21 Sep Meditations on the Psalms #343
Psalm 149 Part 2
It is the constant teaching of Scripture that we may please God. This was the testimony borne of Enoch before his translation, and the apostle Paul exhorts us to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects…” Col 1:10 (NASB). Like a child bringing buttercups to its mother, and the mother expressing her Joy, so our weakest efforts are pleasing to our God.
He will beautify the afflicted (NASB, The NRSV, and NKJV have ‘humble’) with salvation: Most of the great ones among humanity despise the humble and leave them in their low condition. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6, 1 Pet 5:5). He makes the humble/afflicted beautiful with salvation (The NLT has victory).
Not only does God take a personal interest in each step of the obedient soul, but He makes it beautiful, and leads them from victory to victory. That does not mean there won’t be battles along the way, but our victory is assured. Revelation declares that we will one day wear the victor’s crown.
This reminds us that though songs of praise are especially wonderful among the assembly of God’s people (v1), they should never be restricted to the assembly. It is a sacred and wonderful thing for the saints to sing aloud on their beds (v5-meaning in private.) Sometimes worry keeps us from sleeping. The more we fret about tomorrow’s problems, the more agitated we become, But the psalmist calls us to sing joy as we lie in our bed. Other psalms mention singing songs in the night. Paul and Silas did this in the Philippian Jail. I have always loved the hymns of Fanny Crosby who suffered from a long-term illness and the physical limitation of blindness.
In v6 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. In 2 Chron.20:20-21, a great victory was won for the people of God as they entered the battle with praise, a choir leading the way.
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