Show Don't Tell: Psalm 149

Instead of saying "Praise God and execute judgment," dance with sword. "Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King." New song, faithful assembly, Maker rejoiced, King celebrated. "Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp." Dancing, timbrel, harp—full body worship. "For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory." Delight in people, humble crowned. Then the strange combination: "Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds." Singing in bed—nighttime praise. "May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them—this is the glory of all his faithful people. Praise the LORD." Praise and sword together. Worship and warfare. Not either/or but both/and—at least in this eschatological vision.