What is a ‘New Song’ and why should Christians being “singing and psalming” them?

 

 

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The Hebrew OT uses the phrase chadash shiyr and the Greek OT atos kainos for this “New Song” anointed, prophetic, and spontaneous music that exactly corresponds with Paul’s Spirit-kind-of odes in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 for Christians!  The Hebrew chadash and Greek kainos for “New” means “fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior,” just as with the New Covenant over the old covenant.  The Greek atos means “a song, especially a lyric ode (hymn or psalm), where the Hebrew shiyr adds more of the idea of praise.”  These are praise songs, whether instrumental or not, completely unlike any other praise song that has come before, very much like an invention is not awarded a patent unless it is unique, not borrowing anything before it, thus never having been used before – and it implies that it is superior!  That’s one “packed” word!  The Church’s borrowing from the old is the key foundational problem of The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit in the Church today!

 

The world, including the Jews and the Church to follow, have always had pre-composed psalms (a) and hymns (b) for a very long time – they are near as “old” as time and very much “used.”  They may even be praise songs.  If we are really blessed, they may be “God-breathed” or inspired during the time they were composed, and thus anointed and prophetic!  But an anointed, prophetic “New Song” succeeds these, having never been heard before, improvised on the spot as spontaneous music, making it superior to anything before it!  <Notes> a) psalmos: “hit, twanged, plucked, or twitched” out songs with/without singing, b) acapella, vocal-only songs.

 

This is exactly the same language used for the “New Covenant” and everywhere this term “New” is used. God says it not only succeeds the old covenant in time, it is completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, and thus an invention of His that shares nothing with what came before, never before used, unheard of, and superior!  After extensive study and visions, that’s exactly what God showed me – nothing in the inferior box called “old covenant” is in the superior box called “New Covenant” – nothing!

 

And nothing in the superior “New Praise Songs” box is in the older inferior “psalms and hymns” box – it really is fresh!  Then shouldn’t this be our ultimate goal?  Let’s examine what these superior “New Praise Songs” are that God’s people are to ado sing or psalm to God’s praise in each assembly of the saints in addition to the old “psalms and hymns” in order to “routinely conversationally speak, teach, and admonish one another” that is associated with “being routinely filled to completion by the means of the Spirit” in order to be “in the will of the Lord” and for the “logos gospel message of Christ to dwell in you richly” per Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16.

 

Psalms 33:1-3 “Righteous ones, routinely shout/play joyfully (a: yatab, kalos) in/by/with Yahweh . . . give thanks to (f) Yahweh with the lyre/harp; Be psalming (b) to Him with the harp of 10 strings!  Sing to the praise of (c) Him a New (d) Praise Song (e); psalming (b) beautifully and joyfully in harmonious completeness (a) on the strings with loud shouts.”  Although one of the meanings here of yatab is “to do well, skillfully, or thoroughly,” this is not the dominant meaning nor does it fit the context, and so the Greek kalos more accurately describes this as “attractively good, beautiful, harmoniously, praiseworthy in a way that motivates others to embrace what is lovely.”  Yes, joy and beauty are inter-related!  The context isn’t about personal skill to bring ourselves praise, nor does it even insinuate that our skills bring praise to/FOR God, but that being made righteous by God’s unconditional-favor-of-grace, we shout with joy, we throw our hands out toward Him in surrendering confession and worship, and also that we are praising Him joyfully in harmonious peace with Him and others.  We cannot forget the emphasis or thrust of a passage and end up “majoring in the minors.”  The passage doesn’t tell where the “beautifully and joyfully in harmonious peacefulness” comes from, but it sure does NOT imply it comes from hours of practicing “in the flesh.”  However, it does tell about our attitude and focus – praising God’s with great joy!  Doesn’t this sound close to some Charismatic worship services? <Notes> a) yatab, kalos, b) zamar; psallo is to play a psalm: “hit, twanged, plucked, or twitched” a song with/without singing, c) shiyr, ado, d) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior, e) shiyr, atos, f) yadah, exomologeo:  hold out or throw your hands to confess, to worship.

