Is Well with My Soul was born from the personal pain of a man who lost his entire family but still found peace in God’s presence. Now, this song is sometimes sung by those trying to convince themselves—and others—that they are at peace, even when their hearts are breaking. When sung merely as a performance, the inner turmoil is often visible, contradicting the very words being sung.
Let us, therefore, shout to the Lord—not by imitating others, but out of our own genuine encounters with His light and salvation. Let our songs spring from a personal joy, untouched by pretence, for He has made His salvation known to all people, breaking every barrier.
Father God, give us hearts that worship You in spirit and in truth, setting aside all outward displays. Let the joy of salvation flow from us spontaneously, as we cherish the love that forgave our sins and set us free from bondage. Amen.
The Jordan Valley 
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