Singing comes naturally to the four von Trapp children. They are the great-grandchildren of Captain Georg von Trapp, whose romance with his second wife Maria inspired the 1965 film The Sound of Music.

After their grandfather Werner von Trapp had a stroke, the Montana siblings recorded their first CD in order to cheer him up. Soon the children were performing around the world. Stefan, the children’s father, says, “The music is inside them.”

The writer of Psalm 98 also had a song in his heart. He called on others to join him in singing “to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things” (v.1). He praised God for His salvation, His righteousness, His mercy, and His faithfulness (vv.2-3). The psalmist’s heart was so overflowing with praise that he called on the earth to break forth in song, the rivers to clap their hands, and the hills to be joyful (vv.4,8).

We have much to be thankful for as well—God’s good gifts of family, friends, and His daily supply for our needs. He faithfully cares for us, His children.

We may not be able to sing well. But when we recall all that God is to us and all that He has done for us, we can’t help but “break forth in song” (v.4).  — Anne Cetas