Read Isaiah 25

Sing Praise To Your God

Often when we think of the songs of the Bible, our minds immediately turn to the Psalms written by David, Asaph, the sons of Korah, and others. There is beautiful imagery in the inspired poetry of the Psalms, no doubt, but we should not limit ourselves to just that collection. Inspired hymns are found throughout the Scriptures. Some estimate that one-third of the Old Testament is written in poetic form. Besides the books of poetry (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon), several of the books of prophecy are written in poetic form. The 25th chapter of Isaiah is one such example.

Take note of the personal pronouns the prophet uses in the first verse. “O Lord, you are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth” (Isaiah 25:1). The prophet is declaring his own love and devotion to God. Certainly, the words should have been representative of the entire nation, just as the songs we sing should represent the church as a whole even if the pronouns are singular.

Further, we should ever remember that when we are worshiping God in song, we are addressing Him. Our singing should never be solely an act of entertainment for ourselves, although we most certainly should derive joy from the act. After all, James encourages the “cheerful” to “sing psalms” (James 5:13). Ultimately, though, our singing is an act of worship directed toward the Almighty.

It is when Isaiah meditates on the “wonderful things” God has accomplished and ponders His “counsels of old” that are “faithfulness and truth” that the prophet is motivated to worship in song. There is both the destruction of “the terrible ones” and the diminishment of their own song (Isaiah 25:5) as well as the protection and provision of His people (Isaiah 25:6, 9) that are counted among God’s “wonderful things.”

Consider the “wonderful things” of God that you have witnessed in your own life. Contemplate the answered prayers; mull over the people He has placed in your life; think about His providence that has blessed you. Do you exalt and praise the Lord as your God?