279.“他们唱新歌”表对主的称谢和颂赞，因为唯独祂是审判者、救赎主和救主，因而是天地之神。这些事就包含在他们所唱的歌中，所表示的是所包含的事。接下来的这些事就包含对主是审判者的承认：
你配拿书卷，配揭开七印。（启示录5:9）
这句经文包含对祂是救赎主的承认：
因为你曾被杀，用自己的血把我们赎回来。（启示录5:9）
这句经文包含对祂是救主的承认：
又叫我们成为君王和祭司，归于神，我们要在地上掌权。（启示录5:10）
这句经文则包含对主是天地之神的承认：
二十四长老也俯伏敬拜那活到世世代代的。（启示录5:14）
由于对唯独主是天地之神，祂的人性就是神性，否则不能被称为救赎主和救主的承认，此前在教会没有，故这里说唱“新歌”。
“歌”也表示颂赞，也就是发自内心喜乐的称谢。因为唱歌使人兴奋，使情感从内心发出，化为声音，并在生活中强烈表现出来。大卫的诗篇无非是诗歌，因为它们被弹奏，被歌唱，故在很多地方被称为“歌”（如诗篇18:1；33:1；45:1；46:1；48:1；65:1；66:1；67:1；68:1；75:1；76:1；87:1；88:1；92:1；96:1；98:1；108:1；120:1；121:1；122:1；123:1；124:1；125:1；126:1；127:1；128:1；129:1；130:1；132:1；133:1；134:1）。
歌唱是为了提升爱的生命和源自这生命的欢喜。这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
你们要向耶和华唱新歌，全地都要向耶和华发出欢快的声音，要回响欢呼。（诗篇98:1，4-8）
你们要向耶和华唱新歌，愿以色列因造他的主欢喜，向祂唱诗歌。（诗篇149:1-3）
诸天哪，应当歌唱！地的深处啊，应当欢呼！众山啊，应当回荡歌声！（以赛亚书44:23；49:13）
当向神我们的力量大声欢呼，向雅各的神欢呼；扬声歌唱！（诗篇81:1-3）
在锡安必有欢喜、快乐、感谢和歌唱的声音。（以赛亚书51:3；52:8，9）
要向耶和华唱歌，锡安的女子啊，当扬声欢呼，因为在你们中间的以色列圣者乃为至大。（以赛亚书12:1-6）
我心坚定！我要歌唱，我要唱诗！我的荣耀啊，你当醒起！主啊，我要在列族中称谢你，在列民中向你唱诗歌！（诗篇57:7-9等）
279. And they sang a new song. (5:9) This symbolizes an acknowledgment and glorification of the Lord as being the only judge, redeemer and savior, thus God of heaven and earth.
These are the themes contained in the song that they sang, and whatever is contained is also symbolized. To illustrate, an acknowledgment that the Lord is a judge in contained in the words that follow next, "You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals;" that He is a redeemer, in the words, "because You were slain and have redeemed us by Your blood;" that He is a savior, in the words, "and have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth;" and that He is God of heaven and earth, in the words, they "fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever" (verse 14).
An acknowledgment that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth and that His humanity is Divine, or else He could not be called Redeemer and Savior, is something that did not exist in the church before. Therefore it is called a "new song."
[2] A song also symbolizes a glorification, which is a joyful confession of the heart, because a song uplifts, causing the heart's affection to break out into sound and display itself powerfully in its life.
The Psalms of David, too, are nothing other than songs, for they had musical accompaniment and were sung. Consequently in many places they are called songs, as in Psalms 18:1; 33:1, 3; 45:1; 46:1; 48:1; 65:1; 66:1; 67:1; 68:1; 75:1; 76:1; 87:1; 88:1; 92:1; 96:1; 98:1; 108:1; 120:1; 121:1; 122:1; 123:1; 124:1; 125:1; 126:1; 127:1; 128:1; 129:1; 130:1; 132:1; 133:1; 134:1.
[3] That songs served to heighten the life's love and thus its joy is apparent from the following:
Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! ...Make a joyful noise to Jehovah, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice... (Psalms 98:1, 4-8)
Sing to Jehovah a new song... Let Israel rejoice in its Maker... Let them sing praises to Him... (Psalms 149:1-3)
Sing to Jehovah a new song... Let (them) lift up their voice... (Isaiah 42:10-11)
Sing, O heavens...! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, you mountains... (Isaiah 44:23; 49:13)
Sing aloud to God our strength; make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob. Raise a song... (Psalms 81:1-2)
Gladness and joy will be found in (Zion), confession and the sound of singing. (Isaiah 51:3, cf. 52:8-9)
Sing to the Lord... Cry out and shout, O daughter of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel! (Isaiah 12:5, 6)
My heart is ready..., I will sing and make music. Awake, my glory! ...I will confess You, O Lord, among the nations; I will play to You among the peoples. (Psalms 57:7-9)
And so likewise many other places.
