THEN DEBORAH AND BARAK THE SON OF ABINOAM SANG ON THAT DAY (cp Ex 15 Moses' song) SAYING:

Then - A word which marks sequence, in this case indicating the song they sang after the victory Jehovah won.

Sang - When they wanted to celebrate special occasions, the Jewish people often expressed themselves in song; so the writer shifts from narrative prose to jubilant poetry. Future generations might forget what the history book said, but they were not likely to forget a festive song. (For other examples, see Ex 15, Dt 32, 2Sa 1:17-27, and Ps 18)

Who sang this song? Verse 1 seems to suggest both Deborah and Barak, but the personal pronouns in verses 7, 9 and 13 would indicate that this was Deborah’s victory song. Clearly though from this first first, just as Barak joined her in the battle, so he joined her in the victory celebration.

Regarding interpretation of chapter 5 - A poem or song isn’t something you can easily outline because it’s a spontaneous emotional expression that often defies analysis as usually applied to other Scripture. Unlike classical English poetry, Hebrew poetry contains recurring themes, expressed in different ways and frequent outbursts of praise and prayer.

Why should the diligent student (see note 2 Timothy 2:15) want to study the history of Bible interpretation? In short, if one knows something of the erroneous methods of Bible interpretation that have been proposed over the last 2000 years, those modes of interpretation are more likely to be both recognized and avoided, for as the saying goes "History tends to repeat itself". Mickelsen adds that...

History shows that erroneous principles have often spoiled the exegetical work of fine men, some of whom are great saints. This should be a warning to us against careless interpretation. There is less excuse for us because we can profit by the lessons of the past. (A. Berkeley Mickelsen: Interpreting the Bible. Erdmans. 1963)

The earliest of the so called Early Church Fathers interpreted Scripture literally (see topic Literal Interpretation) for the most part. As an aside, regarding the meaning of literal interpretation, Peter Lange writes...

Literal is not opposed to spiritual but to figurative; spiritual is an antithesis on the one hand to material, and on the other to carnal (in a bad sense). The Literalist is not one who denies that figurative language, that symbols are used in prophecy, nor does he deny that great spiritual truths are set forth therein; his position is simply, that the prophecies are to be normally interpreted (i.e., according to the received laws of language) as any other utterances are interpreted-that which is manifestly literal being regarded as literal, and that which is manifestly figuratively being so regarded. The position of the Spiritualist (Ed note: AKA "allegorist") is not that which is properly indicated by the term. He is one who holds that certain portions are to be normally interpreted, other portions are to be regarded as having a mystical sense. The terms properly expressive of the schools are normal and mystical. (John Peter Lange, A Commentary on the Holy Scripture: Revelation, p. 98)

Toward the end of the second century many of the so called "fathers" began to interpret the Scriptures allegorically. Allegorical interpretation jettisons (or at least minimizes) the literal meaning and looks for "deeper" spiritual meanings which are considered the "true" meaning. An offshoot of allegorical interpretation is the practice of seeing significance in numbers, known as gematria.

As Roy Zuck explains that...

Allegorizing is searching for a hidden or secret meaning underlying but remote from and unrelated in reality to the more obvious meaning of a text. In other words the literal reading is a sort of code (Ed note: Does this sound familiar? cp The Bible Code, which preceptaustin.org thoroughly rejects as unfounded, without merit and very misleading!), which needs to be deciphered to determine the more significant and hidden meaning. In this approach the literal is superficial, the allegorical is the true meaning. (Roy B. Zuck, Basic Bible Interpretation (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications, 1991) (Bolding added)

Origen (185-254) held a high view of the inspiration of Scripture and yet was guilty of mishandling the Bible by minimizing its literal meaning and treating it as "one vast allegory" with many hidden meanings. He reasoned that the Bible was full of enigmas, parables and dark sayings which meant that the meaning could only be found at a deeper level! Thus it is not surprising that Origen interpreted the Hebrew poetry in Judges 5 allegorically, writing that Deborah, the “bee,” was inspired with honey-sweet prophecies! He "fantasized" that Barak’s initial unwillingness to respond to Deborah's prophecy represented the inability of Israel to triumph over the devil (who he said was portrayed by Sisera) until the deliverance of mankind through the Cross. Origen interpreted Jael as representative of the church (despite the fact that Paul clearly stated that the "church"  was a mystery in the OT! See notes Ephesians 3:4; 3:5) who had been gathered from the Gentiles and that she ("Jael, the church"), helped to save believers by destroying the devil (Sisera). Other examples of Origen's allegorization of Scripture include his teaching that Noah's ark pictured the church and Noah pictured Christ. He interpreted the donkey Jesus rode upon at His triumphal entry as representing the Old Testament, while its colt depicted the New Testament!

