Read Psalm 149:1-9. 1Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly! 2Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King! 3Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! 4For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation. 5Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds. 6Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands, 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 judgment written! This is honor for all his godly ones. Praise the Lord!
Some scholars like to see the psalms ending the way time and history will end. The way our own earthly lives will end. With praise! The last five psalms all begin with the same three words – praise the Lord!
Here in Psalm 149, the psalmist sees praise and he sees vengeance walking hand in hand. Anyone who has read the Revelation of Jesus Christ at the end of their Bible knows that these are the same themes of that prophecy. At the end of time, Jesus is praised, and Jesus executes judgment.
The praise envisioned here is no less than a world-wide church celebration complete with dancing, tambourine, and lyre (or their modern equivalents). The addition of new songs implies that Jesus has just done a new work. What? His second advent? The adorning of his humble people with final salvation, the crown of life?
But the church of Jesus is not just praising, they are warring with two-edged swords in their hands. This sword, the author of Hebrews tells us, is the word of God. The word of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Christ we proclaim, making disciples of every nation through the preaching of the gospel. The good news of Christ’s victory on the cross is our victory over every spiritual force of darkness that would seek in vain to destroy us.
To live is Christ means we praise Jesus while we wield the sword of Jesus, the gospel. All as we experience a greater honor than ever the psalmist could imagine. The honor of Christ in us.
You: Why does God’s judgment deserve our praise?
You in Christ: Why is Christ’s judgment of both the world and of you something to praise him for?
Christ in you: How can you use the two-edged sword of the word of God toshare the gospel of Christ?
Pray: Jesus, as the new year approaches keep me praising and keep me warring by your word. May it first pierce my own heart before I use it to challenge another. Amen.
To Live is Christ 