279. [verse 9] 'And they were singing a new song' signifies an acknowledgment and glorification of the Lord because He Only is the Judge, Redeemer, and Saviour, thus the God of heaven and earth. These things are contained in the song that they were singing, and the things that are contained are also signified: as an acknowledgment that the Lord is the judge, in the things now following:
Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; that He is the Redeemer, in these:
Because Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us in Thy blood; that He is the Saviour in these:
Thou hast made us to our God kings and priests, and we shall reign over the land; that He is the God of heaven and earth, in these:
They fell prostrate and adored the One living for ages of ages (verse 14).
Since the acknowledgment that the Only Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that His Human is Divine, and that in no other way could He be said to be the Redeemer and Saviour, was not in the Church before, therefore it is termed 'a new song.
[2] A 'song' also signifies a glorification that is a confession out of joy of heart, because singing exalts, and causes the affection to burst forth out of the heart into sound and show itself intensely in its life. Nor are the Psalms of David any other than songs, for they were played on the psaltery and sung, and therefore in many places were called 'songs,' as Psalms 18:1; 33:2-3; 45; 46; 48; 65; 66; 67; 68; 75; 76; 87; 88; 92; 96; 98; 108; 120; 121; 122; 123; 124; 125; 126; 127; 128; 129; 130; 131; 132; 134.
[3] That the songs were for the sake of an exaltation of the life of love, and of the joy therefrom, is plain from these passages:
Sing unto Jehovah a new song, make a joyful noise unto Jehovah every land, make a loud noise, rejoice. Psalms 98:1, 4-8.
Sing unto Jehovah a new song, let Israel he glad in his Maker, sing psalms unto Him. Psalms 149:1-3.
Sing unto Jehovah a new song, lift up the voice. Isaiah 42:10-12.
Sing O heavens, shout O lower lands, resound O mountains with a song. Isaiah 44:23; 49:13.
Shout unto God our strength, cry out to the God of Jacob, lift up a song. Psalms 81:1-3 [H.B. 2-4].
Gladness and joy shall be found in Zion, confession and the voice of a song. Isaiah 51:3; 52:8-9.
Sing unto Jehovah, cry out and shout, O daughter of Zion, for great in the midst of thee is the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 12:1-6.
My heart is ready, I will sing and sing psalms. Arouse thee, my glory, I will confess Thee among the nations, O Lord, I will sing Psalms unto Thee among the peoples. Psalms 57:7-9 [H.B. 8-10]; and very many elsewhere.
279. Verse 9. And they sung a new song, signifies acknowledgment and glorification of the Lord, that He alone is the Judge, Redeemer, and Savior, thus the God of heaven and earth. These things are contained in the song which they sung, and the things which are contained are also signified; as an acknowledgment that the Lord is the Judge, in these things which now follow:
Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, (5:9).
That He is the Redeemer, in this:
Because Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us in Thy blood, (5:9).
That He is the Saviour, in this:
Thou hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign upon the earth, (5:10).
That He is the God of heaven and earth, in this:
They fell down and adored Him that liveth for ages of ages, (5:14).
Since the acknowledgment that the Lord alone is the God of heaven and earth, and that His Human is Divine, and that in no other way could He be called the Redeemer and Saviour, was not before in the church, it is therefore called a "new song."
[2] The reason why "a song" also signifies glorification, which is confession from joy of heart, is because singing exalts, and causes affection to break out from the heart into sound, and show itself intensely in its life. Nor are the Psalms of David any other than songs; for they were played and sung, and therefore were also called songs in many passages (as Psalms 18; 33; 45:1; 46:1; 48:1; 65:1; 66:1; 67:1; 68:1; 75:1; 76:1; 87:1; 88:1; 92:1; 96:1; 98:1; 108:1; 120:1; 121:1; 122:1; 123:1; 124:1; 125:1; 126:1; 127:1; 128:1; 129:1; 130:1; 32:1; 133:1; 134:1).