Origen's allegorical interpretation is mentioned so that the educated reader might be aware of just how far afield interpretation can go when one ignores the boundaries of normal, literal, grammatical-historical hermeneutical principles (hermeneutics = the science of interpretation or study of the methodological principles of interpretation). It is hoped that the reader will be stimulated to take time to study the checkered history of Bible interpretation over the last 2000 years (see the synopses below). Finally, it is hoped that the ridiculousness of Origen's interpretations will set aflame in the reader a strong desire to continually diligently seek to rightly divide the Word of Truth, whether in one's devotional reading or when teaching others the Scriptures.

Augustine (354-430) who also accepted the allegorical method of interpretation (eg, he interpreted Noah's drunkenness in Genesis 9:20-23 as representative of Christ in His suffering and death!) stigmatized Deborah's Song as simply too obscure for comment.

To reiterate, we need to continually be like the Bereans (see Acts 17:11) and be wary of reading older commentaries unless we understand how they approached the interpretation of the Word of Truth. As discussed many of the early church fathers quickly slipped from a predominantly literal approach into an allegorical approach, which dominated the "Dark Ages" (it's not surprising that they were "dark" when you understand how the Word of Truth was handled by the leading figures of this 1000+ year period!).

The temptation to not be literal is very great in a passage like Judges 5 where the Hebrew is difficult to interpret and there are phrases that are symbolic. Our goal is ever to...

Be a Berean not an Origen!

Regarding interpretation of the Scriptures see topic Interpretation in the section on inductive Bible study. Specifically in regard to allegorical interpretation see Tony Garland's summary (Rise of Allegorical Interpretation). See also a historical summary by Dr Robert Lewis in his course on hermeneutics (Hermeneutics - Study of Interpretation of Scriptures - especially the overview of the history of Bible interpretation - beginning on page 22).

Judges 5 pays tribute to those individuals and tribes who valiantly played their part (including Jael) and rebukes those who did not, thus alerting us to a certain lack of unity among the tribes (a problem that will emerge more clearly later in the book). The battle involved mainly the central and northern tribes (there is no mention of Judah), and of these some acquitted themselves more creditably than others. But the main theme of the song is `the righteous acts' of the LORD Himself, who went forth as Israel's champion and overwhelmed His enemies by unleashing the powers of heaven against them. In this it is very reminiscent of the song of Moses when the Lord fought for them against the Egyptians (cp Exodus 15)

The song's main sections are as follows:

v2-3 prelude (praise to the Lord and a call to hear the song)

v4-5 the Lord's arrival as Israel's champion
     Conditions prevailing before the battle

v6-8 Israel had no standing army at this time.
     The fighters were all non-professional volunteers.

v9-13 a call to participate in the battle

v14-18 the response of the Israelite tribes

v19-23 the battle itself

v24-27 the death of Sisera

v28-30 the waiting of his mother in vain

Amplified: For the leaders who took the lead in Israel, for the people who offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord!

ASV: For that the leaders took the lead in Israel. For that the people offered themselves willingly, Bless ye Jehovah.

ESV:  That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord!

ICB:  The leaders led Israel. The people volunteered to go to battle. Praise the Lord!

NAB: Of chiefs who took the lead in Israel, of noble deeds by the people who bless the LORD,

NIV: When the princes in Israel take the lead, When the people willingly offer themselves- praise the LORD!

NJB: That the warriors in Israel unbound their hair, that the people came forward with a will, bless Yahweh!

NKJV: When leaders lead in Israel, When the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the Lord!

NLT: When Israel’s leaders take charge, and the people gladly follow - bless the LORD!

NRSV: "When locks are long in Israel, when the people offer themselves willingly-- bless the LORD!

RSV: That the leaders took the lead in Israel, That the people offered themselves willingly

TEV: Praise the Lord! The Israelites were determined to fight; the people gladly volunteered

TLB: Praise the Lord! Israel's leaders bravely led; The people gladly followed! Yes, bless the Lord!

Young's Literal: For freeing freemen in Israel, For a people willingly offering themselves Bless ye Jehovah.

THAT THE LEADERS LED IN ISRAEL:

Deborah arose and went (as did Barak after Deborah agreed) and so 10,000 from Napthali and Zebulun followed ("volunteered") just as God had said.

THAT THE PEOPLE VOLUNTEERED:

10,000 sons of Naphtali and Zebulun. (see notes Judges 4:6; 4:10)

The point is that the leaders led out (as they always should) and the people were willing to follow their lead.

