Considering that Psalms 146 – 150 are called the “Hallelujah Psalms”, you might be a little surprised by just what the psalmist is praising God for in the second part of Psalm 149.
But before we look at that, let me share with you a book I am presently reading which is called “God’s Adventurer – The story of Stuart Windsor and the Persecuted Church” (written by Stuart Windsor and Graham Jones Monarch Books 2011). It is a book about faith in action in the midst of incredible injustices in countries such as Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan, South Sudan and Myanmar. Some of these injustices include basic human right violations such as slavery, silencing and killing minorities and any people considered an “enemy” of the political powers of the time, destroying the property of such “enemies” and causing them to flee for their lives, false accusations of “blasphemy” against minorities, followed by the threat of the death sentence for this “crime” against the majority religion and then the persecution of those who change their religion in a few countries where this is “illegal.”
At the time of writing, Stuart Windsor was the international director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), “a human rights organisation which specialises in religious freedom, working on the behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs and promoting religious liberty for all.”
Sadly, some of the world’s leaders and their followers have still not learnt that one day such unjust activities will result in the judgement of God upon all such atrocities. Paul reminds us of this in his letter to the Galatians when he says:
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction… (Galatians 6:7-8)
And Paul reminds us of the words from Deuteronomy when he quotes God’s words:
It is written… ‘It is mine to avenge, I will repay,’ says the Lord.
And so, this leads us to now consider the second half of Psalm 149 where the psalmist says:
6 May the praise of God be in their mouths
and a double-edged sword in their hands,
7 to inflict vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with fetters,
their nobles with shackles of iron,
9 to carry out the sentence written against them—
this is the glory of all his faithful people.
Concerning theses verses, Wilcock reminds us of Isaiah 61. In this chapter are the verses that Jesus quoted as recorded in Matthew 4:16-21. It speaks of good news [for] the poor… the brokenhearted… freedom for the captives… release … for the prisoners (Isaiah 61:1-2a).
“But significantly, [Jesus] stops at 61:2a. His coming into the world brings ‘the year of the Lord’s favour.’ Not until his second coming will the ‘day of vengeance of our God’ [61:2b] arrive. [This involving] Retribution for the nations, that is, for all who refuse to accept him as King and thus become his people… [but this being] in abeyance so long as the message of Christ is being made known. It finally comes home to roost in Revelation 19:1-3, where the saints praise God for the day of vengeance… the evil that stems from rebellion against God [as mentioned above in Windsor’s book] and plays havoc with his wonderful world must be destroyed sooner or later.” (# 5)
Those words in Revelation are:
After this I heard what sounded like a mighty shout of a great crowd in heaven, exclaiming, Hallelujah (praise the Lord)! Salvation and glory (splendor and majesty) and power (dominion and authority) [belong] to our God!
2 Because His judgments (His condemnation and punishment, His sentences of doom) are true and sound and just and upright. He has judged… (Revelation 19:1-3 AMPC)
Wilcock continues:
“The powers of evil are abroad in our world, and it is for the church of God, with the praise of God in her mouth and the double-edged sword of Bible truth in her hands [see Eph. 6:17 and Hebrews 4:12], to see that they do not have their way – that their plans are frustrated and their captives liberated.” (# 5)
Hence the courageous work of followers of Jesus in organisations such as CSW and many more like them worldwide.
And so, the psalmist concludes, that when the sentence written against them is finally carried out, that this [will be] the glory of all his faithful people. Praise the Lord!
Worship and Wisdom - Psalms and Proverbs 