Psalm 149
1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
2 Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with victory.
5 Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their couches.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats
and two-edged swords in their hands,
7 to execute vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with fetters
and their nobles with chains of iron,
9 to execute on them the judgment decreed.
This is glory for all his faithful ones.
Praise the Lord!
Devotional
The people are glad in their Maker. We understand that, and even expect it from a psalm. But notice that the Lord also takes pleasure in the people. God chooses to enjoy creation and the people who are a part of it. This sense of delight is something we experience in our own relationships. There is something delightful about spending time with friends and loved ones. There is something delightful in friendship, trust, and love. This mutual sense of gladness points us to the fact that God has chosen to enter into relationship with creation. The joy then explodes into song and action—it’s worship that comes from deep within, worship that cannot be silenced or stopped.
Message provided by the Miller Summer Youth Institute.