BLESS THE LORD! (repeated for emphasis see notes Judges 5:9):

Why? because He alone could raise up a Deborah. He alone could motivate a Barak. He alone could prevail over 900 iron chariots. Yes, Barak's faith faltered (said he would not go unless Deborah went with him even though he had the promise that God would go with him!). But we are all "Baraks" at times - we have the sure promises but only timidly or half-heartedly stand on them or move out in complete obedience and trust in His faithful Word. Why? Because we've heard about the "900 iron chariots" of the "Sisera" in our life. We need to remember that when God promises, He cannot lie and so we can walk into battles against humanly impossible odds. The world would laugh at us saying how can you go against iron chariots when you yourself lack any human weapons? But we must say as Deborah declared "Today He has given your enemy into your hands." Blessed be the name of the LORD our God. Let us bless His marvelous name forever and forever. Amen.

David writes...
 

Some boast in chariots, and some in horses; But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God. They have bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stood upright. (Psalm 20:7-8)

Spurgeon comments: Chariots and horses make an imposing show, and with their rattling, and dust, and fine caparisons, make so great a figure that vain man is much taken with them; yet the discerning eye of faith sees more in an invisible God than in all these. The most dreaded war engine of David's day was the war chariot, armed with scythes, which mowed down men like grass: this was the boast and glory of the neighbouring nations; but the saints considered the name of Jehovah to be a far better defence. As the Israelites might not keep horses, it was natural for them to regard the enemy's calvary with more than usual dread. It is, therefore, all the greater evidence of faith that the bold songster can here disdain even the horse of Egypt in comparison with the Lord of hosts. Alas, how many in our day who profess to be the Lord's are as abjectly dependent upon their fellow men or upon an arm of flesh in some shape or other, as if they had never known the name of Jehovah at all. Jesus, be thou alone our rock and refuge, and never may we mar the simplicity of our faith.

We will remember the name of the Lord our God. "Our God" in covenant, Who has chosen us and Whom we have chosen; this God is our God. The name of our God is JEHOVAH, and this should never be forgotten; the self existent, independent, immutable, ever present, all filling I AM (See study on His name Jehovah). Let us adore that matchless name, and never dishonour it by distrust or creature confidence. Reader, you must know it before you can remember it. May the blessed Spirit reveal it graciously to your soul!

Hear O kings - This is a call to the Gentile rulers for Israel did not have a monarchy at this time.

Give ear - Listen to whom? Not Deborah who composed the song but to Jehovah, the only One worthy to be praised. Hear Him and heed Him.

This call to the Gentile kings is reminiscent of the charge that ends Psalm 2...

Now therefore, O kings (Gentile kings), show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. 11 Worship the LORD with reverence, And rejoice with trembling. 12 Do homage (KJV = "kiss the Son" -  idea is to submit, to yield to Messiah the coming King of kings while you still can do so) to the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled (See note Revelation 1:1 re "the things which must shortly take place"). How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

Spurgeon comments: Verse 10. The scene again changes, and counsel is given to those who have taken counsel to rebel. They are exhorted to obey, and give the kiss of homage and affection to him whom they have hated.

Be wise. -- It is always wise to be willing to be instructed, especially when such instruction tends to the salvation of the soul. "Be wise now, therefore;" delay no longer, but let good reason weigh with you. Your warfare cannot succeed, therefore desist and yield cheerfully to him who will make you bow if you refuse his yoke. O how wise, how infinitely wise is obedience to Jesus, and how dreadful is the folly of those who continue to be his enemies!

Verse 11. Serve the Lord with fear; let reverence and humility be mingled with your service. He is a great God, and ye are but puny creatures; bend ye, therefore, in lowly worship, and let a filial fear mingle with all your obedience to the great Father of the Ages.

Rejoice with trembling -- There must ever be a holy fear mixed with the Christian's joy. This is a sacred compound, yielding a sweet smell, and we must see to it that we burn no other upon the altar. Fear, without joy, is torment; and joy, without holy fear, would be presumption.

Verse 12. Mark the solemn argument for reconciliation and obedience. It is an awful thing to perish in the midst of sin, in the very way of rebellion; and yet how easily could his wrath destroy us suddenly. It needs not that his anger should be heated seven times hotter; let the fuel kindle but a little, and we are consumed. O sinner! Take heed of the terrors of the Lord; for "our God is a consuming fire." Note the benediction with which the Psalm closes: --

Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Have we a share in this blessedness? Do we trust in him? Our faith may be slender as a spider's thread; but if it be real, we are in our measure blessed. The more we trust, the more fully shall we know this blessedness. We may therefore close the Psalm with the prayer of the apostles: -- "Lord, increase our faith."

See also Spurgeon's full sermon on Psalm 2:12 An Earnest Invitation

LORD, WHEN THOU DIDST GO OUT FROM SEIR:

Deborah recounts the work God had done for Israel (contrast Judges 2:10 [note]) depicting Yahweh as a Mighty Warrior marching forth from Seir/Edom to come to the aid of His people. Seir was a mountain in Edom, to the south of Israel. Sinai (Mt Sinai) was further south again and was the place where the Lord first revealed Himself to Israel.  Having become their God at Mt Sinai when He (and they) entered into covenant, He then led them from the south through Seir and Edom to the promised land, the place of the present victory.

