Psalm 149 seems to have two agendas. Singing songs of praise to God from the throat - and wielding swords of justice from God with their hands!
The first half of the psalm is devoted to devotion to the Lord. We hear the familiar call to praise the Lord, enjoining the people to sing and make music to worship Him. Whether with dance, tambourine, lyre or simply song, God's people are expected to praise Him.
The second half of the psalm focuses on violent means being applied to the enemies of God and His people. Swords, fetters, and chains are what's called for when executing judgment and justice upon the guilty nations and their proud rulers. I definitely feel more comfortable with the first part than the second!
P.S. Are you one of those folks who hate to sing new songs in church? Consider the urging of the Psalmist: "Sing to the Lord a new song!" (vs. 1) See? Those new songs aren't all bad!
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