Sermon Notes
July 10, 2016
“Singing A New Song”
Psalm 40: 1- 5, 16- 17
(Contemporary English Version)
A Prayer for Help
1
I patiently waited, LORD,
for you to hear my prayer.
You listened 2 and pulled me
from a lonely pit
full of mud and mire.
You let me stand on a rock
with my feet firm,
3
and you gave me a new song,
a song of praise to you.
Many will see this,
and they will honor
and trust
you, the LORD God.
4
You bless all of those
who trust you, LORD,
and refuse to worship idols
or follow false gods.
5
You, LORD God, have done
many wonderful things,
and you have planned
marvelous things for us.
No one is like you!
I would never be able to tell
all you have done.
16
Our LORD, let your worshipers
rejoice and be glad.
They love you for saving them,
so let them always say,
“The LORD is wonderful!”
17
I am poor and needy,
but, LORD God,
you care about me,
and you come to my rescue.
Please hurry and help.
(PSALM #2)
Reflection on the Word:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why does this Psalm end with a petition for help?
What are there two “moods” in this Psalm?
Why a new song?
What is the message of Psalm 40 to the original hearers and readers?
Family Time or Small Group Discussion:
1. As a child, what big “thing” or event do you remember waiting for? How did you feel when the
event finally came or the big “thing” was yours?
2. Are you good at waiting?
3. What events or things affect your worship of God?
4. What is more important: remembering God’s actions in the past or confidence and hope in God’s
future actions?
5. What new song has God given you chance to sing?
Series Progression:
If last week surprised you … you’re not alone.
I grew up in the Church and had never heard of the connection between Psalm 22 and the crucifixion
of Jesus. I had never heard about the piercing of hands and feet, the throwing of dice, the thirst, the
mockery, and the insults … I had never heard of these things from the pen of David. These had always
been words penned by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; the New Testament writers. David was not a
recorder of the Gospel and yet, in striking detail that is what he did.
I remember talking with a Messianic Jew many years ago. What brought this brother to faith in Christ
was Psalm 22. He told me that he could see with his “heart eyes” Jesus praying Psalm 22 while on the
cross; a Psalm that begins with “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” and ends with a
proclamation that future generations will see that the LORD saves.
Indeed, the Lord does save and David experienced the saving grace of our Lord many years before
Christ came into the world.
In our PSALM sermon series, “P” stand for prophetic. Psalm 22 is a superb example of prophecy that
we often find in the words of Scripture. Words that provide a glimpse into the future and are revealed in
time. But there is also another dimension to these words. Due to time, I didn’t get chance to tell the story
of how my faith was restored by the words of this Psalm.
My first battle with cancer was a struggle. A struggle because I had given up so much to walk with
God on the road to becoming a pastor. I had given up a great job to go back to school. As a math major,
I hardly had to read and write papers. In seminary, that is pretty much all we did!
When I was diagnosed, I became very angry at God. I kept that anger inside and it festered and ate
away at my soul. That is until a friend confronted me and called me out. “If it was okay for David to
write and for Jesus to say “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” then why can’t you?” I let
loose and was forever changed and oddly an innocent prayer was answered in time.
The words from this Psalm strangely led me to a deeper prayer life when I found the strength to trust
God in all things. And that is where I am now as well. The past year has reminded me of the importance
of visiting this well again.
Series Resource:
Spirituality of the Psalms, Walter Brueggemann; Fortress Press, 2002.
Sermon Resource:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l40S5e90KY
A video featuring Bono and Eugene Petersen talking about the Psalms and the Message.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcTA2Y0pOPA
U2 Live at Red Rocks. This song was a favorite of mine growing up and introduced me to the Psalms.
Sermon Points:
If only I could grow a mullet again? I would just for this sermon!
Of course that would mean that I would have to go back to the 1980’s. 1982 to be exact. And I would
pick up a record from the record store. I’d place the record on the turntable. I’d make sure that it was set
on 33 rpm’s. Sometimes, you’d listen to a single at 45 rpm’s. How many of you remember those good
old days?
