Sing a NEW Song

"Sing to the Lord a new song: sing to Him all the earth".  Psalm 96:1

I found myself pondering this verse this morning as I ran.  I love to listen to praise and worship while I'm exercising.  In fact, if I arrive at the gym without my ipod, you can pretty much bet my workout will be a short one.  The music keeps me pumping.

During my run today, I noticed that I wasn't really tuned into my music at all, in fact, I found myself thinking, "I really need to download some new running music".  And then I realized, the worship songs that has once inspired me so much, had grown a little too familiar. The songs were the same as they had always been, but it was the way I was internalizing them that was different.  I immediately thought of the Psalms and how we, as worshippers, are encouraged to to new songs to God.  Maybe it's because he likes new music, or maybe it's because we sing familiar songs carelessly sometimes.  I can just imagine myself singing a song that I know well and putting my heart and mind on "auto-pilot", as I scan the room to see who has arrived or I dig through my handbag for my cell.  But if there is a new song planned in worship that day, it requires a little more of me.  I have to focus on these new words of declaration- I have to concentrate a little bit harder on the melody.  And then there's the new perspective a freshly worded worship chorus brings.  It requires focus.  I've heard worship defined as "focusing your minds attention and hearts affection on God".

Singing a new song is a sacrifice.

What are some of your favorite new worship songs?