Psalm 149

What are the effects and powers of praise?

Praises to God has an effect on God, an effect on the praiser, an effect of the enemies of God, and an effect on the enemies of God's people. Praise is a two-edged sword that executes judgement. It binds demonic kings in chains. It executes the written judgment.  A casual reader will look at this and think that we are to destroy the enemies with physical warfare. But this psalm is about the power of a spiritual sword. The Bible uses praise as a sword. Unlike Islam which talks of Jihad and often means a physical war. We are to praise and to trust that our words are executing the judgment that God has written.

Psalm 149

 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.