Guide…

Guide…

In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. ~ Exodus 15:13

What an indescribable promise our compassionate God and Father has given to His people! By His power and strength, we are led to His holy dwelling … His safe refuge … the place of His abiding Presence! When the Lord led Israel out of the darkness and bondage of Egypt,
by day He went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way … and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. (Exodus 13:21)

Oh, yes! The Lord has promised to guide His people; and He is our God forever and ever. Indeed, He will be our guide to the end. (Psalm 48:14) The Lord will guide us always; He will satisfy our needs in the desolate wilderness and will strengthen our bodies. We will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. (Isaiah 58:11) As Jesus told the woman at the well, “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)

The Lord bids us to seek His guidance through His Word. And there is much counsel there for us to consider. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way. (Psalm 25:9) I love these words of the Psalmist Asaph as he contemplated the tender mercies of God:

Psalm 73:23-26 (NIV)

I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

My friends, the Presence of the Lord is His Spirit! And we receive Him when we place our faith in Christ Jesus. Jesus Himself affirmed: “When He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from Me what He will make known to you.” (John 16:13-15)

How blessed we are to abide in the Presence of the Lord! How blessed we are to have the Holy Spirit to guide us into all the Truth! Let us contemplate these riches of His grace this evening! Let us worship Him in Spirit and Truth!

Have a Blessed Day!

Truth…

Truth…

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

I love how John approached this description of Jesus in his gospel narrative. The Logos of God – the Word of God … His Being Incarnate … sent from His dwelling place in heaven to dwell among us. Jesus revealed the love and grace of God. Jesus confirmed His Existence, His Being, and His Truth. Jesus told His disciples, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” (John 14:7-10) Oh my friends, our compassionate, merciful, loving Creator HAS been made known to us; and He desires us to know Him … and to worship Him in the Spirit and in Truth. (John 4:23-24)

I believe every person who has ever been born desires to know the truth. There is a void in their soul longing to be filled with the truth of their existence. When Pontius Pilate examined Jesus, He told Pilate, “The reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Yet, Pilate was unmoved and retorted, “What is truth?” (John 18:33-38) Humans profess that we want to know truth, but when confronted with the truth, we are hesitant to believe it or to believe in Him. Jesus told His disciples: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) And He went on to encourage them: “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.” (John 14:11)

It is incumbent of us to believe Jesus at His Word! Indeed, Jesus said that those who hold to His teachings will come to know the Truth, and the Truth will set them free! (John 8:31) When we walk in accordance with the truth, we’re set free from darkness. We’re released from the bondage of sin. We’re given liberty from the fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14-15) Yes, let us heed the things we should remember about Truth: The Word of God is Truth; and we are separated from the world by it. (John 17:17) The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth; and He proceeds from the Father and testifies about the Truth of Jesus. (John 15:26) Whoever lives by the Truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:21)

Have a Blessed Day!

Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” ~ John 8:45-47

Path…

Path…

You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11 NIV)

How wonderful it is the know that our Heavenly Father has made known to us the path of life! I find it inspiring that He used “path” as a metaphor. It is trodden along the ground by the feet of people; and it forms a familiar route between one place and another. And a path typically becomes worn and hardened by repeated travel over time as it becomes a distinct and narrow way….

There is a path that has been well traveled by many souls over the millennia; and I weep in my heart as I think about the direction some have taken. I am reminded when Jesus told the parable about a farmer, who as he was scattering his seed, some fell along the path and the birds came and ate it up. Jesus would later explain: “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the Word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the Word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. (Luke 8:11-12)

Yes, far too many people have left the narrow path of life and find themselves on a broad road – not understanding that it leads to destruction. Their hearts have become hardened and their ears have become dull. They cannot hear the Word of God, the seed of faith, to cultivate and produce a new life within them. Jesus told those who would follow Him: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

My friends, let us pray for the one whose path lies in the rut of life. Let us share with them the message about Christ Jesus. For He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus. (John 14:6) Indeed, Jesus is only path that leads to life! In His presence there is fullness of joy! And God has made Him known!

