In Psalm 96 it encourages God’s people to sing a new song to the Lord. It sounds like a nice idea but I have to admit learning a new song can be awkward. Last year I joined a choir and had to find my part as a tenor as we learnt new songs. We worked for 6 months learning our new songs to perform. We learnt new words and new harmonies. Along the way there were many mistakes as each part was practiced and then added into the mix. Yet even then it was not simply a case of knowing the words and music but more signficantly owning the emotions within the words, expereincing them so as to convey meaning.
As people of faith the invitation and exhortaion to sing a new song is the invitation to discipleship, to commit ourselves to the transformation of the Holy Spirit which is already at work in us. To own the words we sing and experience them. This becomes not simply a way of udnerstanding new music in the church but any new learnings or inspiration that comes in our walk of faith. As we encounter new learnings and new experiecnes often the journey from the first encounter to the owndership and living of that aspect of our faith takes time effort and energy. This is simply part of our pilgrimage as we learn to sing new songs.