 

Psalms 96:1-9 “Oh sing to the praise of (a) Yahweh a New Praise Song (b); Sing to the praise of (a) Yahweh . . . Sing to Yahweh, bless His name; tell of His salvation . . . Declare His glory . . . Yahweh is greatly to be praised; Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength . . . Ascribe to Yahweh glory due His name . . . Worship Yahweh in the splendor of holiness.” <Notes> a) shiyr, ado, b) chadash shiyr, kainos atos.

 

Psalms 98:1-6 “Oh sing to the praise of (a) Yahweh a New Praise Song (b) for He has done marvelous things! . . . Shout out/howl joyfully like a battle cry to (c) Yahweh, all the earth; break/burst forth in loud, joyful sound (d) with joyful shouting (e) with “hit, twanged, plucked, or twitched” songs with/without singing (f).”  The Greek has “Sing to the praise of (g) and/coupled jump with exceeding joy (h) and/coupled psalming (i).  Be psalming (j) to Yahweh with the lyre/harp, with the lyre/harp and the sound/voice of psalms (k)!  With trumpet and the sound of the horn, shout out/howl joyfully like a battle cry to (c) before the King Yahweh.” <Notes> a) shiyr, ado, b) chadash shiyr, kainos atos, c) ruwa’, alalazo, d) patsach, e) ranan, f) zamar, psalmos, g) ado, h) agalliao, i) psallo, j) zamar, psallo, k) zimrah, psalmos.

 

Psalms 144:1-9 “Blessed by Yahweh, my Rock . . . He is my steadfast love and my Fortress, my Stronghold and my Deliverer . . . I will sing to the praise of (a) [You] a New Praise Song (b) to you, O God; upon a 10-stringed harp/lyre I will be psalming (c) to you.” <Notes> a) shiyr, ado, b) chadash shiyr, kainos atos, c) zamar, psallo.

 

Psalms 149:1-9 “Shine forth clamorous, foolish-looking, boastful, adoring praise to Yahweh (a)!  Sing to the praise of (b) Yahweh a New Praise Song (c), His hymn of thank-offering, honor, or praise (d) in the assembly of the godly!  Let Israel brighten/cheer up/rejoice (e) in their Maker; let the children of Zion spin around with joy/rejoicing (f) or in the LXX: jump with exceeding joy (g) in their King!  Shine forth clamorous, foolish-looking, boastful, adoring praise to (h) or LXX: sing praises of thanksgiving to honor (o) His name with dancing, psalming (i) to Him with tambourine and harp/lyre! . . . Let the pious/saints to jump for joy/rejoice (j) in glory; let them shout and jump with exceeding joy (k) on their sleeping beds.  Let the lifted up praises (l) or height/high things (m) of God be in their throats . . . Shine forth clamorous, foolish-looking, boastful, adoring praise to Yahweh (n)!” <Notes> a) halal YHWH, allelouia, b) shiyr, ado, c) chadash shiyr, kainos atos, d) t’hillah, ainesis, e) samach, euphraino, f) giyl, g) agalliao, h) halal, i) zamar, psallo, j) ‘alaz, k) ranan, agalliao, l) rowmam, m) LXX: uqwseiv, n) halal YHWH, allelouia, o) aineo.

 

Isaiah 42:10-12 “Sing a hymn to the praise of (a) Yahweh a New Praise Song/Hymn (b), His hymn of thank-offering, honor, praise or glorification (c) from the end of the earth . . . let the habitants of Sela lift up (d) [their voices] or make joyful (e), let them exultingly screech or cry out from feeling (f) from the mountain tops.  Let them give glory/honor to Yahweh, and declare His hymn or good tidings/report of thank-offering, honor, or praise (g) in the coastlands.”  <Notes> a) shiyr, humneo, b) chadash shiyr, kainos humnos, c) t’hillah, doxazo, d) nasa’, e) LXX: euphraino, f) tsavach, boao, g) t’hillah, anangello.