Psalms 149
Big idea: The strangest of the closing psalms. It starts where the others do — a new song, dancing, tambourine and harp, singing for joy on their beds — and then hands the congregation a two-edged sword. The high praises of God in their mouths, and a blade in their hand. Whatever else it means, the psalm insists that praise is not a withdrawal from the world's injustice, and that the honour of executing the written judgment belongs to all his saints, not to a standing army.
Psalm 149 gives the saints a song and a sword. Psalm 150 puts down the sword and keeps only the music.
149:1–9 — The high praises of God in their mouths
The most uncomfortable of the closing Hallelujahs, and its two halves are deliberately welded: praise in the mouth, and a two-edged sword in the hand. The first half is dancing and singing on their beds; the second is binding kings with chains. What holds it together is verse 9 — 'the WRITTEN judgment' — so what is being executed is a verdict already given, not a licence to improvise.
1 Praise Yahweh! Sing to Yahweh a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. 2 Let Israel rejoice in him who made them. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. 3 Let them praise his name in the dance! Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp! 4 For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people. He crowns the humble with salvation. 5 Let the saints rejoice in honor. Let them sing for joy on their beds. 6 May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand, 7 to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; 8 to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 to execute on them the written judgment. All his saints have this honor. Praise Yah!
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).