[3] That songs were for the sake of exalting the life of love, and the joy derived from it, is evident from the following passages:
O sing unto Jehovah a new song, make a joyful noise unto Jehovah all the earth, resound, shout, (Psalms 98:1, 4-8).
Sing unto Jehovah a new song, let Israel rejoice in His Maker, sing psalms to Him, (Psalms 149:1-3).
Sing unto Jehovah a new song, lift up the voice, (Isaiah 42:10, 12).
Sing, O ye heavens, shout ye lower parts of the earth, resound with singing, ye mountains, (Isaiah 44:23; 49:13).
Shout unto God our strength, cry out to the God of Jacob; lift up a song, (Psalms 81:1-3).
Gladness and joy shall be found in Zion, confession and the voice of singing, (Isaiah 51:3; 52:8-9).
Sing unto Jehovah, cry out and shout, O daughter of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee, (Isaiah 12:1-6).
My heart is fixed, I will sing and sing psalms. Arouse thee, my glory, I will confess Thee, O Lord, among the nations, I will sing psalms unto Thee among the peoples, (Psalms 57:7-9).
279. (Vers. 9.) "Et canebant Canticum novum," significat agnitionem et glorificationem Domini, quod Solus sit Judex Redemptor et Salvator, ita Deus Caeli et Terrae. - Haec continentur in cantico quod canebant, et illa quae continentur etiam significantur; ut agnitio quod Dominus sit Judex, in nunc sequentibus his:
"Dignus es accipere librum, et aperire sigilla ejus:"
Quod sit Redemptor, in his:
"Quia occisus es, et redemisti nos in sanguine Tuo:"
quod sit Salvator, in his:
"Fecisti nos Deo nostro Reges et Sacerdotes, et regnabimus super terra:"
quod sit Deus Caeli et terrae, in his:
"Prociderunt et adoraverunt Viventem in saecula saeculorum," (vers. 14).
Quoniam agnitio quod Dominus Solus sit Deus Caeli et terrae, et quod Humanum Ipsius sit Divinum, et quod alioquin non possit Redemptor et Salvator dici, non prius fuit Ecclesia, ideo dicitur "canticum novum." Quod "canticum" etiam significet glorificationem" quae est confessio ex gaudio cordis, est quia cantus exaltat, et facit ut affectio e corde erumpat in sonum, et se intense sistat in sua vita. Psalmi Davidis nec aliud sunt quam cantica, psallebantur enim ac canebantur quare etiam in multis locis vocabantur cantica (Ut Psalm 18:1; 1Psalm 33:1, 3; 2Psalm 45:1; Psalm 46:1; Psalm 48:1; Psalm 65:1; Psalm 66:1; Psalm 67:1; Psalm 68:1; Psalm 75:1; Psalm 76:1; 3Psalm 87:1; Psalm 88:1; Psalm 92:1; Psalm 96:1; Psalm 98:1; Psalm 108:1; Psalm 120:1; Psalm 121:1; Psalm 122:1; Psalm 123:1; Psalm 124:1; Psalm 125:1; Psalm 126:1; Psalm 127:1; Psalm 128:1; Psalm 129:1; Psalm 130:1; Psalm 132:1; Psalm 133:1; Psalm 134:1).
Quod cantica fuerint propter exaltationem vitae amoris, et inde gaudii, patet ex his:
"Cantate Jehovae Canticum novum, clangite Jehovae omnis terra, personate, jubilate," (Psalm 98:1, 4-8);
"Cantate Jehovae Canticum novum: laetetur Israel in Factore suo, psallant Ipsi," (Psalm 149:1-3);
"Cantate Jehovae Canticum novum, extollant vocem," (Esaias 42:10-12),;
"Cantate Caeli, jubilate inferiora terrae, personate montes Cantu, (Esaias 44:23; 49:13);
"Jubilate Deo robori nostro, acclamate Deo Jacobi, extollite Cantum," (Psalm 81:2-4 (B.A. 1-3));
"Laetitia et gaudium invenietur in Sione, confessio et vox Cantus," (Esaias 51:3; 52:8-9);
"Cantate Jehovae, exclama et jubila filia Sionis, quia magnus in medio tui Sanctus Israelis," (Esaias 12:1-6);
"Paratum est cor meum, cantabo et psallam; excita te gloria mea, confitebor Tibi inter gentes, Domine, psallam Tibi inter populos," (Psalm 57:8-10 (B.A. 7-9)).
(Et multoties alibi.)
Footnotes:
1. xviii. pro "xvii."
2. 3 pro "2"
3. lxxvi. pro "lxxxvi."