Have a Blessed Day!

We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which He has given about His Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about His Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. ~ 1 John 5:9-12

Obedience…

Obedience…

So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. (Deuteronomy 5:32-33)

To walk in obedience has always been the expectation of our Creator from the beginning. Adam and Eve only had one commandment to keep, but they failed to observe it and brought sin upon mankind. Had they known then what we know now, I believe they might have reconsidered their act of disobedience and the consequences that ensued….

What does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear Him; to walk in obedience to Him; and to serve Him will all of your heart and soul. (Deuteronomy 10:12) And there is great reward for those who keep the commands of God! I encourage you to read all about the blessings God ordained for obedience written in Deuteronomy 28. The desire of God to bless His people with abundant life is quite evident:

Psalm 128:1-4 (NIV)

Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to Him. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord.

And there are spiritual blessings for obedience! Jesus said to His disciples: “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of Truth.” (John 14:15-17) “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:21) “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23) Indeed, Jesus affirmed: “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:10-12)

Have a Blessed Day!

But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the Word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.” ~ 1 Samuel 15:22-23

Hunger…

Hunger…

Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:1-3)

Each of us has experienced physical hunger – a feeling of discomfort or weakness caused by lack of food and a strong desire to eat…. It can gnaw at our stomachs and distract us from everything else until it is satisfied and we are filled. When God called His people out of Egypt and gave them His commandments, there was a deeper purpose He desired to accomplish in them as they wandered in the wilderness … a hunger for His Word … a hunger for an intimate relationship with Him.

Just as food is necessary to stave off the pangs of hunger and to provide the nutrients needed for life, so the Word of God is imperative to fill our hearts and souls with the thoughts of God. Through His Word, God has conveyed His Will. And so, knowing His Word it is essential to the life and well-being of our spirits … our inner beings. When we are physically starving, we will do whatever is necessary to obtain food. Likewise, when we are spiritually famished, we need look no further than the Jesus, the Word of God, to satisfy our souls. This is how we sustain our true life….

My friends, there is an insatiable hunger in our souls that only Jesus can fill. He affirmed: “I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:48-51) Indeed, Jesus is the life-sustaining food we all need to live. He is the true bread of life; and whoever comes to Him will never go hungry….

Have a Blessed Day!

“The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it. ~ Amos 8:11-12

Spirit…

Spirit…

When Jesus conversed with the woman at the well (John 4), He declared to her: “God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in Truth.” (Verse 24) His statement is quite profound; and yet, it should be understandable. For God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:27) As His image bearers … as humans with indwelling spirits … it should be quite natural to us to worship God our Creator … our Father … with the inner being He gave us. (Ecclesiastes 12:7)

Yet, it appears that too often we allow our spirits to be subjected to the weakness of the flesh that envelopes them. As Jesus reminded His disciples: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38) And so, I think it is apparent that we need a supernatural power to invigorate us … to energize and strengthen us for worship and service that will please our Heavenly Father.

Jesus affirmed: “Very truly I tell you, no one can center the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:5) Indeed, the Apostle John testified: “The one who keeps His commands lives in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us.” (1 John 3:24) And Paul reminds us that the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)

The Good News is that His divine power IS available through baptism in the Holy Spirit. Yes, when you come to Jesus through the grace of faith, believe in Him, and place your entire trust in Him, He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33) All the Gospels attest to this truth! Through Christ Jesus, you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!

Friends, I want to encourage you to look deeper into the role of the Holy Spirit in your journey of faith. There is a baptism in water … and there is a baptism in the Holy Spirit. His role is to guide you into all truth. His role is to indwell you so that you may remain in the Lord Jesus. His role is to endue you with power, love, and self-discipline. In Him, you will bear much fruit … Kingdom fruit … that will last and bring glory to God. (John 15:8)

Have a Blessed Day!

