NOTES for Psa 149
1 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 twoedged 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 honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD. |
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Why does the call go out to sing a new song? Are the old ones not enough? Have they not said everything necessary?
Yes, the old songs preserve necessary experience, and they cannot be rejected. But every day the Lord addresses us anew, and the choice we have made must be constantly reaffirmed, again and again.
How good it would be if we could repent once and for all and begin a new life without fear of turning away from the path we had chosen! But as long as we live, we remain free to choose not only good but also evil. Choosing the right path does not set us on rails along which we can travel straight into the Kingdom of Heaven without thinking and without turning aside. A new song is therefore a constant return to the sources of our faith, a daily reaffirmation of our faithfulness to God and His commandments.
The saints are granted the right to execute judgment upon sinners. It seems that the key concept here is judgment that is written down. Mention of judgment is too often associated with arbitrary power, but judgment that is written down is judgment consistent with God’s justice, not with our own notions and ideas of arbitrariness.
Other notes
For Psa 149:1-9
1 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 twoedged 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 honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD. |
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Readings for 26 April 2024
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