A New Song

July 20, 2018

Back in the early nineties hen we first embraced “contemporary” worship, it was pretty basic stuff. The Jesus People of the sixties had produced simple songs that gave testimony to the miracle of salvation they had found in Christ, but they also revived a form of music that had all but died out in Evangelical worship—Scripture choruses. The Psalter has been a staple of Christian worship from the very beginning, but I don’t remember ever singing Scripture when I was young.

One of the early Scripture songs we sang was taken not from the Psalms, but from Isaiah. I ran across it today, but since I’ve been reading through the Bible in the Message version, I didn’t recognize it at first. I don’t know why anyone thought to put this particular verse to music; at first glance, it doesn’t appear to have any great or unusual message, but tonight I’m glad to be humming it in my mind. 

The song goes:

Therefore the Redeemed of the Lord shall return

And come with singing unto Zion,

And everlasting joy shall be upon their heads (repeat)

They shall obtain gladness and joy

And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Therefore the Redeemed of the Lord shall return

And come with singing unto Zion,

And everlasting joy shall be upon their heads.

The Scripture is Isaiah 35:10–

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and singing shall flee away.

Every so often, we need reminding of God’s promises. Life was going badly for Israel in Isaiah’s day. Assyria, the bullying superpower of the day, was flexing its muscles, and little Israel was the 98 lb. weakling getting sand kicked in her face. It didn’t appear that things were ever going to work out for them, but God promises here that the day will come when he not only works things out, but does it with flair. I am thankful for this song that is now running through my head, reminding me that no matter what this world brings us, God is bringing salvation Joy. That is something to sing about!