Christmas B > Psalm 96 > Cantate Domino
Psalm 96 (NRSV)
Psalm 96 RCL context (BCP)
1 "Sing to the LORD a new song"
A new song. (Not an old one.)
I'm kind of obsessed with iPod as an image opposed to (or at least in tension with) the church's song.
It's easy to get "new" music onto your iPod. In fact, that's kind of what the iPod is about. Hipness, currentness. We like our music the way we like our news: as commodity. We like it to be timely and trendy.
In an age when we buy music in an individualized way and, once we have that music, just listen to it ourselves, it's hard to realize what a celebratory thing singing "a new song" is.
And the question of singing is another matter entirely. Most people listen to their iPods. Some hum along, but few sing well without them.
Think about the enormous body of Gregorian chant. If you don't know, there's a lot of it. This is a well-crafted, well-preserved body of songs. Chants weren't added willy-nilly; they changed over time. With a little trope of this or that gradually old pieces became changed, but never really "new".
I would imagine this body of corporate song (not individualized iPod "song") is very similar to what existed in ancient Israel.
Psalm 96 reflects that this body song was wonderful, but it was also recognized that God is so great that he must be praised in ways that we do not have.
The inbreaking of God to the earth through his Son Jesus Christ is marvelous, and it elicits a sung response!
And so, in wonderful circularity, we sing an old psalm that demands that we perpetually renew our song. And not just that, but that we renew it together, in community.
Pass the iPod, or plug it in and turn it up really loud. Let everyone hear and join the song.
1b: "Sing to the LORD, all the whole earth."
This is certainly a timely reminder. (One that you might put on your iPod?)
Merry Christmas!
Psalm 96 RCL context (BCP)
1 "Sing to the LORD a new song"
A new song. (Not an old one.)
I'm kind of obsessed with iPod as an image opposed to (or at least in tension with) the church's song.
It's easy to get "new" music onto your iPod. In fact, that's kind of what the iPod is about. Hipness, currentness. We like our music the way we like our news: as commodity. We like it to be timely and trendy.
In an age when we buy music in an individualized way and, once we have that music, just listen to it ourselves, it's hard to realize what a celebratory thing singing "a new song" is.
And the question of singing is another matter entirely. Most people listen to their iPods. Some hum along, but few sing well without them.
Think about the enormous body of Gregorian chant. If you don't know, there's a lot of it. This is a well-crafted, well-preserved body of songs. Chants weren't added willy-nilly; they changed over time. With a little trope of this or that gradually old pieces became changed, but never really "new".
I would imagine this body of corporate song (not individualized iPod "song") is very similar to what existed in ancient Israel.
Psalm 96 reflects that this body song was wonderful, but it was also recognized that God is so great that he must be praised in ways that we do not have.
The inbreaking of God to the earth through his Son Jesus Christ is marvelous, and it elicits a sung response!
And so, in wonderful circularity, we sing an old psalm that demands that we perpetually renew our song. And not just that, but that we renew it together, in community.
Pass the iPod, or plug it in and turn it up really loud. Let everyone hear and join the song.
1b: "Sing to the LORD, all the whole earth."
This is certainly a timely reminder. (One that you might put on your iPod?)
Merry Christmas!
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