“If you learn this new song and begin to sing it here, you will sing it to all eternity. They that once learn this song never forget it. The life that Christ gives His saints is everlasting life. The new name He gives them is an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. And so the new song that He teaches them is an everlasting song.

They that now learn this new song, the time will soon come when they shall do nothing but sing. They shall cry and mourn no more. ‘And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away’ (Isaiah 35:10).

In a little time, they shall sing the new song with saints and angels in heaven, and shall sing it there with Jesus Christ. And at the day of judgment, when Christ shall have gathered together all His elect and they shall be all together in complete glory, then shall they ascend up to heaven with Christ and enter into that glorious city with the voice of singing, singing praises to God the Father.

Then will Christ’s heart rejoice, and He will sing to God, and they shall rejoice together and sing with Him.”

–Jonathan Edwards, “They Sing a New Song,” Sermons and Discourses: 1739-1742, in The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 22, Ed. Harry S. Stout (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003), 241-242.

“Christ has purchased for a certain number that knowledge of the glorious excellency of God and Christ, and of the infinite riches of His grace appearing in the way of salvation. That excellent heavenly light that shines into the soul, and gives it a view and understanding of those excellent things, is a blessing purchased at the price of Christ’s precious blood.

And so that ability, that harmony of the soul and melody of the heart, consisting in holy love and joy and delight in God and Christ, is a precious benefit that is the fruit of the same purchase. This heavenly melody is dear; it costs Christ’s precious blood.”

–Jonathan Edwards, “They Sing a New Song,” Sermons and Discourses: 1739-1742, in The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 22, Ed. Harry S. Stout (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003), 236-237.

“No man can learn the new song but they that are redeemed. Other men are dumb and dead as to any such heavenly exercise as this. They can exalt their idols, but they can’t exalt God. They can rejoice in the objects of their lusts, in their worldliness and in their carnal pleasures, but they can’t rejoice in Christ Jesus. They can howl, but they can’t sing the new song. This song, whenever it is learnt, must be learned out of the gospel. But none can truly understand the gospel of Jesus Christ but His redeemed ones.”

–Jonathan Edwards, “They Sing a New Song,” Sermons and Discourses: 1739-1742, in The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 22, Ed. Harry S. Stout (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003), 236-237.

“The new song that is sung by the redeemed from the earth is more excellent than anything that preceded. It is the most excellent song that ever is sung by any of the children of men. We often read in Scripture of a new song. And whenever it is mentioned, there is evidently respect to its excellency in its being so called. (See Psalm 33:1-3; 96:4; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1).

This song is more excellent than anything that was before the fall. The matter of the song is more glorious. The subject matter of the new song is principally the glorious salvation of Christ and God’s infinite grace and love in that work (cf. Revelation 5:9). This work of God is more wonderful and more glorious by far than anything that Adam in innocence had to praise God.

Yea, this is the most glorious subject that the angels in heaven themselves have for their songs. They once sang praises to God for the work of creation, when God laid the foundations of the earth and the morning stars sang together. But now, since they have seen the work of redemption, these morning stars sing a new song, and the work of redemption is principally the subject of their praises.

Now their tune is, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing” (Revelation 5:11-12). The benefits that the saints receive by Christ are far beyond anything that our first parents enjoyed in innocence. They had happiness indeed, but they had no confirmation of it.

They had no promise that they should never lose it, but rather a threat they should lose it. And besides, the privileges of the saints are also greater in other respects. They have a more excellent union with God, a greater manifestation of the love of God, and a better inheritance.

So their song is far more excellent than anything that was before their conversion, as much more excellent than all their external formal praises that they offered to God before conversion as light is more excellent than darkness, or as gold is more precious than the dirt.

One word or note of this new song, as sung by a sincere heart, is worth more in God’s account than all the praises of all the formal professors of religion from the beginning of the world to the end of it.”

–Jonathan Edwards, “They Sing a New Song,” Sermons and Discourses: 1739-1742, in The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 22, Ed. Harry S. Stout (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003), 234-235.