Voice: Shivdas
Today is Wednesday, 17th of December. As we begin another day, pay attention to His presence and blessings in the little moments in your life.
In this Season of Advent, we pray:
Almighty God,
as your kingdom dawns,
turn us from the darkness of sin to the
light of holiness,
that we may be ready to meet you
in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Psalm 96
Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;[a]
tremble before him, all the earth!
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as It was in the beginning, is
now, and shall be forever. Amen.
Sing a new Song
New songs abound in our day and age. Through Spotify or YouTube, we can discover fresh music every single day, in whatever genre we prefer.
But in the time when the Psalms were written, a new song was something rare and significant. Songs were not produced casually or frequently; they were often composed to mark a major event, a victory, or a profound encounter with God. To sing “a new song” in Scripture was never about novelty or preference—it was an act of worship in response to God doing something new among His people.
In a way, this is also true of how many popular songs are written today. Often it takes either a deep wound or a deep joy—some moment of great emotional weight—to inspire a songwriter to compose something new.
In Psalm 96, when the psalmist calls us to “sing to the Lord a new song,” he is inviting us to renew our vision of who God is. For “He is great and greatly to be praised.” Such a God deserves fresh praise continually, for we are to “declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all peoples!”
All families of the earth are summoned to “ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name.” This is why we gather every Sunday—to praise God together. When we approach Sunday worship asking primarily how we might benefit from the service, we have turned the tables around. We shift the focus from blessing God to wanting God to bless us. We turn a “service” meant for serving God into something self-serving.
In the final verses, the psalmist moves beyond humanity to include the whole of creation—earth and sky, sea and forest. All creation rejoices before the Lord. The heavens are glad, the seas roar, and even the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Will you sing a new song to the Lord today?
Even if you are not able to compose one, a familiar hymn or chorus can take on fresh meaning when sung from a renewed heart.
Very often, the ability to worship joyfully is a sign of spiritual health. We love God, we sense His nearness, and we acknowledge His goodness.
But perhaps today you feel spiritually low, emotionally heavy, or simply “out of sorts.”
Try singing a new song—and may your soul break forth into praise.
Join in this Prayer of St.Thomas A Kempis, (1380-1470)
Lord, You know what is best; let this be done or that be done as You please. Give what You will, as much as You will, when You will. Do with me as You know best, as will most please You, and will be for Your greater honor. Place me where You will and deal with me freely in all things. I am in Your hand; turn me about whichever way You will. Behold, I am Your servant, ready to obey in all things. Not for myself do I desire to live, but for You – would that I could do this worthily and perfectly! Amen.
Be blessed by spontaneous song of worship: More than a Song
I have more than a song
Today, I brought myself
I am the sacrifice
I have more than a song
Today, hey, I brought myself
I am Your worship
Lord receive
This living sacrifice
I am Yours
Accept this living sacrifice
I am Your worship
Link to today’s Morning Office
About This Daily Devotion
This weekday devotion is drawn from the Morning Office and is part of a project initiated by Revd Canon Terry Wong, with contributions from clergy and members across various parishes. Each entry includes selected readings from the appointed Psalm and another Scripture passage, accompanied by a reflection and prayer. An audio option is also available, often ending with a hymn or song. We encourage you to both read and listen.
Our aim is to help Anglicans engage more deeply with our rich liturgical tradition, while meeting the devotional needs of today’s believers. This project began on Ash Wednesday 2025 and is offered on weekdays only.
For feedback, please write to us at info@mpcc.org.sg
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