The Power in the Hand of the Saints and psalm 149

 Psalm 149 reads as follows from the King James version of the Bible”

1Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

 2Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

 3Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

 4For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

 5Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

 6Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;

 7To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;

 8To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;

 9To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.

Two major points can be gleaned from this psalm that applies today. The power of praise and the power of intercession activates in secret places within the relationship with the Lord.

This psalm places the saints on their beds at night. So the interpretation would not be literal that they have a two edged sword in their hand to execute judgment upon the heathen, and to bind kings with chains. This could be the effect of their discussions with the Lord, but it is executed maybe by angels and other unseen forces as a response to their entreaties to the Lord.

In effect they have this power, they execute this judgment, without actually leaving the comfort of their beds. Such is the power of the saints mentioned in this psalm, and the power of praise of these saints. It is their relative position, and closeness to the heavenly realm, that activates, symbolized by the hand which is an active thing.

This psalm speaks of the global force of the power of the saints, how things that happen anywhere are subject to the power of the saints. This of course is mysterious, as on the surface it would seem that the kings have the power, or others but this psalm points to the saints as the ones holding the power.

A parallel passage in the epistles is where is speaks of the word of the Lord as a double edged sword in the book of Hebrews In Hebrews Chapter 4 it says, “ For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

This psalm rings loudly that this word becomes involved not only in the hand of God, but also involves the work of the saints through the presence of the Lord to them.

The words of the saints in the context of prayer and praise, have the power that surpasses any kings power nn the earth. Their words have an effect in great ways, an example was the prophet Elijah that changed he weather for years based on his words.

A second major point here is that the Lord actually beautifies people here and now on the earth. It is interesting in the context of these times where there are so many marketed forms of beauty treatment but the Lord himself drapes people with beauty if He so pleases.

Then the question becomes, as with other blessings that pour out, what could block this or get in the way of this happening. And this could be a given sin or transgression. In the case of David, the Lord was giving him blessing upon blessing and would have given him more, but he took it upon himself to steal another man’s wife and then set him up for assassination. The transgression interrupts the blessings that keep on pouring out form the hand of the Lord. IN the account the Lord says if this were not enough, he would have given even more to David. The Lord will give enough or even more as He blesses his saints.

But the type of blessing where the Lord beautifies people, shows the tangible and visible effects of the presence of the Lord and how he pours out blessings like water, this wouldn’t be a momentary blessing but something poured upon someone.

An example of this type of beauty is given in Acts when describing Stephen.

This psalm shows that power in the hands of the saints of the Lord and its far reaching impications for many. It may be the power of saints from prior generations that are affecting events even today based on their communion in the night watches with the Lord.