Psalm 149
Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise is the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel be glad in its Maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre. For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory. Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their couches. Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters and their nobles with chains of iron, to execute on them the judgment decreed. This is the glory for all faithful ones. Praise the Lord! Psalm 149 (NRSVUE)
True confession-there are portions of the Bible I have tended to try to avoid throughout the years. However, as I have matured, my selections have greatly increased. I have managed to read the entire New Testament in bits and pieces and am naturally drawn to the passages espousing love, comfort, justice, and mercy. My favorite book of the Old Testament has always been the Psalms.
The tone and mood of Psalm 149 were very reassuring and comforting, until the second part of verse six when things took a drastic turn. Oh, no! Here’s the part I dreaded…dealing with the militaristic tone and my awareness that this and the next three verses of the psalm have been used to justify actual wars.
How could I reconcile these verses, particularly the word “vengeance” in verse seven? I turned to the words of Old Testament Scholar James Luther Mays in the book he edited, Psalms, Interpretation (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1994). He reminded me that vengeance promoted in Psalm 149 is not “the emotion of a hate reaction but in the sphere of legal custom. Vengeance was an act to enforce and restore justice where the regular legal processes were not competent or had failed.”
The words from James Luther Mays were revolutionary for me. They led to the discovery of several verses and passages in the Old Testament referred to as social justice scriptures. These verses went from being problematic and uncomfortable to empowering and inspiring.
I no longer view Psalm 149 and other formerly troubling passages of the Old Testament as outdated, disturbing, and irrelevant. Now, they are a call to action. They are a call to do the important work of God in this world. To me, that means I need to serve others, those who are in need, oppressed, less fortunate than I am, outside my comfort zone. And, quite importantly, I need to make myself open and aware of opportunities to serve in that capacity.
Questions for Reflection:
- What are some specific ways you can promote justice in your own life?
- What are some specific Bible verses and/or passages that empower and motivate you? How do they do so?
Prayer:
God of justice and mercy, please open our hearts and minds and guide us to opportunities to promote and foster justice for all your children. Please help us to do so willingly and gratefully. Let us always remember to do so in your Son, Jesus’s name. Amen.
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