Rabbi Roodyn

The Malbim explains that this chapter and the one that follows it have the same theme. They both talk about how Hashem runs this world via the laws of nature. The laws of nature are nothing less than a concealed miracle and are arranged in such a way as to bring about the ultimate redemption of the Jewish people.

The ‘new song’ that this chapter refers to is the difference between the way that the Jewish people relate to Hashem and the way that the nations of the world do so. In the future, there will be a new song as all of mankind will have a deeper and more correct understanding of the Jewish G-d.

The essential difference  is that whilst the nations of the world may accept G-d as the King of kings, there is an important aspect that is missing. This is the awareness that Hashem is totally unlike any other being or force in the universe. Whenever a craftsman creates a finished product, once that product has been fully formed it no longer needs its creator. When Hashem created the world and everything in it, the continued existence of all of creation depends on Hashem constantly willing it into being. Were Hashem to stop thinking about his creations, they would simply cease to exist.

The nations of the world therefore sing an ‘old song’, a song of a G-d who created a universe at some point in history, that now exists on its own. Our song is a shir chadash, a song of renewal, referring to a G-d who constantly renews the act of creation. This shir chadash will be the song that כל הארץ , all of humanity will sing, when they come to the realisation that there is one Infinite Creator rather who brought all of the universe into existence.