A new victory song (Isa 42:10-42:13)

“Sing to Yahweh a new song!

Sing of his praise

From the ends of the earth!

Let the sea roar!

Let all that fills it roar!

Let the coastlands roar!

Let their inhabitants roar!

Let the desert lift up its voice!

Let its towns lift up their voice!

Let the villages that Kedar inhabits

Lift up their voice!

Let the inhabitants of Sela sing for joy!

Let them shout

From the top of the mountains!      

Let them give glory to Yahweh!

Let them declare his praise in the coastlands!

Yahweh goes forth

Like a soldier.

Like a warrior,

He stirs up his fury.

He cries out!

He shouts aloud!

He shows himself mighty

Against his foes.”

This section of Second Isaiah is like a hymn, a song, a psalm, a new victory chant to a victorious Yahweh, instead of an admonition directly from him as in the preceding section. They were to sing a new song to Yahweh praising him from the ends of the earth. The seas and everything in it should roar. The coastline with its inhabitants should roar praise for Yahweh. The desert and its towns should roar with praise for Yahweh. Even the Kedar Arab tribe and its villages should lift up their voices. Sela, the capital of Edom, and its inhabitants should also sing for joy. They should all shout from the mountain tops to give glory to the Lord, so that even the coastlands can hear it. The soldier Yahweh was a great furious warrior who cried out and shouted aloud as he showed his might against his enemies. This clearly was a military victory chant because of mighty Yahweh.

Let me never forget Jerusalem (Ps 137:4-137:6)

“How could we sing Yahweh’s song

In a foreign land?

If I forget you,

O Jerusalem!

Let my right hand wither!

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth,

If I do not remember you,

If I do not set Jerusalem

Above my highest joy.”

The psalmist asked how he could sing a song about Yahweh when he was in a foreign land. If he had forgotten Jerusalem, his right hand should wither. His tongue should stick to the roof of his mouth. He was always going to remember Jerusalem as his greatest joy. He would never forget that wonderful place.

Praise Yahweh (Ps 69:30-69:33)

“I will praise the name of God with a song!

I will magnify him with thanksgiving!

This will please Yahweh

More than an ox.

This will please Yahweh

More than a bull with horns and hoofs.

Let the oppressed see it!

Let them be glad!

You who seek God,

Let your hearts revive!

Yahweh hears the needy.

Yahweh does not despise his own that are in bonds.”

David was going to praise the name of God with a song. He felt that his song would magnify this thanksgiving praise. This will please Yahweh more than the sacrifices of oxen and bulls. This might be a post-exilic composition. Those who were oppressed should see the glory of God. They should be happy so that their hearts would be revived. Yahweh hears the cries of the needy and does not despise them.

Blessed be Yahweh (Ps 28:6-28:7)

“Blessed be Yahweh!

He has heard the sound of my pleadings.

Yahweh is my strength!

Yahweh is my shield!

In him my heart trusts!

So I am helped!

My heart exults!

With my song

I give thanks to him.”

Yahweh is to be blessed. He has heard the sounds of his pleadings. Yahweh is his strength and shield against all enemies. His heart trusts in Yahweh since he has been helped. This is more thanksgiving than pleading. His heart exalted so that he could sing a song of thanksgiving.

The innocent (Ps 26:6-26:7)

“I wash my hands in innocence.

I go around your altar.

Yahweh!

I sing aloud a song of thanksgiving.

I tell all your wondrous deeds.”

David once again maintained his innocence. He washed his hands in innocence in some sort of liturgical worship action in the Temple. He walked around the altar of Yahweh. Theoretically only a Levite could do this. He sang a song of thanksgiving that told all about the wondrous deeds of Yahweh.