Jehovah is pictured as coming to Israel's rescue from Mt Sinai, via Edom. He is surrounded by cloud, thunder and earthquake, as at His first coming to His people as recounted in Exodus 19...

16 So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
18 Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.
19 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. (Ex 19:16-19)

He comes in storm, and he unleashes a storm (literally) on his enemies Jdg 5:20,21 When Jehovah passes through the heavens, the clouds release their water, and when He touches down on earth, the mountains quake. What an Awesome Omnipotent God believers have the grand privilege to bow down to and worship, even with a holy boldness made available through our Great High Priest, Christ Jesus.

WHEN THOU DIDST MARCH FROM THE FIELD OF EDOM  THE EARTH QUAKED THE HEAVENS ALSO DRIPPED EVEN THE CLOUDS DRIPPED WATER:

This song praises the Lord because His most recent victory had just demonstrated to Israel that He was still active and powerful on their behalf. Notice the reaction of the various parts of the creation to the Creator - the earth trembled, the heavens dripped, the clouds dripped. This undoubtedly takes on added significance in that the false god of the Canaanites (Baal) was envisioned by them as the "storm god". Jehovah shows Who is the true and living "storm God"!

The Psalmist records a similar scene at Mt Sinai in Psalm 68:7,8...

7 O God, when Thou didst go forth before Thy people, When Thou didst march through the wilderness, Selah. 8 The earth quaked; The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel. (Spurgeon's note verse 7)

The mountains quaked - the psalmist records that...

The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. (Psalm 97:5)

Spurgeon comments that: The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD. Inanimate nature knows its Creator, and worships Him in its own fashion. States and kingdoms which stand out upon the world like mountains are utterly dissolved when He decrees their end. Systems as ancient and firmly rooted as the hills pass away when He does but look upon them. In the Pentecostal era, and its subsequent age, this was seen on all hands, heathenism yielded at the glance of Jehovah Jesus, and the tyrannies based upon it dissolved like melted wax.

At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. His dominion is universal, and His power is everywhere felt. Men cannot move the hills, with difficulty do they climb them, with incredible toil do they pierce their way through their fastnesses, but it is not so with the LORD, His presence makes a clear pathway, obstacles disappear, a highway is made, and that not by His hand as though it cost Him pains, but by His mere presence, for power goes forth from Him with a word or a glance.

O for the presence of the LORD after this sort with His church at this hour! It is our one and only need. With it the mountains of difficulty would flee away, and all obstacles would disappear. O that thou wouldest rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might flow down at Thy presence, O Lord.

In the little world of our nature the presence of Jesus in reigning power is as a fire to consume our lusts and melt our souls to obedience. Sometimes we doubt the presence of the Lord within, for He is concealed with clouds, but we are again assured that He is within us when His light shines in and fills us with holy fear, while at the same time the warmth of grace softens us to penitence (Ed note: And all God's people said "Amen. Praise Jehovah!")

Nahum declares Jehovah's fearsome glory recording that...

The highways were deserted - This suggests that the usual routes traveled by caravans and individuals where vacated out of fear of attack by the Canaanites.

English of the Septuagint (LXX):

The mighty men in Israel failed (ceased), they failed (ceased) until Deborah arose, until she arose a mother in Israel.

Here are some other translations...

The villages were unoccupied and rulers ceased in Israel until you arose—you, Deborah, arose—a mother in Israel. (Amplified)

The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, Until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel. (ASV)

The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel. (Berkley)

The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel. (ESV)

Villages in Israel were deserted— deserted until I, Deborah, took a stand— took a stand as a mother of Israel. (GWT)

There were no warriors in Israel until I, Deborah, arose. I arose to be a mother to Israel. (ICB)

The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. (KJV)

Village life [Or Warriors] in Israel ceased, ceased until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel. (NIV)

Villages ceased in Israel--they ceased, Till that I arose--Deborah, That I arose, a mother in Israel. (Young's Literal)

THE PEASANTRY CEASED THEY CEASED IN ISRAEL:

Peasantry - (parazown) This is a difficult Hebrew word to translate which can be translated as warriors or as people dwelling in unwalled villages. In context it can also be translated as "warriors", but from the variation in the translations one can see there is no clear consensus.

The alternative interpretation suggested by other modern translations is that village life in open villages ceased and the peasants fled to walled cities, which would also fit the context but would be less consistent with the way the Septuagint (LXX) has translated the verse.

UNTIL I, DEBORAH, AROSE, UNTIL I AROSE, A MOTHER IN ISRAEL.