So, I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ~ Galatians 16-18

Forty…

Forty…

I have been on pause for forty days; and the time has been insightful for me in many respects. The number of days is significant because it has fulfilled a numerical pattern found in the Word of God. In the time of the Great Flood, rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. (Genesis 7:12) When Moses ascended into the cloud on Mount Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments, he stayed on the mountain and fasted forty days and forty nights. (Exodus 24:18) The people of Israel wandered in the wilderness – a year for each of the forty days they had explored the Promised Land. (Numbers 14:33-35) Likewise, Jesus journeyed into the wilderness and was tested, and He fasted for forty days and forty nights. (Matthew 4:1-2; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-2)

During the past forty days I have gone through a wilderness experience of my own; and I feel that I have grown spiritually during this time. The spiritual battles encountered have strengthened my faith … for I have had to seek God and to trust Him alone. I have learned afresh to wait upon Lord; to encounter His presence; to exercise self-discipline; and to bear the fruit of the Spirit. Indeed, He has challenged me to become more Kingdom-minded in the days ahead and to serve Him without hesitancy or doubt. I have emerged from this time of solitude and rest with greater awareness of service and purpose; and I pray this journey of faith going forward will be more productive and fruitful for my Lord Jesus….

Today … our Word of the Day is FORTY! I challenge you to spend 40 minutes in prayer, reading the Word of God, or praise and worship for the next 40 days and 40 nights. I believe you, too, will be amazed at how FORTY can change your perspective and revitalize your walk with Jesus.

Have a Blessed Day!

I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him. ~ Psalm 40

Great Peace!

Psalm 119:165 (NIV)

Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.

Our Verse of the Day brings to light the great impact of having a state of peace within our lives; and it awaits those who obey the righteous instruction of God. Those who love God and obey Him will experience “great peace” in their lives. Indeed, I think all of us want to have this depth of peace with God … and to attain peace in our relationships with one another. Because God has created us as relational creatures, I believe seeking and finding peace is an inner desire within each of us. Peace is defined as a state of tranquility or quiet; a state of security or order; harmony in personal relations; an agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity; and freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions. Can you personally relate to any of these definitions? But in order to have peace in our lives, I believe the first state of peace we must find and embrace is peace with God Himself … for He is the source of all peace. (Cf. Romans 15:33; Cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:16) If we follow His commands, we will not stumble in this experience of life. Having the Law of God, the revealed will of our Creator, gives us knowledge and assurance; and therefore, confidence and great peace. If we want peace in our lives, we need to set our affection on the Word of God … its wisdom and counsel … because it reveals the heart of our Creator.

Psalm 119:161-168 (NIV)

ש Sin and Shin

¹⁶¹Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at your word.
¹⁶²I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil.
¹⁶³I hate and detest falsehood but I love your law.
¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.
¹⁶⁵Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
¹⁶⁶I wait for your salvation, Lord, and I follow your commands.
¹⁶⁷I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly.
¹⁶⁸I obey your precepts and your statutes, for all my ways are known to you.

Just as God provides us peace through His Word, God has granted us the capacity to experience true peace with Him through His Son, our Lord Jesus! Through His atoning sacrifice for our sin upon the cross, Jesus reconciled us to the Father and brought us peace. As the Prophet Isaiah foretold of the Messiah: “Surely, He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Cf. Isaiah 53:4-6) So Paul, when writing to the Colossians, expounded on this grace imparted peace through the life and death of Christ Jesus:

Colossians 1:15-23 (NIV)

¹⁵The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. ¹⁸And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. ¹⁹For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, ²⁰and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. ²¹Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. ²²But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation— ²³if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

