A New Song

A New Song

He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD.

Psalm 40:3

Song leading is a tradition in Amish churches. The ancient hymns are part of tradition, and they are simple and humble. There is something special about singing with a hundred others in a full house, voices lifted to God. And there is a specific style of leading and singing in Amish churches: “When it is time to sing a song, a couple of the older men announce the song to sing by its page number in the Ausbund and who is to lead the song. So, the ‘Loblied’ is announced as 770, instead of ‘Loblied’ or 131. . . . When the Amish sing a song, the leader sings the first syllable of the line, the rest join in on the second syllable. The last syllable of a line is much shorter than the rest.”

I’ve heard from some Amish friends that because of the long, drawn-out syllables in singing, being worshipful takes work. It’s easy to miss the words when one is focused on the sounds. It’s hard to focus on the message when one is focused on the individual words. It takes a prepared heart and listening ears to discover treasure in musical tradition.

Have you been only going through the motions in your faith lately? Have words of hope and life become dull syllables in your ear? Ask God to put a new song in your heart. Have you ever experienced one? Maybe you’ve been singing along to a familiar hymn, and then suddenly the words hit you, touching your heart in a powerful way. Or maybe a familiar verse unexpectedly stirs your praise.

Ask God to give you a fresh sense of awe in every aspect of your life. Every song we sing—even those that are hundreds of years old—can be a new song from our mouths.

Dear heavenly Father, may all that’s old to me become new as Your Spirit flows through me. May a new song fill my heart and flow from my lips.