Studies in Psalms – Psa 149:5-9 “To execute upon them the judgment written” – Part 2
Psa 149:5-9 “To execute upon them the judgment written” – Part 2
[Study Aired April 23, 2020]
Psa 149:5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
Psa 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
Psa 149:7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
Psa 149:8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
Psa 149:9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
God’s saints will be, and are, “joyful in glory” when we are partakers of that process of making the bitter waters sweet for the sake of the rest of the world. The bitter waters within us can only be made sweet by our hope of glory within (Col 1:27) being cast into the water that is described in Exodus chapter 15:22-26, as a tree that represents Christ.
Genesis chapter 30 describes the prosperity that came to Jacob by setting “rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink” (Exo 15:22-26, Gen 30:41-43). The physical prosperity God gave to Jacob is a type and shadow of the spiritual prosperity we have when God puts “none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee” of Exodus 15:26, and that will happen as a result of our diligently hearkening to the voice of the Lord, who is teaching us to forsake ungodliness and worldly lust (Tit 2:12) as we learn obedience through a process of grace through faith that is typified by the “pilled white strakes” that were put on the rods (Isa 53:5, Heb 5:8, 1Jn 4:17).
When we see these two stories side by side, a clear message is given to God’s elect who are being received as God’s sons whom He loves and is maturing through the trials and tribulations of this life (Heb 12:6, Act 14:22).
Exo 15:24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
Exo 15:25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
Exo 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.Gen 30:41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
Gen 30:42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s.
Gen 30:43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.
It’s more blessed to give than to receive (Act 20:35), and God has called us to this blessing to be part of those living waters, along with Christ, that will be sent out to heal the world (1Pe 3:9, Zec 14:8, Joh 20:21), with waters that have been purified through the stripes with which God bruises us; stripes that Christ endured for our sakes (Heb 4:15), and stripes that we “fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ” with (Col 1:24) so the nations can be healed (Psa 103:3). It pleases the Father that these branches which we are (Joh 15:5) go through what we go through not only so that we can be healed and saved, but so we can heal others and ultimately be used to save the world with our head, Jesus Christ, leading the way (Joh 15:2, 1Ti 4:16).
The Lord is dragging the body of Christ forward by grace through faith (Joh 6:44, Eph 2:8), as our Father writes a book of remembrance for the world that will witness of His greatness to finish what He has started in us through Christ (Heb 12:2, Php 1:6). The fruit of the work of the Lord within the body of Christ will be witnessed in our coming together often in a spirit of love, not forsaking the assembling of the brethren and communicating often to one another (Heb 10:25, Mal 3:16). That book God is writing is on our hearts and is a witness of His power (Zec 4:6). The extra oil we are blessed and privileged to buy comes from our savior, or physician, who heals us in this life and promises us that we will be able to endure until the end through Him.
God has ordained from the foundation of the world that the elect would cry out to Him in that we fear Him (Heb 5:7, 1Jn 4:17) and understand that we can’t see or hear spiritually without that gift being given (Joh 5:30, Joh 15:5). Having those spiritual eyes and ears gives us the ability to understand and see the severity and goodness of God that has blinded those who say they do see, which is why their sin remains, even while He shows mercy to a small remnant of first fruits who are blessed to be those who are first given eyes to see and ears to hear so we can trust Him through this life of much tribulation which is used to help us put off our flesh (Mat 25:3-4, Rev 3:18, Mar 2:17, Mat 24:13, Joh 9:41).
The only way in which we will one day be those saviors who come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau is to have God’s mercy extended to us in this life (Rom 2:3-4), which is His goodness leading us to repentance so we can be cleansed and healed and blessed to be used to “execute upon them the judgment written” (Oba 1:21).
Psa 149:5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
Let the saints be “joyful in glory” in the joy of knowing that we are going from “glory to glory” spoken of in 2 Corinthians 3:18. If we know our trials are of the Lord and that He is working all things according to the counsel of His will, then we can more easily give thanks to God for those wonderful works unto the children of men (Psa 107:27-32). It is when we suffer from having the veil ripped that we cease from sinning (1Pe 4:1) and can then go from obedience to obedience, which glorifies God because it is God who is giving us the power to do that (Php 4:13, Php 4:19).
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Psa 107:25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
Psa 107:28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; [2Co 12:9]
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Php 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Coming to that point of being thankful and rejoicing in the trials God gives us is a miracle that He has to bestow upon the elect, otherwise we would grow weary of his correction and because iniquity will abound we would be of the camp of those whose love [obedience to God’s commands – 1Jn 5:3, Joh 14:15] waxes cold because of the lack of spiritual increase not given.
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. [Php 4:13]1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
God’s elect are called to witness that His mercy will prevail for them in this age and demonstrate His power which saves those whom He has predetermined from the foundation of the world to be His kind of first fruits (Jas 1:18, 1Co 1:26). There’s no greater increase God could give us than to be found in that blessed and holy first resurrection, which is not something anyone can attain unless it is God’s will for that to happen. Here is a short list of some things that God “will do” (vs. 24) to make this happen.
1Th 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.
1Th 5:20 Despise not prophesyings.
1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Th 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Php 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: [Lam 3:20-23].
