What is the Sword?
Many Christians today, and really, in all time, apply the Word of God as a single-edged blade, capable of only cutting in the direction which they slice or thrust it. But scripture is clear that as you wield the righteousness of God against others, so it will be wielded against you.
Psalm 149:6 and 9 says, “Let the exaltation of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands… (9) carrying out the judgment decreed against them. This honor is for all His godly people. Hallelujah!”
Psalm 149:6 and 9 says, “Let the exaltation of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands… (9) carrying out the judgment decreed against them. This honor is for all His godly people. Hallelujah!”
We find here an incomplete declaration of the sword that not only pierces the enemy but also the one who wields it. The mention of the sword is true in its double-edged nature, but its use is described only as an employ against the enemy nations, the ones surrounding Israel, the ones Israel would be used by God to bring judgment upon—so long as Israel is obeying God and living righteously as a nation. This fits with the theme of this psalm, and this section of psalms, which are doxologies, AKA the Hallelujah Psalms. They are songs of triumphant praise.
“For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
But Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God, this double-edged sword, is used just as much against the one who wields it as the one who receives the judgment of God at its edge. “For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
How to Use the Sword
The Word of God is righteous, and it is meant to be used against an unrighteous world, as the Israelites are proclaiming in Psalm 149:6, but it is mostly meant to be used against yourself. Christianity, and the sanctification of salvation, are much more an internal process than an external process. The most essential purpose of the Word is the remaking of the self through the sanctifying work of the Spirit indwelling in order to be made righteous.
This is why the Word judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart; it is to tell us how and where we are wrong and where we ought be changed. It can penetrate the deepest parts of ourselves, the parts we hide and shy away from, the parts we think are not us, the parts that are sin in us and need to be cut out. It can do this in order to cut it away.
Matthew 7:1-2 says, “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use.”
And even if you don’t use the Word of God this way intentionally, it will be used that way regardless. In an oft misquoted and mis-contextualized passage, scripture tells us that the way we use the Word of God is the way the Word of God will be used against us. Matthew 7:1-2 says, “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use.”
I could go off on a diatribe about how people use this as an excuse to not tell others they’re wrong, but it will be sufficient to say that this scripture completes the picture of the double-edged sword from Psalm 149:6 and 9. The honor is for the godly people to use scripture to judge the actions of others. This clarification of godly is important: when you use the Word, power, and righteousness of the living God to judge others, you’re going to be judged in the exact same way.
Israel was the recipient of this double-edged sword often. God used them to judge Pharaoh, the Assyrians, the Canaanites, the Philistines, all the nations around them. Through Israel, He judged and rebuked the nations, destroying them and reducing their power for their evil acts. But many times, Israel became just like Egypt and Assyria and Canaan and Philistia, and God brought them low, judging them and destroying their cities and people for their unrighteousness.
The standard of judgment is not just one we can bear against others, but as Hebrews 4:12 tells us, it is one we must bear against ourselves equally as much. There is no other choice. Either you first use it against yourself, and then it is an honor for you to show others the depth of their sins so they might come to the living God and be made whole; or you use it against others, and the living God will bring that sword down against you to show you the depth of your sins so you might come back to Him and be made whole.
The Sword for God’s Glory
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
The Word is useful in all things for God’s glory; it is applied equally in judgment against the sinner and the saint so that the sinner might become the saint and the saint might become more like God than he was before. It is used to slough off the flesh of this world for all people so that we may only be judged here and not on the final judgment day. And as you exalt God in your life, you will find the double-edged sword of His Word applied both to you and those around you.