From creation’s harmony through the fall’s groaning to Israel’s developing song, we’ve traced worship through the Old Testament. Today we reach the climax at the beginning of the New Testament: Jesus Christ, who didn’t just participate in worship but became worship’s perfect expression.

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Heaven Breaks Into Song

When the eternal Word became flesh, creation itself couldn’t contain its joy. The incarnation created an irrepressible impulse to worship through song.

Mary, receiving the angel’s announcement, bursts forth with her Magnificat, echoing countless Scriptures from Israel’s history: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior" (Luke 1:46-47).

Nine months later, at Jesus’ birth, thousands upon thousands of angels form a heavenly choir: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased" (Luke 2:14).

The singing God was now among his people, and heaven couldn’t help but celebrate.

Jesus the Singer

Throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus fully participated in Israel’s worship traditions. He quoted the Psalms more than any other Old Testament book. The same songs written by him and for him in eternity past were now being spoken and sung directly from him, the very lips of the one who would fulfill every prophecy and longing they contained.

On the night before his death, Matthew 26:30 tells us that Jesus sang a hymn with his disciples, most likely Psalm 118, the final psalm of the traditional Passover feast. Knowing betrayal and crucifixion lay before him, Jesus sang: "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 118:6).

Even facing the cross, our Savior’s trust in the Father was sustained by song.

The Cross as Worship’s Fulfillment

In his final moments, Jesus cried out with words from Psalm 22: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" But this wasn’t despair. It was worship. Some scholars believe Jesus prayed this entire psalm on the cross, ultimately fulfilling its prophetic promise of victory.

When he rose three days later, Psalm 22:21-22 was fulfilled: "You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you."

And then the global promise: "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you" (Psalm 22:27).

The Ultimate Song

Jesus didn’t just sing worship, he became worship’s perfect expression. Paul captures this in what scholars believe is an early Christian hymn in Philippians 2:6-11:

"Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself… Therefore God has highly exalted him… that every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."

From the beginning, the church was singing the story of Jesus’ humiliation and exaltation. Christ himself became the song of salvation.

Worship Redeemed

Through his perfect life, death, and resurrection, Jesus accomplished what no human worship could: he offered perfect praise to the Father on behalf of fallen humanity.

This transforms everything about our worship:

• We don’t sing to earn God’s favor; Jesus has already secured it
• We don’t need flawless performance; our worship is accepted through Christ’s merit
• We can approach with confidence; the veil has been torn
• Our songs join Christ’s eternal intercession

The New Song

This is why Revelation speaks of the "new song" that only the redeemed can sing: "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation" (Revelation 5:9).

The song is "new" not because of musical style, but because of its content. Only those who have experienced salvation can truly sing about the Savior.

Formation Through Grace

Understanding Jesus as both perfect worshiper and object of worship transforms how we approach spiritual formation through song:

• Grace-based, not performance-based: We sing from acceptance, not for acceptance
• Christ-centered, not self-focused: Our songs celebrate his work, not our experiences
• Community-oriented, not individualistic: We join voices with the universal church
• Mission-driven, not entertainment-focused: We sing to make the gospel known

The Eternal Song Continues

Tomorrow, we’ll explore how the church today lives out this redeemed worship in a broken world, and how Christ’s followers are called to continue the song until he returns.

But today, rest in this truth: because of Jesus, your worship is already acceptable to God. The question isn’t whether you sing well enough, it’s whether you’ll take your place in the new song of the redeemed.

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Next: How Jesus’ redeemed worship shapes the church’s calling today.