NEW GODS WERE CHOSEN THEN WAR WAS IN THE GATES: Israel turned to idolatry, a refrain that echoes from previous Judges 2 where it is recorded that...

they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the LORD to anger. 13 So they forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtaroth. (Comment: Recall that Baal and Ashtaroth were the principal god and goddess, respectively, of the Canaanite nations. Baal was associated with the sun and storms, Ashtaroth with sex and fertility. The worship of both was grossly licentious and cruel and included animal sacrifices, male and female prostitution, and sometimes human sacrifices -- things that should never have been referred to as worship!) (See notes Judges 2:12;  2:13)

NOT A SHIELD OR A SPEAR WAS SEEN AMONG FORTY THOUSAND IN ISRAEL:

Amplified: My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the Lord!

ASV: My heart is toward the governors of Israel, That offered themselves willingly among the people: Bless ye Jehovah.

ESV: My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless the Lord.

NJB: My heart is with the leaders of Israel, with the people who came forward with a will! Bless Yahweh!

NIV: You who ride on white donkeys, sitting on your saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road, consider  

NKJV: Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, Who sit in judges' attire, And who walk along the road.

NLT: "You who ride on fine donkeys and sit on fancy saddle blankets, listen! And you who must walk along the road, listen!

TLB: Let all Israel, rich and poor, Join in his praises-- Those who ride on white donkeys And sit on rich carpets, And those who are poor and must walk.

YOU WHO RIDE ON WHITE DONKEYS:

The people of the LORD - It is interesting that here and verse 13 are the only places in the book of Judges where Israel is referred to as "the people of Jehovah".

Spurgeon writes some words of practical personal application noting that...

Deborah sang concerning the overthrow of Israel’s enemies, and the deliverance vouchsafed to the tribes: we have a far richer theme for music; we have been delivered from worse enemies, and saved by a greater salvation. Let our gratitude be deeper; let our song be more jubilant. Glory be unto God, we can say that our sins, which were like mighty hosts, have been swept away, not by that ancient river, the river Kishon, but by streams which flowed from Jesus’ side. Our great enemy has been overcome, and his head is broken. Not Sisera, but Satan has been overthrown: the “seed of the woman has bruised his head” for ever. We are now ransomed from the galling yoke; we walk at liberty through the power of the great Liberator, the Lord Jesus.

AWAKE, AWAKE, DEBORAH; AWAKE, AWAKE, SING A SONG:

Awake (5782)(ur) is a verb meaning to stir, to arouse, to awaken and is used as in this verse of raising something or someone to action, of agitating someone, of motivating them. In short, the idea of "awake" here is not from sleep but an arousal to action, in this case literally "Speak or utter a song!"

The command to awake is given by Deborah herself which one commentator explains as her recounting to herself God's summoning her to prophetic action.

As Matthew Henry exhorts...

Praising God is work that we should awake to, and awake ourselves to,

Awake, harp and lyre; I will awaken the dawn!
I will give thanks to Thee, O LORD, among the peoples; And I will sing praises to Thee among the nations. (Ps. 108:2-3)

Spurgeon comments (Verse 2) Awake, psaltery and harp. As if he could not be content with voice alone, but must use the well tuned strings, and communicate to them something of his own liveliness. Strings are wonderful things when some men play upon them, they seem to become sympathetic and incorporated with the minstrel as if his very soul were imparted to them and thrilled through them. Only when a thoroughly enraptured soul speaks in the instrument can music be acceptable with God: as mere musical sound the Lord can have no pleasure therein, he is only pleased with the thought and feeling which are thus expressed. When a man has musical gift, he should regard it as too lovely a power to be enlisted in the cause of sin. Well did Charles Wesley say: --

"If well I know the tuneful art
To captivate a human heart,
The glory, Lord, be thine.
A servant of thy blessed will,
I here devote my utmost skill
To sound the praise divine."

"Thine own musician, Lord, inspire,
And let my consecrated lyre
Repeat the Psalmist's part.
His Son and Thine reveal in me,
And fill with sacred melody
The fibres of my heart."

I myself will awake early. I will call up the dawn. The best and brightest hours of the day shall find me heartily aroused to bless my God. Some singers had need to awake, for they sing in drawling tones, as if they were half asleep; the tune drags wearily along, there is no feeling or sentiment in the singing, but the listener hears only a dull mechanical sound, as if the choir ground out the notes from a worn out barrel organ. Oh, choristers, wake up, for this is not a work for dreamers, but such as requires your best powers in their liveliest condition. In all worship this should be the personal resolve of each worshipper: "I myself will awake."

(Verse 3) I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people. Whoever may come to hear me, devout or profane, believer or heathen, civilized or barbarian, I shall not cease my music. David seemed inspired to foresee that his Psalms would be sung in every land, from Greenland's icy mountains to India's coral strand. His heart was large, he would have the whole race of man listen to his joy in God, and lo, he has his desire, for his psalmody is cosmopolitan; no poet is so universally known as he. He had but one theme, he sang Jehovah and none beside, and his work being thus made of gold, silver, and precious stones, has endured the fiery ordeal of time, and was never more prized than at this day. Happy man, to have thus made his choice to be the Lord's musician, he retains his office as the Poet Laureate of the kingdom of heaven, and shall retain it till the crack of doom.

