9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
"Twenty-four elders and four living creatures, having harps and phials, and singing a new song." The proclamation of the Old Testament associated with the New, points out the Christian people singing a new song, that is, bearing their confession publicly. It is a new thing that the Son of God should become man. It is a new thing to ascend into the heavens with a body. It is a new thing to give remission of sins to men. It is a new thing for men to be sealed with the Holy Spirit. It is a new thing to receive the priesthood of sacred observance, and to look for a kingdom of unbounded promise. The harp, and the chord stretched on its wooden frame, signifies the flesh of Christ linked with the wood of the passion. The phial signifies the Confession, and the race of the new Priesthood. But it is the praise of many angels, yea, of all, the salvation of all, and the testimony of the universal creation, bringing to our Lord thanksgiving for the deliverance of men from the destruction of death. The unsealing of the seals, as we have said, is the opening of the Old Testament, and the foretelling of the preachers of things to come in the last times, which, although the prophetic Scripture speaks by single seals, yet by all the seals opened at once, prophecy takes its rank.
All worshiped the Lord after he had taken the scroll, since they already knew the salvation which he was going to effect for human beings and the punishment he was going to bring on the polluted demons.
The elders’ holding harps indicates the harmony and concord of their confession of God, according to Scripture, “Sing praises to our God, sing praises.”
The incense symbolizes the offering of all the nations, for Malachi, speaking in the person of God, says to disobedient Israel, “I will not accept an offering from your hand, for from the rising of the sun to its setting my name has been glorified among the nations, and in every place incense is offered in my name, and a pure sacrifice,” predicting by these [words] the faith of the nations and their bringing of gifts.
And they sing a new song: for the song sung to God incarnate is new, since it had never been invented before the incarnation.
What was the song? You are worthy, he says, to effect this salvation for human beings, you who were slain for us, and with your blood you took possession of many from among those under heaven.
Very correctly he said from every tribe and tongue and people and nation: for he did not acquire possession of everyone (for many died in unbelief), but only those who were worthy of salvation. The prophet also said something similar, “Arise, O God, judge the earth, because you” will place “your inheritance among all the nations,” where he does not simply say “all the nations.”
And he made them kings and priests to our God, and they shall reign on earth. You can indeed understand this literally, for the kings and presidents of the churches are [God’s] faithful people and servants of Christ. But you can also understand kings to be those who control their passions and are not controlled by them. And you can understand priests to be those who present their own persons “as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God,” as Scripture says.
And he says not only the elders but also the incorporeal powers of the angels were singing a triumphant song to Christ. Daniel also predicted their number as now mentioned. The song of the angels attributes seven different honors to Christ, because by the number seven they indicate that it is fitting for Christ to be crowned with ten thousand praises.
If I remember not that it is I who have served Him, how shall I ascribe glory to God? How sing to Him "the new song," if I am ignorant that it is I who owe Him thanks? But why is exception taken only against the change of the flesh, and not of the soul also, which in all things is superior to the flesh? How happens it, that the self-same soul which in our present flesh has gone through all life's course, which has learnt the knowledge of God, and put on Christ, and sown the hope of salvation in this flesh, must reap its harvest in another flesh of which we know nothing? Verily that must be a most highly favoured flesh, which shall have the enjoyment of life at so gratuitous a rate! But if the soul is not to be changed also, then there is no resurrection of the soul; nor will it be believed to have itself risen, unless it has risen some different thing.
Christ wrote a new song by the harmonious truth of both Testaments. This he did when he, remaining the Word which was in the beginning, was born by a new sort of birth through the Virgin. This he did when he as God put on man in a new manner. This he did when he gave himself over to his killers by his own power. This he did when he was wondrously made alive from the dead and when at a time of his own choosing was ascended beyond the heavens. And this new song he bestowed upon all those who belong to the church which he acquired, that it might be sung continually, and that in this [the church] might rest secure as it awaits in hope the coming judge, that “we might walk in the newness of life.” As he said, “If any one wishes to be my disciple, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Through this passage it is revealed that the elders, both those in the Old Testament and those in the New Testament, were well-pleasing to God, and that on behalf of the whole world they bring forth a [hymn of] thanksgiving to the Lamb of God who was slain and redeemed us. It is a “new song,” which we have been taught to sing, who from every tribe and tongue have been freed from the antiquity of the letter and through the Spirit have received light. He says that these will rule the new earth, which the Lord promised to the humble.
And they sang a new song, etc. They celebrate the sacraments of the New Testament, which are completed in Christ, praising His very dispensation, which they confess belongs to Christ alone.
And you have redeemed us to God by your blood, etc. Here it is further declared that the creatures and elders are the Church, which has been redeemed by the blood of Christ and gathered from the nations. It also shows in which heaven they are, by saying: And they will reign on the earth. And I saw and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and the creatures, and the elders.
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 5:8-9