Rev.4:8-10 – When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they *sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation”.
“You have made them into a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”
Today’s scripture verse is taken from the worship scene in heaven. John is observing supernatural worship that is flowing out from the throne of God. All of heaven from the seraphim to the angels and the 24 elders to the redeemed from all of the earth were caught up in this glorious new song of thanksgiving. In that holy atmosphere there is no diversion, nothing to block us from the beauty of the new song, on earth it can be more complicated. We need the moving of the Spirit to change our atmosphere that we might be caught up in the beauty of worship. Here is something Jonathan Edwards said about this in his Thanksgiving sermon from 1740.
“The song of the redeemed saints is new when compared with what was in their fallen and natural state, as they were worldly, when they were in a miserable condition, exposed to everlasting ruin, and their hearts full of enmity against God. They might have their hearts full of outward mirth and might rejoice in their youth, and their hearts might cheer them in the days of their youth and might rejoice in their outward possessions, and in their sinful pleasures and their temporal advancement. Natural men may fare sumptuously, and may entertain themselves with music and dancing and sing songs for their pleasure and diversion.”
Edwards draws the comparison of the song of the redeemed to the singing of the lost. Actually there is no comparison. The lost sing empty songs flowing from an empty heart. The redeemed have hearts filled with love for God that is a result of their sins being forgiven and their hearts being made brand new. The beauty of Thanksgiving Day is that it belongs to God’s people. We can only understand the new song of thanksgiving when our hearts are overflowing with His love.