And I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. This is written, not only to complete the parallelism of the verse, but to reaffirm his fixed resolve. He would march to battle praising Jehovah, and when he had conquered he would make the captured cities ring with Jehovah's praises. He would carry his religion with him wherever he pushed his conquests, and the vanquished should not hear the praises of David, but the glories of the Lord of Hosts. Would to God that wherever professing Christians travel they would carry the praises of the Lord with them! It is to be feared that some leave their religion when they leave their homes. Nations and peoples would soon know the gospel of Jesus if every Christian traveller were as intensely devout as the Psalmist. Alas, it is to be feared that the Lord's name is profaned rather than honoured among the heathen by many who are named by the name of Christ.

ARISE BARAK AND TAKE AWAY YOUR CAPTIVES, O SON OF ABINOAM.

Arise (6965) (quwm) is a command from the prophetess (and thus speaking forth the command of God to Barak) to stand up literally or in a figurative sense to take action and to lead away the POW's (prisoners of war). Quwm is a major verb in Judges occurring some 38 times (Click for all uses). Note especially the similar uses in Judges 2...

Then the LORD raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them. (see note Judges 2:16)

When the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them. (see note Judges 2:18)

When the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the sons of Israel to deliver them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. (See note Judges 3:9)

But when the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.  (See note Judges 3:15)

Deborah said to Barak, "Arise! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hands; behold, the LORD has gone out before you." So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. (see note Judges 4:14)

A similar battle chant was used time and time again when the ark of the covenant was raised at the head of the procession as Israel went forth into battle...

Sermon by C H Spurgeon
Judges 5:12
Magnificat!
(Ed note: This sermon is more application than exposition)

Many of the saints of God are as mournful as if they were captives in Babylon, for their life is spent in tears and sighing. They will not chant the joyous psalm of praise, and if there be any that require of them a song, they reply, “How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” But, my brethren, we are not captives in Babylon; we do not sit down to weep by Babel’s streams; “the Lord hath broken our captivity, he hath brought us up out of the house of our bondage. We are freemen; we are not slaves; we are not sold into the hand of cruel taskmasters, but we that have believed do enter into rest:” (see note Hebrews 4:3). Moses could not give rest to Israel; he could bring them to Jordan, but across the stream he could not conduct them; Joshua alone could lead them into the lot of their inheritance, and our Joshua, our Jesus, has led us into the land of promise. He hath brought us into a land which the Lord our God thinketh on; a land of hills and valleys; a land that floweth with milk and honey; and though the Canaanites still be in the land, and plague us full sore, yet is it all our own, and he hath said unto us,

All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s 1 Cor. 3:21-23

We are not, I say, captives, sold under sin; we are a people who sit every man under his own vine and his own fig–tree, none making us afraid. We dwell in

“a strong city, salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks:” Isa. 26:1

We have come unto Zion, the city of our solemnities, and the mourning of Babylon is not suitable to the palace of the great King, which is beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth.

Let us serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with singing Ps 100:2 (Spurgeon's Note)

Many of God’s people live as if their God were dead. Their conduct would be quite consistent if the promises were not yea and amen; if God were a faithless God. If Christ were not a perfect Redeemer; if the Word of God might after all turn out to be untrue; if he had not power to keep his people, and if he had not love enough with which to hold them even to the end, then might they give way to mourning and to despair; then might they cover their heads with ashes, and wrap their loins about with sackcloth. But while God is Jehovah, just and true; while his promises stand as fast as the eternal mountains; while the heart of Jesus is true to his spouse; while the arm of God is unpalsied, and his eye undimmed; while his covenant and his oath are unbroken and unchanged; It is not comely, it is not seemly for the upright to go mourning all their days. Ye children of God, refrain yourselves from weeping, and make a joyful noise unto the Rock of your salvation; let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.

“Your harps, ye trembling saints,
Down from the willows take;
Loud to the praise of love divine,
Bid every string awake.”

First, I shall urge upon you a stirring up of all your powers to sacred song.

“Awake, awake, Deborah; awake, awake, utter a song.”

In the second place, I shall persuade you to practise a sacred leading of your captivity captive.

“Arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.”

I. First, then, a stirring up of all our powers to praise god, according to the words of the holy woman in the text, “Awake, awake, ”—repeated yet again “Awake, awake.”