I’d gently let down the record needle. Scratch and pop. Then it would play. Play through the stereo
speakers. Stereo speakers with symphonic sound and as tall as a fifth grade child. Ah, the glory days.
How I miss them so!
I miss them as much as I miss my mullet. It was so totally awesome to have hair. Hair on the back of
your head. Flowing hair. Long hair. Hair just like my childhood idol, Bono, of the Irish Rock and Roll
group U2.
I was the first one in my neighborhood to purchase a U2 record. They were my band. And while my
buddies were listening to Journey, Rush, and John Cougar Mellancamp, I was a U2 fan.
I put that record needle to the test. And I played U2 over and over again nearly wearing out the black
vinyl groves. I made my friends listen to U2 over and over again. I had the best record player.
I’ll never forget one of my friends saying, “Hey, I hear U2 is a Christian band.”
“A Christian band?” I didn’t know that there was such a thing as a rock and roll Christian band.
And so I asked, “How are they a Christian band?”
“You know that last song that you always skip? It’s Christian. It has something to do with the Bible.”
Me and my mullet waited till the boys left and I did some investigating. I listened to the last song on a
U2 album called War. The title of this last song was called “40”. I ran upstairs from the family room and
I got my Bible that in truth I rarely opened. I looked up “40” … Psalm 40 to be exact. And I remember
… I remember thinking could I sing a new song like that?
A song …
A new song …
Old songs are great. Don’t get me wrong. I listen to old songs all of the time. Songs from my hair
filled past that take me back to yesteryears. Years that, in truth, seem so much better now, then they
actually were back then.
But I also remember, from way back when, the power of a new song. When they would release a new
song on the radio, wasn’t it magical? You kind of stopped and listened. Listened with every fiber of your
being. You’d run to the store hoping that they had the single and you couldn’t wait to play it over and
over again. Then you’d tell all of your friends, “Did you hear the new song?”
“Isn’t it great? I can’t wait for the record to come out!” I’m showing my age aren’t I?
But even in the new download world of music, a new song generates a buzz. It brings excitement. And
it helps you to know that life moves forward. Forward like a record on a turntable. And sometimes life
seems as if it is moving fast … 45’s. And sometimes life seems slower at 33 speed. But whether life is
fast or it is slow, it helps to sing.
Singing comes from the soul. It’s the soul’s way of communicating. And no one knew this better than
David who wrote many of the Psalms. David had every intention that these Psalms would be sung. Sung
in good times. Sung in bad times. Sung with a courtyard of people watching. Sung in the evening while
the warm fires danced. Sung in the new light of the morning as the sun kissed the tops of tress. Sung
while on the run from Saul and his armies. Sung in a cave. Sung because the soul needs to be set free.
David started singing one night, long ago. “I waited patiently for the Lord. He inclined and heard my
cry. He lifted me out of the lonely pit, out of the mirey clay and I will sing. Sing a new song. I will sing.
Sing a new song. I will sing.”
Sing about how God had placed him on a rock and made his footsteps firm. And with a new song and
a firm footing, many will see, hear, honor and trust the Lord God who loves when we sing.
God loves when we sing because when we sing the songs of our faith, our souls worship freely. Our
voices raise together in a chorus of praise that joins with all of Creation in singing the praise that our
God deserves.
Our LORD, let your worshipers
rejoice and be glad.
They love you for saving them,
so let them always say,
“The LORD is wonderful!”
Indeed, the Lord is wonderful and worthy of our praise and thanksgiving. Indeed, the Lord is
wonderful because the Lord God knows that we are poor and needy. The Lord cares about us and comes
to our aid to rescue us from that which we most need rescuing.
Seated on the throne is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and gives life to those
who believe. Surround by the saints who sing “Holy, Holy Holy is the Lord God almighty.” And the
Lamb of God speaks from the throne and says, “I am making all things new.”
And that is why we sing … singing a new song that many need to hear. So let us sing. Amen.
Provoking Thought for the Week:
"You may kill my body but you cannot destroy my soul.”
- Che Kam Kong (China, 1871)