Good morning,
Psalm 149 exhorts Israel to praise, rejoice, be joyful, dance, and sing to the Lord. Then they are told “To execute vengeance upon the heathen…”
“Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
4 For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;
7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord.”
God is clearly telling His people to praise Him. He wants them to acknowledge who He is, what He has done, and how they have benefitted by His intervention in their lives.
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)
So, then God gives Israel the authority to execute vengeance on the heathen. To bind kings with chains and their nobles with fetters. We see this played out during the reigns of David and Solomon.
Today, we are still exhorted to praise God, but pray that God would take His vengeance, His way, on His enemies.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001
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