God Who Beautifies the Humble with Salvation

[Psalm 149]

How do you view life? I believe "life is beautiful." I wrote a piece back in December 2007 titled "Life is Beautiful," where I expressed the following thoughts:

"Life is beautiful,
Even in pain, life is beautiful.
Life is beautiful,
Because there are tears of prayer, life is beautiful.
Life is beautiful,
Because there is the loving community of family, life is beautiful.
Life is beautiful,
Because there is restoration and change, life is beautiful.
Life is beautiful,
Because we can see the image of Jesus in us, life is beautiful.
Life is beautiful,
Because we experience God's presence, life is beautiful.
Life is beautiful,
Because we manifest God's glory, life is beautiful."

The reason I remembered this writing is because of Psalm 149:4: "For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation." The psalmist says that "God will beautify the humble with salvation." While it may appear in the current tense in the Korean Bible, the English translations refer to it as a future promise — God will beautify the humble with salvation. This verse is, therefore, eschatological, referring to salvation that will come in the last days to the saints. In these last days, the salvation that will come to us will ultimately bring victory to the saints (vv. 6-9, Park Yun-sun). This victory will be the "glory" that God will give to the saints (v. 9).

But how will God give this glory and victory to the saints? Let's look at verses 6-9 (the first part): "Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute on them the written judgment..." God will give us the high praises of God on our lips and the two-edged sword of God's word in our hands. Through this, He will bring judgment upon the nations and give us victory. However, we should not interpret this word as being only a future prophecy to be fulfilled at the end of time. The reason is that this future, beautiful work of God's salvation has already begun, partially, in the lives of the saints today.

In other words, God will beautify the humble—those saints who suffer on earth—by giving them salvation at the return of Christ, but even now, God is beautifying us in the midst of our trials and pains by rescuing us from them. This means that we are already experiencing a portion of the fullness of the salvation that will come in the future. This is because, about 2,000 years ago, Jesus accomplished the work of salvation through His death on the cross and His resurrection. We have already been saved. United with Jesus' death and resurrection, all our sins have been forgiven, and we have been justified through His resurrection.

Therefore, we can say, "God has already beautified us by uniting us with the death and resurrection of Jesus." But why does God beautify us with the grace of salvation? The reason is that God, who created us (v. 2), takes pleasure in His people (v. 4).

Thus, we have already experienced, albeit partially, the grace by which God beautifies us through His salvation. As we live on this earth, how should we respond to His grace? In other words, God has already beautified us with salvation, and in the future, God will beautify us further with salvation. So, as church members living between the "already" and the "not yet," how should we live a life that is beautiful in the eyes of God?

In short, we must praise God. We must sing and praise God with joy and gladness because He delights in us and beautifies us with salvation (v. 5). We must praise God, who gives glory to His saints (vv. 5, 9). Let’s look at verses 1, 2, 3, and 5: "Hallelujah! Sing to the Lord a new song, and praise Him in the congregation of the saints." (v. 1) "Let Israel rejoice in its Maker; let the children of Zion be glad in their King." (v. 2) "Let them praise His name with dancing, let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and harp." (v. 3) "Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds." (v. 5)

When we reflect on the grace of God that has already beautified us with salvation in Jesus Christ, we should thank God and praise Him with a joyful heart. And, even in the midst of spiritual battles, pain, and difficulties, as we experience God's saving grace that rescues us and gives us victory, we should offer Him a new song of praise. Moreover, as we look forward in faith to the glorious salvation that God will grant us when Jesus returns, we should praise God for His salvation.

We should praise God as long as we have breath. Praising God is beautiful.

In December 2007, after writing the article "Life is Beautiful," I wrote another piece titled "Even Death is Beautiful" around February 2008:

"Even death is beautiful,
Even in sorrow, death is beautiful.
Even death is beautiful,
Because there are tears of love, death is beautiful.
Even death is beautiful,
Because in the temporary separation, there is the hope of eternal reunion, death is beautiful.
Even death is beautiful,
Because I lived a beautiful life, death is beautiful.
Even death is beautiful,
Because I see the beauty of Jesus, death is beautiful.
Even death is beautiful,
Because together we praise the greatness of the Lord, death is beautiful.
Even death is beautiful,
Because the great glory of God will be revealed, death is beautiful."

With a heart of gratitude for God's grace, which beautifies us with salvation and allows us to live beautifully in this ugly world,

Pastor James Kim
(Dedicated to praising the Lord’s greatness while I have breath)