So here is the connection: Jesus fulfilled the Law of God! He is the ever living, everlasting Word of God! Yes, in Jesus we receive the great peace of God! Indeed, Jesus is our only source of true peace! I am convinced that none of us will experience peace with God except that we receive the reconciliation He has afforded us through Jesus. Once a person enters into a personal, relationship with God through Christ, the love and peace of God will guard their hearts and minds. (Cf. Philippians 4:7) As Paul assured the Thessalonians, “May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:13) And, “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” (Cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:16) Jesus is the Prince of Peace who will fill you with His peace … a peace that surpasses all understanding. He is the Gospel of Peace embodied. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” (Cf. Romans 5:1-2)

As a reminder, let us not lose sight of the purpose for which the Father has granted us peace through His Son. This is our calling in Christ: to pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with those who call on the Lord our of a pure heart. (Cf. 2 Timothy 2:22) We are to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. (Cf. Titus 3:2). Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. (Cf. Romans 14:19) If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Cf. Romans 12:18) It is clear that peace is requisite for healthy relationships … without which we cannot experience true fellowship, friendship, companionship, or intimacy. Knowing God. Knowing His Law (His Word). Knowing His love for us through His Son, Jesus. These will produce “great peace” in our hearts … a deep, inner peace that empowers us to extend His grace and peace to those around us!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Peace … I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. ~ John 14:27

Rejoicing in Obedience…

Psalm 119:14 (NIV)

I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

I have pondered over our Verse of the Day; and I have asked myself if my heart feels the same way as the Psalmist expressed. Do I REJOICE in following the statues and commands of God? If someone were to just give you a billion dollars, would the excitement of receiving those “great riches” compare to how you should feel inside for obeying God? What a provocative metaphor the Psalmist has used to exhort our view of and response to scripture … the Word of God.

Psalm 119:9-16 (NIV)⁹How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.
¹⁰I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
¹¹I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
¹²Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees.
¹³With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
¹⁴I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
¹⁵I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
¹⁶I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

As we read this particular section of Psalm 119, notice the joy, the exuberance, and the delight of the inspired writer as he considers his inner desire to follow the laws, statutes, precepts, decrees, and commands found in the Word of God. He holds nothing back! But do we? Do we whole heartedly approach obedience with this level of zeal? Or do we begrudge having to exert our own wills to resist disobedience? I think believers certainly endeavor to obey the will of God, but have we ever thought that our attitude should be one of rejoicing like someone who won the Mega Millions Lottery? The question that comes to mind is: “Do we rejoice when we obey God and His Word? Does obedience bring joy to our lives?

I am reminded of this passage from Paul found in 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 which reads: “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” Could it be, perhaps, that the way out is to “rejoice” in obedience? Think about it for a moment. The last time you were tempted, did you delight in His statutes and decrees? Do you meditate on the Word of God and hide it within your heart so that you might not sin against Him? Maybe we need to consider the joy that obedience will bring more than we entertain any thoughts of disobedience … which will only lead to guilt and shame. I think that if we would attain an attitude of delight in following after God, we would be less likely to inhibit fellowship with Him because of sin.

This meditation has challenged me to examine the attitude of my heart. I think the issue here is not so much what I might accomplish by following His statutes – although there are blessings for sure; rather, the focus should really be about my motivation to follow His commands. Do I approach obedience with a cheerful and glad heart? Is obedience something that I wholly and heartily pursue as I would the pursuit of “great riches”? To me the Psalmist is saying, “Obedience is not an afterthought; rather, following the commands of God should be a forethought … a planned strategy that one should take delight in … knowing God will be pleased with every act of obedience. Obedience is not something to begrudge; rather, we should view His perfect law … His royal law … as a source of joy and delight! If we want to experience more joy in our lives, obedience to the Word of God is a great path for us to attain it.

