Sing with Me

Lately I've been entertaining my daughter by reciting the ABC's to her--sometimes singing the song, sometimes carefully enunciating each letter, sometimes repeating a vowel sound and then saying all the one-syllable words that end in that sound, through to the end of the alphabet. The munchkin watches my mouth with her eyes of fascination and dimpled smile, and I take that as a sign that she is surely gifted with words, like her parents (English lovers both) very much hope her to be.

In spite of these attempts, my daughter has found something of interest in the "haah" sound, repeating it over and over with a sort of guttural push that makes me wonder how her voice has not gone hoarse. And then I realize that, at four months of age, she doesn't even really have a voice, and this spurs me on to more musing:

My daughter squealed for the first time the other day. Once I got over the initial surge of love at the sound (which is never fully possible, of course), it set me to thinking of all the sounds she has yet to make, despite my attempts to introduce her to the sounds of the Roman alphabet in all the dumb ways I know how.

I wonder, What will her voice really be like? What happy melody will her laughter be to me, what distressing dirge her cry? What silly sounds will she discover, what new words will she laugh herself to pieces over, delighting to repeat them, merely to FEEL their sound in the workings of her tiny teeth, tongue, and lips?

In this thought, I am FILLED with excitement. This little bundle that I am only beginning to know (and shall never comprehend), she is answering the psalmist's cry to "sing to the Lord a new song"; and out of each new song she sings grows my own--wordless, full of humility and awe, struck by the God who has chosen us--me--as His instrument. My sweet girl is worshipping our Abba, pointing to His matchless excellence, simply by existing as a new babe should. And she shows me a glimpse of the Holy One, daily affirming His character through the new song of her newborn voice.

I know no better words to express this song in my heart--Psalm 96:

1 Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
4 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns."
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.
11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
12 let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.
Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;
13 they will sing before the LORD, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his truth.

How great is our God, AMEN.