Scripture Daily

Context No. 2772 of 4322 · Psalms

Context · Reflection

Psalms 149:1-9: in context

1Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. 2Let Israel rejoice in him who made them. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. 3Let them praise his name in the dance! Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp! 4For the LORD takes pleasure in his people. He crowns the humble with salvation. 5Let the saints rejoice in honor. Let them sing for joy on their beds. 6May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand, 7to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; 8to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9to execute on them the written judgment. All his saints have this honor. Praise the LORD!

This psalm bursts with joyful worship. Sing to the LORD a new song, rejoice in your Maker, praise his name with dancing and tambourine and harp, for the LORD takes pleasure in his people and crowns the humble with salvation. Then it turns startling: the high praises of God in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hands, to carry out judgment on the nations.

The martial ending has to be read with care. In its ancient setting it named Israel's calling to be God's instrument of justice, and it sits uneasily beside the gospel. The New Testament takes up this two-edged sword and names it the word of God, and it teaches that our real struggle is not against flesh and blood. What endures is the pairing the psalm insists on: true praise and true allegiance to God's justice belong together. Worship is not a retreat from caring how the world is finally set right.

Does my worship stay comfortably private, or does it commit me to God's justice in a world that is not yet set right?

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