Living by the Sword

"a double-edged sword in their hands"

Psalm 149:6

I made another psalmic discovery today.  Or is it "psalmy" discovery?  Hmmm.... I wonder if you can turn the word "psalm" into an adjective....

Hey, cool!  The dictionary says there is an adjectival form of the word, and it's "psalmic"!  I was just kidding with that word!   Any day you learn something new is a good day, right?   And an even better day is one when you notice something new in the Bible.  Although hopefully, that's every day...

So yesterday, my psalmic discovery was in Psalm 150.   I had decided to start reading through the psalms again, and for some reason I started with Psalm 150.  I've just always loved how upbeat it is, full of praise for God.  And my discovery was seeing a pattern in the verses that I had never noticed before.

Well anyhow, I decided to continue in the Psalms today, but of course, the only direction to go was backwards... so Psalm 149 it was.

Today's discovery was in the words ~ specifically verse 6.  Verses 1-5 are all about praise ~ "Sing to the Lord a new song... Let Israel rejoice in their Maker... Let them praise His name with dancing..." Good stuff like that. 

But verse 6 takes a slightly different tone ~ a tone that reminds that God is not only compassionate and loving and kind, but also just.  He is Judge, and there will be punishment for those who deserve it.  So verse 6 says, "May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands." 

Seems a little violent at first, but we need to remember that Israel was God's chosen people from the beginning, and God promised to avenge what was done to them.  ("I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you" ~ Genesis 12:3)

But that wording, "double-edged sword" took my mind to Hebrews and Ephesians.  Hebrews 4:12, which says, "The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."  And Ephesians 6 is the passage that lists the armor we are to put on, which concludes with "take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." 

Now verse 6 of Psalm 149 has taken on a whole new meaning.  The praise of God in my mouth, and the Bible in my hand.  Ready for anything. 

~ "they were all filled with the Holy Spirit,

   and they spoke the word of God with boldness" ~

Acts 4:31

~