1. What is there that we need to awaken if we would praise God? I reply, we ought to arouse all the bodily powers.

Our flesh is sluggish; we have been busy with the world, our limbs have grown fatigued, but there is power in divine joy to arouse even the body itself, to make the heavy eyelids light, to reanimate the drowsy eye, and quicken the weary brain. We should call upon our bodies to awake, especially our tongue, “the glory of our frame.” Let it put itself in tune like David’s harp of old. A toilworn body often makes a mournful heart. The flesh has such a connection with the spirit, that it often boweth down the soul. Come, then, my flesh, I charge thee, awake. Blood, leap in my veins? Heart, let thy pulsings be as the joy–strokes of Miriam’s timbrel! Oh, all my bodily frame, stir up thyself now, and begin to magnify and bless the Lord, who made thee, and who has kept thee in health, and preserved thee from going down into the grave.

Surely we should call on all our mental powers to awake. Wake up my memory and find matter for the song. Tell what God has done for me in days gone by. Fly back ye thoughts to my childhood; sing of cradle mercies. Review my youth and its early favours. Sing of longsuffering grace, which followed my wandering, and bore with my rebellions. Revive before my eyes that gladsome hour when first I knew the Lord, and tell o’er again the matchless story of the “Streams of mercy never ceasing, ” which have flowed to me since then, and which “Call for songs of loudest praise.” Awake up my judgment and give measure to the music. Come forth my understanding, and weigh his lovingkindness in scales, and his goodness in the balances. See if thou canst count the small dust of his mercies. See if thou canst understand the riches unsearchable which he hath given to thee in that unspeakable gift of Christ Jesus my Lord. Reckon up his eternal mercies to thee—the treasures of that covenant which he made on thy behalf, ere thou wast born. Sing, my understanding, sing aloud of that matchless wisdom which contrived—of that divine love which planned, and of that eternal grace which carried out the scheme of thy redemption. Awake, my imagination, and dance to the holy melody. Gather pictures from all worlds. Bid sun and moon stay in their courses, and join in thy new song. Constrain the stars to yield the music of the spheres; put a tongue into every mountain, and a voice into every wilderness; translate the lowing of the cattle and the scream of the eagle; hear thou the praise of God in the rippling of the rills, the dashing of the cataracts, and the roaring of the sea, until all his works in all places of his dominion bless the Lord.

But especially let us cry to all the graces of our spirit—”awake.” Wake up, my love, for thou must strike the key–note and lead the strain. Awake and sing unto thy beloved a song touching thy well–beloved. Give unto him choice canticles, for he is the fairest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely. Come forth then with thy richest music, and praise the name which is as ointment poured forth. Wake up, my hope, and join hands with thy sister—love; and sing of blessings yet to come. Sing of my dying hour, when he shall be with me on my couch. Sing of the rising morning, when my body shall leap from its tomb into her Saviour’s arms! Sing of the expected advent, for which thou lookest with delight! And, O my soul, sing of that heaven which he has gone before to prepare for thee, “that where he is, there may his people be.” Awake my love—awake my hope—and thou my faith, awake also! Love has the sweetest voice, hope can thrill forth the higher notes of the saved scale; but thou, O faith—with thy deep resounding base melody—thou must complete the song. Sing of the promise sure and certain. Rehearse the glories of the covenant ordered in all things, and sure. Rejoice in the sure mercies of David! Sing of the goodness which shall be known to thee in all thy trials yet to come. Sing of that blood which has sealed and ratified every word of God. Glory in that eternal faithfulness which cannot lie, and of that truth which cannot fail. And thou, my patience, utter thy gentle but most gladsome hymn. Sing to–day of how he helped thee to endure in sorrows’ bitterest hour. Sing of the weary way along which he has borne thy feet, and brought thee at last to lie down in green pastures, beside the still waters. Oh, all my graces, heaven–begotten as ye are, praise him who did beget you. Ye children of his grace, sing unto your Father’s name, and magnify him who keeps you alive. Let all that in me is be stirred up to magnify and bless his holy name.

Then let us wake up the energy of all those powers—the energy of the body, the energy of the mind, the energy of the spirit. You know what it is to do a thing coldly, weakly. As well might we not praise at all. You know also what it is to praise God passionately—to throw energy into all the song, and so to exult in his name. So do ye, each one of you, this day; and if Michal, Saul’s daughter, should look out of the window and see David dancing before the ark with all his might, and should chide you as though your praise were unseemly, say unto her, “It was before the Lord, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, therefore will I play before the Lord:” 2 Samuel 6:21. Tell the enemy that the God of election must be praised, that the God of redemption must be extolled, —that if the very heathen leaped for joy before their gods, surely they who bow before Jehovah must adore him with rapture and with ecstacy. Go forth, go forth with joy then, with all your energies thoroughly awakened for his praise.

2. But you say unto me, “why and wherefore should we this day awake and sing unto our God?” There be many reasons; and if your hearts be right, one may well satisfy.

