Worthy Art Thou: An Understatement
by Terry Wane Benton
"And they sang a new song, saying: 'You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation'" (Revelation 4:9).
So, a new song comes out in the form of a prayer to Jesus. There was no thought that a song to Jesus was unscriptural or forbidden. All things are new in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17), and therefore the song is new. It is due to new things to sing about that John is viewing the twenty-four elders singing a new song before the throne. The Psalms speak frequently of singing a new song. (Psalms 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1), due to new experiences and realizations of our relations to God, and our new realizations of His glory. These never get old.
This new song is based on knowing and seeing Jesus as the only One worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, and the reason He is worthy to do this was because He was the perfect, unblemished sacrifice that “was slain”, and what John already knew about the Lamb of God being slain is that Jesus was displaying perfect love for us, the unworthy sinners. His love was selfless and sacrificial. He was doing this to redeem us, to buy us off the slave market of sin and condemnation. He was doing this with His own precious blood. The blood of the perfect and holy for the imperfect and unholy. He didn’t do this for just one person or one nation. He did this for every tribe, every tongue, every people (Jew or Gentile), and every nation. That gets every reader who should have “ears to hear” this. As Paul said, “He loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). It is truly touching to realize it was for me as well!
John is impressed with the song about the worthiness of Jesus. It is a song that should be “new” to us and “renew us” day by day (II Corinthians 4:16ff). It should be fresh and new to give us new seasons of refreshing. How can we not join in to praise Jesus? As an old hymn by reason of years, it should still be new to today’s refreshing of the heartstrings,
“Worthy of praise is Christ our Redeemer,
Worthy of glory, honor and pow'r!
Worthy of all our souls' adoration,
Worthy art Thou! Worthy art Thou!”
The thought rises up within:
“In vain and high and holy lays,
My soul her grateful voice would raise;
For who can sing the worthy praise
of the wonderful love of Jesus!”
The twenty-four elders were indeed singing such thoughts of marvel and elation. How can we not also be captivated by such a worthy One as Jesus? Great men with crowns cast them down before this throne and sing of the worthiness of Jesus. Come up and see! You too will have a new song!
