The Never Ending Worship Seminar

PSALM 149 - THE POWER OF PRAISE IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Eph.6:10-12 - Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

*** the war is in heaven, the enemy has a hierarchy ***

2 Cor. 10:3-6 - For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

*** Spiritual Weapons: Praise, the Word, the Blood, the Name of Jesus, our Testimony ***

These are all valid weapons, but praise is the chief weapon because it has the ability to combine all the others. These are also combined in prayer, but there is a special power released when the spoken word is combined with Godly music.

1 Sam.16:23 - And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

*** No singing mentioned, only playing of music. ***

Matt.12:28,29 - But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

*** spiritual warfare is effective when binding of the enemy occurs ***

Matt.16:19 - And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

*** binding on earth brings binding in the heavens ***

Psalm 149:6-9 - Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.

*** high praise combined with God’s Word brings binding ***
*** hierarchy similar to Eph. 6:12 ***
*** God’s court of law has passed sentence on the enemy and we are to be used to bring it to pass (and it is an honor!) ***

Psalms 149 :
1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

Verse 1 - praise #1 - (halal), praise #2 - (tehillah)

halal (1984): To be clear of sound; to shine; to make a show, to boast, and thus to be clamorously foolish; to rave, to celebrate

halal {haw-lal'} (1984) a primitive root; TWOT - 499,500; v
AV - praise 117, glory 14, boast 10, mad 8, shine 3, foolish 3, fools 2, commended 2, rage 2, celebrate 1, give 1, marriage 1, renowned 1; 165
1) to shine
1a) (Qal) to shine (fig. of God's favour)
1b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light
2) to praise, boast, be boastful
2a) (Qal)
2a1) to be boastful
2a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)
2b) (Piel)
2b1) to praise
2b2) to boast, make a boast
2c) (Pual)
2c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise
2d) (Hithpael) to boast, glory, make one's boast
2e) (Poel) to make a fool of, make into a fool
2f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman

Yahh {yaw} (3050) contraction for 03068, and meaning the same; TWOT - 484b; n pr dei
AV - LORD 48, JAH 1; 49
1) Jah (Jehovah in the shortened form)
1a) the proper name of the one true God
1b) used in many compounds
1b1) names beginning with the letters 'Je'
1b2) names ending with 'iah' or 'jah'

*** Hallelujah!: "all you must praise Jah", this is a command not an option ***

tehillah (8416): To sing our Halal, to laud, to sing praises extravagantly, a hymn.

t@hillah {teh-hil-law'} (8416) from 1984; TWOT - 500c; n f
AV - praise 57; 57
1) praise, song or hymn of praise
1a) praise, adoration, thanksgiving (paid to God)
1b) act of general or public praise
1c) praise-song (as title)
1d) praise (demanded by qualities or deeds or attributes of God)
1e) renown, fame, glory
1e1) of Damascus, God
1e2) object of praise, possessor of renown (fig)

*** How this word is used in context brings us a better understanding of its meaning. ***

Psalm 40:3 - And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

*** tehillah - new song ***

Psalm 22:3 - But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

*** God inhabits this type of praise, the "high praises" that exist around His throne ***

Isaiah 61:3 - To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

*** the "garment" that overcomes the spirit of heaviness ***

Psalm 33:1 - Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

*** praise is "proper, attractive" for the upright ***

Psalm 100: 2 - Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Psalm 100: 4 - Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

*** service = come before His presence in praise ***
*** enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with tehillah ***

Isaiah 60:18 - Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.

*** gates = tehillah ***

Psalm 106:47 - Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.