Again, a simple verse with tremendous impact. It has changed my perspective on the inner motivation of my heart and how I should view the will of God. I am reminded of Psalm 1:2 which affirms: “Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law both day and night. And King David wrote: “Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in His commands. (Cf. Psalm 112:1) Indeed, it is one thing to obey God out of a sense of moral duty, obligation, or respect. It is another to rejoice and delight in following His commands. It’s all about the motivation of our hearts. And I remember that Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep my commands.” (Cf. John 14:15) To me, that is the greatest reason to “rejoice” in following His statutes because I always want Jesus to know that I love Him….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. ~ Isaiah 61:10

The Lord Delights in His People

Psalm 149:4 (NIV)

For the Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with victory.

Our Verse of the Day comes from a Psalm focused on praise … as Verse 1 suggests. As usual, I thought to read the entire Psalm to review Verse 4 in context. As I read through Verse 5, I was identifying with the Psalmist and the ideas of how to praise the Lord. But as I read Verse 6 and the remainder of the Psalm, I was somewhat startled with the overtone of violence and how it had been connected with praise. I’ll let you read it, and contemplate it yourself for a moment.

Psalm 149

¹Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of His faithful people.

²Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
³Let them praise His name with dancing and make music to Him with timbrel and harp.
⁴For the Lord takes delight in His people;He crowns the humble with victory.
⁵Let His faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.

⁶May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,
⁷to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,
⁸to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron,

⁹to carry out the sentence written against them— this is the glory of all His faithful people. Praise the Lord.

I sought out some commentaries to provide some historical or cultural context to afford a better understanding of the meaning or even symbolism for the language that the Psalmist used. I have reprinted below what I believe is a thoughtful reflection on the passage for us, and I hope sharing it will present some light on otherwise seemingly dark imagery:

Commentary From Enduring Word on Verses 6-9

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand:

God’s people are pictured as ready for battle, equipped with two mighty weapons:

They bear the high praises of God; their worship indicates the allegiance and surrender to the God of every victory experienced in life. In 2 Chronicles 20:20-21 a great victory was won for the people of God as they entered the battle with praise.

They bear a two-edged sword in their hand, demonstrating both the use of practical weapons and means, and in a spiritual sense, their reliance upon the Word of God, which is described as a two-edged sword (Cf. Revelation 19:15); considered sharper than a one-edged sword (Cf. Hebrews 4:12); and metaphorically referenced as the sword of the Spirit (Cf. Ephesians 6:17).

i. In their mouth: “‘In their throat,’ per the Hebrew, for God’s saints sing deep down in their throats. There is a deeply rooted music when we praise God, which is altogether unlike the mere syllables of the lips that come from a hypocrite’s tongue.” (Spurgeon)

ii. “Their praise is not merely to be that of the chanting of words. It is also to be in the doing of His will. While the high praises of God are in their mouth, a two-edged sword is to be in their hand, with which they carry out His purposes among the peoples, the kings, and the nobles.” (Morgan)

iii. “In this state of mind, the Lord will grant victory to his people, as He did to Nehemiah and his men who worked with ‘sword and trowel’ while praying to the Lord (Cf. Nehemiah 4:9, 16–23), believing that ‘Our God will fight for us!’ (Cf. Nehemiah 4:20).” (Van Gemeren)

iv. A saying among Americans came from the Second World War: Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition. Psalm 149:6 has something of that idea.

v. The combination of these two – the high praises of God and the two-edged sword spiritually speaks to every leader among God’s people. The gatherings of God’s people should excel in both praise and the preaching of God’s Word. We should always press to have excellent praises of God and a right, sharp handling of the sword of the Spirit.

vi. “The Word of God is all edge; whichever way we turn it, it strikes deadly blows at falsehood and wickedness. If we do not praise, we shall grow sad in our conflict; and if we do not fight, we shall become presumptuous in our song. The verse indicates a happy blending of the chorister and the crusader.” (Spurgeon)

vii. “If you had a sword of steel, you would fight with men; but that is no part of your business. You are not called to that cruel work; but, as you have the sword of the Spirit, which is two-edged, which is indeed all edge, for it cuts whichever way you turn it, go forth and praise God by the use of that two-edged sword which is the Word of God.” (Spurgeon)