Repentance and escaping the tribulation which we are to pray that we escape is connected to “their beds” in scripture and it is those who are granted to continue to repent in this age who will escape the great tribulation. Those who are given to see and know that they are not worthy and are unprofitable servants who have done that which was expected of them will also have repentant hearts, and minds that are examining themselves whether they be in the faith or not.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Rev 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
Joh 1:27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
[John was not worthy to unloose the latchet of Christ’s shoes, and neither are we. John died pointing to Christ, still being found with his own righteousness and under the law, which is why he said “whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose”. On the other hand, God’s elect are blessed to have our walk washed in this life by Christ and to wash each other’s feet with Christ in us as our hope of glory (Col 1:27), which means we can be found with His righteousness and not our own (Rev 19:8) as we are washed and cleansed by His word that quickens us and gives us the ability to live by the spirit and not by the letter. Our feet can’t be washed unless the shoes come off, and John was symbolically saying ‘I can’t be washed while I’m under the law’, and unless we are granted to loose those bands of iniquity within us that the law was given so that “the offence might abound” (Rom 5:20), we can’t truly be inwardly washed by the word and see grace “much more abound” (Joh 13:14, Php 3:9, Joh 6:63, 2Co 3:6)].
Luk 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. [Rom 12:1]
God’s goodness will lead us to repentance, and we will trim our lamps and be given to use that space of time He gives us to see the need to buy gold tried in the fire, salve for our eyes and white raiment that we may be clothed and the shame of our nakedness do not appear (Rev 3:18, Rev 19:8).
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. [Php 3:9, 1Jn 5:4]
The process we go through, which is described in Revelation 3:18, is also called the patience and faith of the saints (Rev 14:12), and it is our version of that great tribulation which we will escape (Luk 21:36) by experiencing the seven last plagues poured out upon us now in this age, bringing us to “repent of their deeds” (Rev 15:8, Rev 2:22). We are called to discern the times in which we’re living, and if God wills this, we will be made ready as the bride of Christ. Foreseeing the evil that is coming on this earth happens by being granted to see the evil within ourselves today, and that is a humiliating process for our flesh.
Pro 22:3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil [Psa 19:7], and hideth himself [Col 3:3]: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Pro 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.Pro 27:12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil [Psa 19:7], and hideth himself [Col 3:3]; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Mat 16:3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
Mat 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
What this first verse of our study is saying is that we are joyful because we have been blessed to identify the man of sin in our lives within who is being destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming (2Th 2:8) as we grow in the patience and faith of the saints because of the judgment that God has upon us and is enabling us to endure (1Pe 4:17, Mat 20:23).
Psa 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
Psa 149:7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
Psa 149:8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
The “twoedged sword” that is “in their hand” represents the word of God that is sharper than any twoedged sword and God willing not departing from our house (Heb 4:12, 2Sa 12:10). And the “high praises of God” that “be in their mouth” is the sacrifice of thanks giving that we offer to God continually for the wonderful workmanship in our heavens that is executing “vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people” within.
Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
The judgment which is upon us is what we must continue to endure through Christ and not grow weary of His correction (1Pe 4:17, Pro 3:11) because it is that two-edged sword of correction which is His word that will heal us (Psa 107:20) and bring us unto maturity in the Lord just like a typical birth of a child where there are normally nine months which represent judgment that is accompanied with greater intensity and frequency of birth pangs as the day approaches (Joh 16:21-24). God has built these physical lessons into the child-bearing experience for our sakes, who are our brother’s keeper (Gen 4:9) helping each other bear the joyful burden (Gal 6:2-3, Luk 17:10) of knowing that we were called unto this blessing to be in the first resurrection together and called to know that our “heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you” (Rev 20:6, Mat 24:13).
Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.Luk 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
It is through the suffering and afflictions we must endure that God will “bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron“; meaning we will cease from sinning after we go through much tribulation, and the end result will be that those earthly kings within us will be destroyed (1Pe 4:1, 1Pe 4:17).
Psa 149:9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
This last verse is the conclusion of the matter for those who are first judged in this life as God’s children. They will have “this honour” of executing “upon them the judgment written” and for that we ought to “Praise ye the LORD” who has made all of this possible through Jesus Christ.
What we need to do now as God’s children in order to be found in that blessed and holy first resurrection is perfectly outlined in Ephesians 6:1-4.
Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise😉
Eph 6:3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Eph 6:4 And, ye fathers [parents in the Lord], provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
The reward for that obedience which God will accomplish in the hearts and minds of Christ’s bride is for us to be partakers of “the first commandment with promise”, which promise is described in this way: “that it may be well with thee, and you may live long on the earth.”
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. [“live long on the earth“]
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Notice that it is during that symbolic thousand years that we reign on the earth that we will “execute upon them the judgment written” which is what the 1000 represents (10x10x10=1000).
When God’s judgments are in the earth men will learn righteousness, but we also must remember that the one thousand comes first for all men, and then the #1, which represents the day of the Lord, the time of true spiritual conversion, will come after.
Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward [Rom 2:4], not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. [each man in his order – 1Co 15:22-23]
God has given the elect to be able to see the need for order, and how that applies to the resurrections and the judgment of all of mankind. That judgment begins with us as His firstfruits who will be saved first so that we can “execute upon them the judgment written“.
1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
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