It’s an idea that pulses with life throughout Jewish tradition, a concept that goes far beyond just melody. to Midrash Tehillim, specifically Midrash Tehillim 149, and see what it has to say about this.
The midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) opens with a quote from Isaiah (43:18-19): "Do not remember the former things." The prophet urges us to look forward, to embrace the new. The Almighty, the midrash tells us, desires a new song, just as He makes all things new. The verse from Psalms (149:1) echoes this sentiment: "Sing unto the Lord a new song." But who are the "pious ones" who are meant to sing this song? According to the midrash, it's the people of Israel.
Think about pivotal moments in Jewish history. The midrash reminds us that when Israel saw the Almighty at the Red Sea, they sang a song (Exodus 15:1). When they stood at Sinai, receiving the Torah, they became righteous (Proverbs 2:7). And when they witnessed God’s glory at the Tent of Meeting (Leviticus 9:23-24), they rejoiced. Each encounter sparked a new level of devotion, a new song in their hearts.
And it won’t stop there. The text suggests that in the world to come, this piety will reach its peak (Psalm 149:1). Imagine that: rejoicing in God's presence amidst fire, hail, snow, and smoke (Psalm 148:7-14). Wait, fire and smoke? Aren't those destructive? The midrash offers a fascinating interpretation: these elements aren't inherently evil in heaven. They originate from the earth (Psalm 148:7). "No evil shall befall you" (Psalm 91:10), the text reminds us; evil resides on earth, not in God's presence.
But what about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, where God rained down brimstone and fire? (Genesis 19:24). The midrash reconciles this by stating that the decree originated in heaven, but its execution involved earthly fire. It's a reminder that God's actions, even those that appear destructive, serve a higher purpose.
The midrash then beautifully expands on the idea that everything praises God. Even if a person fails to offer thanks, creation itself – "crawling creatures" and "birds with wings" – sings His praises (Isaiah 43:20, (Psalm 148:1)0). It's a powerful image: a universe constantly in conversation with its Creator.
Interestingly, the midrash delves into the structure of Psalm 148, questioning the order in which different groups are called to praise God. Why "dragons and all deeps" before "kings of the earth and all people?" (Psalm 148:7, 148:11). It’s a subtle but important point: even the seemingly insignificant parts of creation have a role to play in praising God. The midrash sees no distinction between "young men" and "youth" but suggests that God considers "elders who are youthful" especially worthy of praise. As (Psalm 103:5) says, "Your youth is renewed like the eagle's," and (Isaiah 40:31) adds, "They that wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles."
The midrash also tackles a potential redundancy: why repeat "Let them praise the name of the Lord?" (Psalm 148:13). It draws a comparison to mortal kings who have chamberlains to sing their praises. But God, the midrash emphasizes, is unique. "Who is like unto Thee, O Lord?" (Deuteronomy 3:24). He needs no intermediaries. He performs His work alone (Isaiah 44:24). Therefore, He alone deserves the praise.
And finally, there's the question of the Torah. (Psalm 138:4) states, "All the kings of the earth will praise you, Lord, when they hear what you have decreed." But did they truly listen and accept the Torah? The midrash acknowledges that many nations rejected it. It cites (Micah 5:14), "And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the nations that have not hearkened," to demonstrate that they heard but refused. David, however, offered thanks (Psalm 136:15) for God making the Torah known to all, even those who rejected it.
Rabbi Abbahu offers a fascinating perspective: God offered the Torah to the nations knowing they would refuse. Why? Because it's God's way to offer His creations what they cannot accept before removing it from them. The Holy One, blessed be He, does not come into conflict with His creations.
So, what does it all mean? The “new song” isn't just about music. It's about constant renewal, about recognizing God's presence in every aspect of creation, and about offering praise, even when faced with rejection. It’s about embracing the future while honoring the past, and understanding that even the most challenging elements of life can be transformed into expressions of devotion. It’s a song that’s always being written, always evolving, and always inviting us to join in.