Come, ye children of God, and bless his dear name; for doth not all nature around you sing? If you were silent, you would be an exception to the universe. Doth not the thunder praise him as it rolls like drums in the march of the God of armies? Doth not the ocean praise him as it claps its thousand hands? Doth not the sea roar, and the fulness thereof? Do not the mountains praise him when the shaggy woods upon their summits wave in adoration? Do not the lightnings write his name in letters of fire upon the midnight darkness? Doth not this world, in its unceasing revolutions, perpetually roll forth his praise? Hath not the whole earth a voice, and shall we be silent? Shall man, for whom the world was made, and suns and stars were created, —shall he be dumb? No, let him lead the strain. Let him be the world’s high priest, and while the world shall be as the sacrifice, let him add his heart thereto, and thus supply the fire of love which shall make that sacrifice smoke towards heaven.

But, believer, shall not thy God be praised? I ask thee. Shall not thy God be praised? When men behold a hero, they fall at his feet and honour him. Garibaldi emancipates a nation, and lo, they bow before him and do him homage. And thou Jesus, the Redeemer of the multitudes of thine elect, shalt thou have no song? Shalt thou have no triumphal entry into our hearts? Shall thy name have no glory? Shall the world love its own, and shall not the Church honour its own Redeemer? Our God must be praised. He shall be. If no other heart should ever praise him, surely mine must. If creation should forget him, his redeemed must remember him. Tell us to be silent? Oh, we cannot. Bid us restrain our holy mirth? Indeed you bid us do an impossibility. He is God, and he must be extolled; he is our God, our gracious, our tender, our faithful God, and he must have the best of our songs.

Thou sayest, believer, why should I praise him? Let me ask thee a question too. Is it not heaven’s employment to praise him? And what can make earth more like heaven, than to bring down from heaven the employment of glory, and to be occupied with it here? Come, believer, when thou prayest, thou art but a man, but when thou praisest, thou art as an angel. When thou asketh favour, thou art but a beggar, but when thou standest up to extol, thou becomest next of kin to cherubim and seraphim. Happy, happy day, when the glorious choristers shall find their numbers swelled by the addition of multitudes from earth? Happy day when you and I shall join the eternal chorus. Let us begin the music here. Let us strike some of the first notes at least; and if we cannot sound the full thunders of the eternal hallelujah, let us join as best we may. Let us make the wilderness and the solitary place rejoice, and bid the desert blossom as the rose.

Besides, Christian, dost thou not know that it is a good thing for thee to praise thy God? Mourning weakens thee, doubts destroy thy strength; thy groping among the ashes makes thee of the earth, earthy. Arise, for praise is pleasant and profitable to thee. “The joy of the Lord is our strength.” “Delight thyself in the Lord and he will give thee the desire of thine heart.” Thou growest in grace when thou growest in holy joy; thou art more heavenly, more spiritual, more Godlike, as thou gettest more full of joy and peace in believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. I know some Christians are afraid of gladness, but I read, “Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.” If murmuring were a duty, some saints would never sin, and if mourning were commanded by God they would certainly be saved by works, for they are always sorrowing, and so they would keep his law. Instead thereof the Lord hath said it, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice;” and he has added, to make it still more strong, “Rejoice evermore.”

But I ask you one other question, believer. Thou sayest, “Why should I awake, this morning to sing unto my God?” I reply to thee, “Hast thou not a cause?” Hath he not done great things for thee, and art thou not glad thereof? Hath he not taken thee out of the horrible pit, and out of the miry clay; hath he not set thy feet upon a rock and established thy goings, and is there no new song in thy mouth? What, art thou bought with blood, and yet hast thou a silent tongue? Loved of thy God before the world began and yet not sing his praise! What, art thou his child, an heir of God and joint heir with Jesus Christ, and yet no notes of gratitude? What I has he fed thee this day? Did he deliver thee yesterday out of many troubles? Has he been with thee these thirty, these forty, these fifty years in the wilderness, and yet hast thou no mercy for which to praise him? O shame on thy ungrateful heart, and thy forgetful spirit; come pluck up courage, think of thy mercies and not of thy miseries, forget thy pains awhile and think of thy many deliverances. Put thy feet on the neck of thy doubts and thy fears, and God the Holy Ghost, being thy Comforter, begin from this good hour to utter a song.

3. “But, ” smith one, “when shall I do this? When shall I praise my God?” I answer, praise ye the Lord all his people, at all times, and give thanks at every remembrance of him.

Extol him even when your souls are drowsy and your spirits are inclined to sleep. When we are awake there is little cause to say to us four times, “Awake, awake, awake, awake, utter a song;” but when we feel most drowsy with sorrow and our eyelids are heavy, when afflictions sore are pressing us down to the very dust, then is the time to sing psalms unto our God and praise him in the very fire. But this takes much grace, and I trust brethren you k