To execute vengeance on the nations:

The power of praise and the Word of God will ultimately see God’s work accomplished among the nations. For those who persist in disobedience, it will be vengeance and punishments at the end of the age. Not even kings or nobles can escape this judgment to come.

i. “The stern close of the Psalm strikes a note which many ears feel to be discordant… [Yet] it is entirely free from any sentiment of personal vengeance.” (Maclaren)

ii. Execute vengeance: “For all their cruelties and injuries towards God’s people. This was literally accomplished by David upon the Philistines, Ammonites, Syrians, and other neighboring nations and princes, which were bitter enemies to God’s people.” (Poole)

iii. “Now, in terms of a holy war, such as those of Israel against the Canaanites, we sing of the retribution which will overtake the enemies of God. As a nation, Israel had been charged with executing this in literal fact at her entry into the promised land; and at the last day the angels, the armies of heaven, will accompany our Lord to judgment.” (Kidner)

iv. We see that in the immediate context of the Psalmist, in some way Israel was to be the agent to execute vengeance. This means that their joyful praise had to connect itself to radical obedience, even to God’s difficult and costly commands. As believers under a new covenant, we don’t battle flesh and blood enemies (Cf. Ephesians 6:12-18), yet we have the responsibility to be not only worshippers, but warriors in a spiritual warfare that at times will be difficult and costly. In a spiritual sense, we are to execute vengeance on everything that would oppose Jesus Christ and the work of His Kingdom in our life.

v. “Our equivalent of binding kings with chains (Verse 8) is to ‘take every thought captive to obey Christ’ (Cf. 2 Corinthians 10:5).” (Kidner)

vi. To execute on them the judgment written: “It would be a sad thing for anyone to misuse this text: lest any warlike believer should be led to do so, we would remind him that the execution must not go beyond the sentence and warrant; and we have received no warrant of execution against our fellow men.” (Spurgeon)

vii. For the believer under the New Covenant, there is a judgment written against every spiritual enemy, and Jesus wrote it by His work on the cross (Cf. John 16:11; Colossians 2:14).

viii. To execute vengeance: “The history of this song is one of great sadness, due to grave misinterpretation, and grievous misapplication. Delitzsch has said: ‘By means of this Psalm, Kaspar Scioppius, in his Classicum Belli Sacri, inflamed the Roman Catholic princes to the Thirty Years’ Religious War. And, within the Protestant Church, Thomas Münzer, by means of this Psalm, stirred up the War of the Peasants.’” (Morgan)

ix. Especially in light of how this verse has been abused, it is important to remember what Morgan noted: “There is no reference in this Psalm to the Church of God. As it specifically indicates, it has to do with ‘Israel,’ and with ‘the children of Zion.’”

This honor have all His saints:

In some way beyond our present comprehension, God will use His people in the setting right the wrongs of this present age. Even if our participation is only as an audience to the righteous judgments of God, it will be an honor to all His saints. “They are redeemed from bondage that they may be God’s warriors. The honor and obligation are universal.” (Maclaren)

Praise the LORD! This sentence – one word in the Hebrew, hallelujah – is understood as either a declaration or an exhortation. Here especially it can be taken as an exhortation, and encouragement for all those who reject and resist God to praise Him instead, to be among His saints and not among the nations who will receive God’s vengeance.

My friends, I know this discussion has been rather lengthy, but I anticipated that many of you would have read the entire Psalm as I did; and I felt like the transition in Verse 6 going into the remainder of the Psalm was fairly intense. To be honest, it bothered me greatly until I read some of the commentaries which gave me a better perspective and reminded me that the Word of God is a metaphoric double-edged sword. Its work within our inner being, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, is to wage war against the rebellion and evil so prevalent within the world because it lies within the human heart. I believe this presents a more balanced application for born-again believers under the New Covenant.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor His delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love. ~ Psalm 147:10-11