New Song, New Situation

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Opening Prayer

Holy One, Your Word says that fearing You is the beginning of wisdom. Grant me Your wisdom for daily living.

Read Isaiah 42:10-25

^[10] Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them. ^[11] Let the wilderness and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops. ^[12] Let them give glory to the LORD and proclaim his praise in the islands. ^[13] The LORD will march out like a champion, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal; with a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies. ^[14] “For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant. ^[15] I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn rivers into islands and dry up the pools. ^[16] I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. ^[17] But those who trust in idols, who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back in utter shame. ^[18] “Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see! ^[19] Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like the messenger I send? Who is blind like the one in covenant with me, blind like the servant of the LORD? ^[20] You have seen many things, but you pay no attention; your ears are open, but you do not listen.” ^[21] It pleased the LORD for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious. ^[22] But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in pits or hidden away in prisons. They have become plunder, with no one to rescue them; they have been made loot, with no one to say, “Send them back.” ^[23] Which of you will listen to this or pay close attention in time to come? ^[24] Who handed Jacob over to become loot, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned? For they would not follow his ways; they did not obey his law. ^[25] So he poured out on them his burning anger, the violence of war. It enveloped them in flames, yet they did not understand; it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.

Meditate

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:16).

Think Further

Books or TV commercials are often written with a twist. You are led to expect one ending when all of a sudden something completely changes your view of events. Isaiah does that to us in this section–and not just once! If we only read verses 10-13 we could concentrate on God’s greatness and the wonderful privilege that the people are called to sing his praises. Of course, both are true; but the point being made is that a new song is needed precisely because this is not the song the exiles have been singing! If we only read verses 14 and 15, we might despair at God’s destructive purposes, but that leads on to his plan to save those who acknowledge their blindness; for them, he is just waiting to turn darkness into light.

So, is this meant to be a passage of hope, or despair? Isaiah’s intention is clear; he longs, and portrays God’s longing, for Israel to be the servant they were intended to be, that they will sing the new song. He skillfully intertwines two different elements. On the one hand, he wants to shock deaf and blind Israel (19), which has not heard or seen God’s repeated messages, into recognizing their state and letting God do something about it. He is quite clear that if they don’t do this, there is no hope. On the other hand, he wants to provide real encouragement that change is possible.

The challenge for modern Christians is to make sure that the words we sing in church really are backed up by the music of our lives. God has spoken in his “great and glorious” Word (21) and showed us the path he wants us to follow. Have we heard, and have we seen?

Apply

Does the song your life is singing differ from the song you would like to sing? Try writing a verse that reflects this.

Closing prayer

Gracious God, I know I often sing way beyond where I am living for You. I need Your help so that my words and walk will honor Your name.

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