"Hallelujah, sing to the Lord a new song," says Isaiah (Isaiah 43:18-19), "Do not remember the former things." (Isaiah 43:18-19) "The wild beasts will honor Me" (Isaiah 43:20). "This people have I formed for Myself" (Isaiah 43:21). The Almighty says: Just as I have made all things new, so shall you sing a new song to Me, as it is said: "Sing unto the Lord a new song." (Psalm 149:1) And who are these pious ones? They are the people of Israel. As it is written, "He raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David...to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to Abraham our father." (Psalms 148:14) Whenever Israel sees the Almighty, they become pious. They became pious when they saw Him at the Red Sea and sang a song, as it is said, "Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord." (Exodus 15:1) They became righteous when they saw Him at Sinai, as it is said, "He stores up sound wisdom for the upright." (Proverbs 2:7) And what does it say there? "He kissed me," etc. They became righteous when they saw Him at the Tent of Meeting, as it is said, "And Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of Meeting and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces." (Leviticus 9:23-24) As it is said, "Rejoice, O ye righteous," etc. When they see Him in the world to come, they become pious, as it is said, "Let the praises of God be in the congregation of the pious." (Psalm 149:1) And they rejoice and are exceedingly glad in His presence, in the fire, hail, snow, and smoke, as it is said, "Praise the Lord from the earth," etc. (Psalm 148:7-14) From here we learn that there is nothing evil in heaven, neither fire, hail, snow, nor smoke, but they are from the earth, as it is said, "Praise the Lord from the earth." (Psalm 148:7) And so it is said, "No evil shall befall you." (Psalm 91:10) There is no evil in His presence. All evil is on earth. But if so, why does it say, "And the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven?" (Genesis 19:24) The Almighty said, a decree shall come from the heavens and below it shall be done with fire. A stormy wind does his bidding, and even the hills and all the high places tremble. David said, the mountains will be weighed down by him who knows their weight." As it says (Isaiah 40:12), "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and marked off the heavens with a span." And so it says (Psalm 147:4), "He counts the number of the stars, He calls them all by their names." Therefore it is said, "The heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1), to teach that God created everything. David said, "Everything praises God." If a person does not want to give thanks and praise to his Creator, even a crawling creature or a bird with wings thanks Him, and it is not fitting for him. And so it says (Isaiah 43:20), "The beasts of the field shall honor Me." Therefore it is said, "The wild beasts and all cattle" (Psalm 148:10). The kings of the earth and all nations, princes, and all judges of the earth should have said, "The dragons and all deeps" (Psalm 148:7) first, and afterward, "Kings of the earth and all people" (Psalm 148:11), up to "Young men and maidens" (Psalm 148:12). What are "young men"? They are the same as "young" and "youth." But the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "The elders who are youthful." As it says (Psalm 103:5), "Your youth is renewed like the eagle's," and (Isaiah 40:31), "But they that wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles." Therefore it says, "The elders with the young" (Psalm 148:12). "Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted" (Psalm 148:13). But haven't we already said, "Let them praise the name of the Lord"? In the custom of the world, when a mortal king sits enthroned, he has chamberlains who accompany him in the procession of his reign, and when they sing, they also honor him. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like this; He has no chamberlains or ministers. As it says (Deuteronomy 3:24), "Who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" None other than He performs His work; He alone suspends the earth. As it says (Isaiah 44:24), "I, the Lord, am He that makes all things, that stretches forth the heavens alone, that spreads abroad the earth by Myself." Therefore He praises Himself alone, as it says, "Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted." As it is written, "He has raised up a horn for his people... Sing to the Lord a new song." And it says in the giving of the Torah (Psalm 138:4), "All the kings of the earth will praise you, Lord, when they hear what you have decreed." Did they really hear and want to accept your Torah? No. Until Michah the Morashtite came and explained, as it says (Michah 5:14), "And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the nations that have not hearkened." This teaches that they heard but did not accept. Then David came and gave thanks, as it says (Psalm 136:15), "You are the God who performs wonders..." David said, "I give thanks to you for the wonders you have done in the world, by making your Torah known to all the nations in the world, even though they did not want to accept it." This verse does not refer to strength, but to the Torah, as it says (Exodus 15:2), "The Lord is my strength and my song." Rabbi Abbahu said that it was revealed before the Holy One, blessed be He, that the nations of the world would not accept the Torah. So why did He offer it to them? This is God's way: He offers His creations what they cannot accept, and only then removes it from them. For the Holy One, blessed be He, does not come into conflict with His creations. Therefore it is said, "For high is His name alone is exalted."
