Drawing our thoughts from the text, and considering it from the perspective of the present rather than the future, one might give this meditation a title, "How to Face the Night." That is, "Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds." Night, for the ungodly, is often a time of revelry. The darkness is replaced (for a moment) with artificial light, the silence with man made noise, the loneliness with "the laughter of fools (See Eccl. 7:6)." For the child of God the night need not be a time of depression, but of delight. For God "the darkness and the light" are both alike. We need have no fear of the dark, but find in it occasion for praise. The distractions of the light are gone for a time; the silence gives occasion to hear "the still small voice," and it is not lonely to be alone with Him. Indeed, there "God [our] maker…giveth songs in the night!" An enthusiastic fellowship with God is the best engagement for the saints on sleepless nights!
If we think of the night in spiritual terms, we are surely in twilight and "the night cometh when no man can work [John 9:4]." What shall we do while it is yet day? The answer lies in the next verse in our Nugget. It is twofold: worship and warfare. In the nighttime our preoccupation is to be with Him; in the daytime our engagements are to be for Him.
"Let the high praises of God be in their mouth." So often we hear the name of God and of Christ thrown carelessly if not blasphemously into conversation by the ungodly. How often do they hear His Name revered in our conversation? "Praise is comely for the upright." "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name [Heb. 13:15]." Emphasis must be placed on the word "continually." If we can introduce no other testimony in our daily encounters with the world at large, we can make mention of His name and give thanks and praise to Him in the presence of those who may otherwise give no serious thought to the Lord of glory. If we join this miserable, complaining world in its all too often negative conversation, we lose our opportunity to be "light" in the world's darkness and fail to fulfill our commission and our high calling.
"And a twoedged sword in their hand." This sword is undoubtedly the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." It is the only offensive weapon in the believer's arsenal, and is "sharper than any [literal] two edged sword [Heb. 4:12]." It is the King's weapon as well, made available for our engagement in the spiritual warfare every believer is introduced to upon his conversion. (See Rev. 1:16) And, it is a weapon of great power and versatility. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds [II Cor. 10:4]."
When confronted by the adversary, the Son of God did not call upon legions of angels for His defence, but resorted to the word of God, responding consistently to the deceptions of His foe, "It is written…" He knew how to wield it and met every challenge with it until at last the tempter "departed from Him for a season." We must learn to do the same. With this weapon we may bind the enemy (Ps. 149:7-9) and loose those ordained to eternal life who have been taken captive by him. The sad thing is that the majority of believers have never taken up the weapon and learned to use it well. They take no prisoners for God and fail to exercise their God-given authority over the enemy.
Reflecting upon this exultant Psalm and focusing on our excerpt from it, may the Spirit of God challenge us afresh to make the most of our time, day or night, to magnify His name and to engage the foe in spiritual combat assured of victory because, "greater is He that is in [us] than he that is in the world."
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." —Rev. 12:11
For His glory and our good,
"Pastor" Frasier
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