*** we go beyond celebration to triumph with tehillah ***

1st Instruction: "Praise the Lord!"
2nd Instruction: sing new (fresh) songs
3rd Instruction: sing "tehillah" with God’s people
4th Instruction: rejoice - 8055 - samach {saw-makh'} a primitive root; TWOT - 2268; v
AV - rejoice 95, glad 45, joy 5, joyful 2, merry 2, misc 3; 152
1) to rejoice, be glad
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to rejoice
1a2) to rejoice (arrogantly), exult (at)
1a3) to rejoice (religiously)
1b) (Piel) to cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad
1c) (Hiphil) to cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad
5th Instruction: be joyful - 1523 - giyl {gheel} or (by permutation) guwl {gool} a primitive
root; TWOT - 346; v
AV - rejoice 27, glad 10, joyful 4, joy 2, delight 1; 44
1) to rejoice, exult, be glad
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to rejoice
1a2) to tremble (from fear)
6th Instruction: "halal" with dancing - 4234 - machowl {maw-khole'} from 2342 TWOT -
623g; n m
AV - dance 5, dancing 1; 6
1) dance, dancing
7TH Instruction: sing praise with tambourines and harps - 2167 - zamar {zaw-mar'} a
primitive root [perhaps ident. with 2168 through the idea of striking with t he fingers]; TWOT - 558; v
AV - praise 26, sing 16, sing psalms 2, sing forth 1; 45
1) to sing, sing praise, make music
1a) (Piel)
1a1) to make music, sing
1a2) to play a musical instrument

*** Worship (praise) is our first priority. When we truly worship, we are submitted to God. As our focus shifts from our surroundings and circumstances to God, then the reality of all God is becomes our reality, which results in victory. ***

James 4:7,8 - Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. . . .

NOTE: This is not a formula but a pattern for our lives. Its not praising by singing the latest war song but an attitude. Its not the "things" of God we pursue, but God Himself. Who or what are we focusing on? Who or what are we submitting to? Who or what are we worshipping?

Luke 10:17-21 - And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

*** An admonition from Jesus to not focus on the enemy or our power over him, but rather to focus on God, the Giver of our salvation. No where in Psalm 149 are we ever instructed to confront the enemy directly, the battle belongs to the Lord (2 Chr. 20:,
1 Sam. 17:47). Jesus "rejoiced in spirit" over the success of the 70 and gave thanks to the Father. ***

agalliao {ag-al-lee-ah'-o( 21) from agan (much) and 242; TDNT - 1:19, *; v
AV - rejoice 7, be exceeding glad 1, be glad 1, greatly rejoice 1, with exceeding joy 1; 11
1) to exult, rejoice exceedingly, be exceeding glad

(the Greek word suggests "shouting and leaping with joy")

Psalm 149:4 - For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

*** God delights in the tehillah of His people. He beautifies us with deliverance, victory, prosperity, health, help, welfare. ***

y@shuw`ah {yesh-oo'-aw} (3444) passive participle of 3467; TWOT - 929b; n f
AV - salvation 65, help 4, deliverance 3, health 3, save 1, saving 1, welfare 1; 78
1) salvation, deliverance
1a) welfare, prosperity
1b) deliverance
1c) salvation (by God)
1d) victory

Psalm 103: 1-5 - Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

*** Faith looking forward and backward ***

*** David a man after God’s own heart ***
Psalm 149: 5 - Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

*** rejoice in God’s presence ***

2 Chron. 5:11-14 - And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets: It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

Psalm 149:6 - Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;

yad {yawd} (3027) a primitive word; TWOT - 844; n f
AV - hand 1359, by 44, consecrate + 04390 14, him 14, power 12, them 11, places 8, tenons 6, thee 6, coast 6, side 5, misc 130; 1615
1) hand
1a) hand (of man)
1b) strength, power (fig.)
1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)
1d) (various special, technical senses)
1d1) sign, monument
1d2) part, fractional part, share
1d3) time, repetition
1d4) axle-trees, axle
1d5) stays, support (for laver)
1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)
1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)
1d8) wrists

*** We are to have the Word as our strength, power, a means to accomplish our work. ***

2 Tim. 3:16,17 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Col. 3:16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Psalm 149:7-9 - To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.

The Psalm ends by telling us that to do this is an honor. It is our glory, our beauty, our splendor. God has entrusted us to set the "atmosphere" in which He can move. The Psalm is concluded by once again commanding us to "Praise the Lord."