or as a part of one s very life. But why a two-edged sword? It serves to represent a fight we have, not only against the world and the devil, that’s one edge, but also the other edge is necessary to fight against our own corruption. In verse 7, the scene changes somewhat. Here we find the certain ty of judgment injected. Dr. Wernher Von Braun, the famous scientist, re cently said, “I believe that there are two forces which move us. One is a belief in a last judgment, when every one of us has to account for what he did with God’s great gift of life on earth. The other is the belief in an immortal soul, a soul which will cher ish the award or suffer the penalty, decreed in a final judgment.” Now, I don’t know anything about Dr. Von Braun’s personal tsetimony, but his view suggests that within the heart of men is the realization that this life calls for a life hereafter, a life when judgment shall be meted out, and this is correct as far as it goes. Verse 7 declares, “To execute ven geance upon the heathen, and punish ments upon the people.” Dispensationally, we must under stand that the New Testament spir itual church doesn’t pray the same way as did the Old Testament na tional church. The Israelites were the arm of God, literally, to bring judgment upon sinful and evil men. Unfortunately, through the centuries, some of the Christians have used these verses to arouse passion and stir up angry desire in the hearts of unthinking individuals to wreak vengeance upon others. This was one of the problems with the Crusades of the 11th century. The same hap pened in the Thirty Years’ War. Thousands of people were slaught ered. Such philosophy will never stand the scrutiny of Scripture. Con sider II Corinthians 10:4 where we’re told that “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of
will certainly cause eternal joy. But the fact of the matter is, as this verse suggests, there is glory for us now. Reading again, “Let the saints be joyful in glory.” Did you know that life can be glorious even right now? There’s another interesting point here in that in the time in which this was penned, beds were really couches. Not only were they the place where people slept, but also people would dine and feast from their couches. So the Psalmist in essence wants us to know that re gardless of the time of life, regard less of the circumstances, there is the need for praise and ample reason to give it. Even on our death beds there can be praise. I know how hard it is for me when I’m sick, even for a few days. I think to myself, “If I could just get up out of this bed, then wouldn’t I praise God!” The fact of the matter is, that the Lord knows that’s probably ex actly what I wouldn’t do. Sometimes He has to bring us down flat on our backs, so that we will then be will ing to look up into His face. Are we sighing or singing saints in our suf fering or unhappy circumstances? In verse 6, of Psalm 149 we are told, “Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.” Notice how that we aren’t always left on our beds. There are now at least two things we’re told we can do. Inter estingly, they both can be accom plished at the same time. One is to praise God, the other is to gain a spiritual victory with God’s Sword of the Spirit. The high praises which we are told here to have in our mouths, really means deep down in the throat, 10 Discipline is doing a thing you ought before the things you like.
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