"He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD." (Psalm 40:3 NIV).

We underestimate the power of praise. Not only does praise glorify God (Psalm 50:23) and enlarge our capacity to appreciate His works, but a fresh telling of God's dealings and deliverances in our lives has a magnetic quality, drawing people to faith, causing them to "see, fear and put their trust in the Lord."

We underestimate the power of music. Those who insist that only a certain kind of melody or musical accompaniment is "Christian" are cultural elitists. God does not confine his words to the settings of 18th century European melody, 'country-western' or 'charismatic-chorus-style' formats. It is a known fact that Martin Luther set his hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is our God", to a popular drinking song. John Calvin hired secular composers to put his words to music. Stuffy critics, including the Queen of England, referred to them as 'Geneva jigs'. Handel's 'Messiah' was considered 'vulgar theater' by the religious establishment. They opposed the near- one hundred repetitions of the exclamation "Hallelujah!"

What makes a song 'Christian' is its message. The life-changing message needs to be clothed with relevance. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit translated the words of praise into the languages of all the cultures represented. It is fitting that the Holy Spirit inspires people to communicate the good news in words and music that are both welcomed and understood in the hearts of the hearer.

The words of King David's songs have outlived their melodies. The music may have given the songs an atmospheric lilt that engaged the hearts and minds of his generation, but the words live on as new generations have given them fresh melody.

The Gospel of Luke records the songs of Mary (Luke 1:46-55), Zechariah (Luke 1:59-79), Simeon (Luke 2:28-32) and Anna (Luke 2:38) as the Christmas story unfolds. It is not likely that they had any melody whatsoever. But they were true songs of praise that inspired others to "see, fear and put our trust in the Lord."

"The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things." (Luke 1:65 NIV).

We underestimate the power of our stories. The truth of God's word is relevant. We get to show its relevance when we tell our story of what God has done for us. He has put a new song in our mouths. The Holy Spirit wants to give us the heart of a psalmist. What is your latest song of thanksgiving, deliverance, or praise?

Many have a song in their heart but never let the Lord put it in their mouth. A song, once it is conceived, needs to be birthed on the lips. "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so." (Psalm 107:2). Take opportunities to share your story with others and do not underestimate its power to inspire others.

Joining with you in giving fresh voice to His praise,