Today’s reading is Psalm 149.
Jehoshaphat, Not Nehemiah
This great psalm of praise seems to take a dark turn in the middle of vs. 6. These “chasid” sing praises with their throats while they wield two-edged swords in their hands, mowing down the people of the nations around them. Maybe. I guess it’s possible in the context of some events in the history of Israel that idea would fit in this psalm. Certainly, in the time of conquest, God used the Israelite nation as His arm of judgment to execute nations who had committed egregious sins as part of their idolatry. Equally as certain, there were times when deliverance for Israel from enemies who harmed them meant judgment on the nations who did them harm. As Isaiah 61:2 explains, the year of the Lord’s favor on one nation will be the day of vengeance on another. It’s possible this psalm, especially since it is compiled in the post-exilic period, calls to mind a situation like Nehemiah’s wall builders–working with one hand and carrying their weapon in the other (Nehemiah 4:15-23).
However, I don’t think that is what this psalm is saying. Keep in mind what we said yesterday about the humble, the meek. In this psalm, the meek are being adorned with salvation not the warriors. That is, the ones who trust God to bring vengeance and justice are adorned with salvation.
With that in mind, it seems the psalmist’s point is that the praises themselves are the two-edged sword. That is, those who don’t fret over evildoers, but who trust God to bring justice will see God bring the justice. The weapon they wield is not a literal two-edged sword, but their praise and worship become one because it calls the warrior God to fight on their behalf. This is not the picture of Nehemiah and his wall builders. It’s the picture of Jehoshaphat and his army in 2 Chronicles 20. Jehoshaphat prays, knowing his army is no match for the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites. In 2 Chronicles 20:12, he says, “O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (ESV). The Lord sends a prophet explaining God will defeat the enemy and the Judean army won’t have to do a thing. In 2 Chronicles 20:21-23, Jehoshaphat places the singers in front of his army who sang, “Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever.” When they began to sing praises, the Lord set an ambush against the enemy armies and they rose up against each other. Judah didn’t have to fight. Their praise and song was their weapon.
On a much smaller scale, this is akin to Proverbs 25:21-22. “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you” (ESV). Surely, our goal in this is not simply to heap the coals on the enemy for whom we are praying and whom we are learning to love. But, our best weapon is not to take up our own sword against the enemy, but rather to serve him or her and let God deal with it.
“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 12:19, ESV). When Israel praised God, they let God be the two-edged sword. He would execute vengeance when vengeance needed to be executed. He would punish the peoples and bind their kings. He would execute the judgment on them that was written.
This is honor for the Lord’s chasid, the Lord’s godly ones. It is honor for them to praise and worship God and leave vengeance up to Him. He will do it when it is the appropriate thing to do.
Praise the Lord!
Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 149
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How does Psalm 148 prompt or improve your hope in God?
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