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A new song is called for in the fourth Hallelujah Psalm (149:); this speaks of "the
King" (verse 2), and also speaks of Israel, and His saints who have the honour to execute
"the judgment written", thereby linking the redeemed nation with the Lord who cometh
to judge the earth. In Isaiah 42: 19 we again meet with a new song, this time closely
connected with the "new things" predicted in verse 9. These "new things" begin to be
unfolded in the next chapter; in 43: 19 the Lord says, "Behold, I will do a new thing",
and the rest of the chapter, together with that following, emphasizes the future
deliverance of Israel:--
"Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth;
break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein: for the Lord hath
redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel" (Isa. 44: 23).
We read later of "a new name" (62: 2), and "a new heavens and a new earth"
(65: 17). The new songs of Psalms and Isaiah are prophetic, they have never yet been
sung. The new song of Rev. 5: seems to link all these prophetic songs together. The
fact that the Lamb had prevailed and was worthy to open the seals was a proof that the
long promised kingdom was about to be set up; this necessarily included the redemption
of Israel, and the rule of the saints over the earth according to the promise given in
Rev. 2: 26, 27, and leads on to the new Jerusalem, the new heaven and the new earth.
"They sing a new Song". This is the first song recorded in the New Testament!
Eph. 5: 19 and Col. 3: 16 being exhortations, not records. This new song opens with
the words, "Thou art worthy". It seems as though song had ceased on earth and in
heaven whilst the Lord of glory stooped to die, and not until the moment comes for the
rejected One to take unto Himself His great power, does the songless silence break, and
heaven once more ring with harmony. Seven times does this word worthy (axios) occur
in the Revelation, and in the following order:--
A | 3: 4. They shall walk in white, for they are worthy.
B | 4: 11. Thou art worthy to receive glory.
C | 5: 2. Who is worthy to open the book?
D | 5: 4. No man was found worthy.
C | 5: 9. Thou art worthy to take the book.
B | 5: 12. Worthy is the Lamb to receive power.
A | 16: 6. Given them blood to drink, for they are worthy.
The worthiness of the Lamb is ascribed to His work of redemption, "Because Thou
wast slain and didst purchase for God, by Thy blood, out of every tribe and tongue and
people and nation". The A.V. reads, "and hast redeemed us", but the word "us" must be
omitted. In verse 10 the A.V. reads, "and hast made us" and "we shall reign"; the critical
Greek text and the R.V. read "them" and "they", for "us" and "we". The redemption
spoken of, therefore, is not the redemption of the singers; they sing of the redemption of
others. Who are the others that are redeemed? Are they the saved ones of all nations of
the earth? No, this cannot be, for these redeemed ones are made "a kingdom and priests",
a destiny reserved for one nation only, namely, Israel. If this be so, the redemption
spoken of is that of the dispersed Israel scattered among the nations.