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Psalm 149(Good News Translation)
Friday
November 6, 2009
Called to be Free to Give God Thanks and Praise
Introduction
Psalm 149: Today's psalm is another song of praise that emphasizes God's justice. It offers images of music, praise and celebration. But it also includes words of punishment and violence.
Today's Scripture: Psalm 149:1b
Sing a new song to the LORD; praise him in the assembly of his faithful people!
How is this Scripture passage speaking to me today?
Today's Reading
1Praise the LORD! Sing a new song to the LORD; praise him in the assembly of his faithful people!2Be glad, Israel, because of your Creator; rejoice, people of Zion, because of your king!3Praise his name with dancing; play drums and harps in praise of him.4The LORD takes pleasure in his people; he honors the humble with victory.5Let God's people rejoice in their triumph and sing joyfully all night long.6Let them shout aloud as they praise God, with their sharp swords in their hands7to defeat the nations and to punish the peoples;8to bind their kings in chains, their leaders in chains of iron;9to punish the nations as God has commanded. This is the victory of God's people. Praise the LORD!Reflect
Reread 149:6-9: The "swords" symbolize God's concern for justice. Punishment is to serve the purpose of justice. God gave the king the responsibility for establishing justice on earth, but after the end of David's dynasty, the responsibility for establishing justice was given to all God's people. Note that New Testament writers do not speak about the sword of vengeance as much as the power of God at work within them (see 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:12-17; Hebrews 4:12). What is the relationship between punishment and justice?
Pray
Praise the LORD! I sing to you joyfully, Saving God! Make me an agent of your justice through the peaceful power of your Holy Spirit, that I may be a living example of your love. Amen.
Prayer Concern
Those working for restorative justice
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