Israel wants to live in peace in the Promised Land, but sometimes they are threatened by nations attempting to destroy the Land and the people. Israel can respond with might or with spirit, but each one on its own is insufficient. Psalm 149 emphasizes the true synthesis of power and prayer. This verse reminds us of the judge, Ehud the son of Gera, who, after killing the king of Moab with a double edged sword, rallied the people of Israel to fight, shouting “Follow after me; for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand” (Judges 3:28). The men he rallied were singers and fighters, seeking to lift up God’s name in the world as well as to eradicate evil and bring justice to the land. This is the message of the penultimate chapter in the Book of Psalms. Even now, hundreds of years later, the Holy Land and her inhabitants still face dangers of death and persecution. Thankfully, Israel has the might of the IDF to defend against her enemies, and the IDF has us.
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