The mystics did, and they connected it directly to the Divine.
Think about it: how do we respond to new beginnings? With joy, with song, with dance! And according to the Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Psalms, this mirrors something profound about our relationship with God.
The prophet Isaiah (43:18-21) tells us, "Do not remember the former things… Behold, I am doing a new thing… This people I have formed for Myself." The Holy One, blessed be He, says, in effect, "Just as I create these new things, so too should you sing a new song to Me." It's a call to renewal, to celebrate the ever-present possibility of something fresh and beautiful emerging in our lives.
So why sing with joy? Because, as it says in Psalms (104:31), "Let God rejoice in His works." We see God and rejoice, revealing ourselves to the Divine. And in turn, God sees us, reveals Himself, and rejoices! "I will rejoice in Jerusalem and delight in My people," says God in Isaiah (65:19). It’s a reciprocal relationship of joy, a divine dance of mutual delight.
This idea of a divine dance… where do we see it? Well, the Midrash points us to the Exodus from Egypt. Remember when the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and were finally free? "Let them praise His name with dancing," says Micah (7:15), "as in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt." We remember the story from Exodus (15:20) of Miriam the prophetess, leading all the women in dance and song, tambourines ringing out in joyous celebration. It wasn't just relief; it was a profound recognition of God's presence and intervention in their lives.
The Midrash Tehillim connects this very human, visceral reaction of joy and dance to something deeply spiritual. It suggests that our joy is not only a response to God's actions but also a way of connecting with the Divine, of participating in this cosmic dance of creation and renewal.
It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What "new song" are we being called to sing today? What joy can we express that will connect us more deeply to the Divine and to each other? Perhaps it’s time to pick up our own tambourines, metaphorically speaking, and join the dance.