It’s always a blessed thing to remember and celebrate the victories given to us by the Lord.
The lofty songs of the Hebrews far surpass the often lauded (and much later) odes of the Greeks. This wonderful eight-stanza lyrical poem begins with a subtle jab at Barak himself: “When leaders lead in Israel…bless the Lord!” (Jdg 5:2). Yes, indeed! Stanza 2 (vv 3-5) describes the days of Moses and the mighty power of God made available to His people. But stanza 3 (vv 6-8) paints the dark scenes of Israel’s waywardness and idolatry, and the resulting bondage to oppressors. The fourth stanza (vv 9-11) speaks of the new-found safety they have with the Lord’s renewed protection, with even “the watering places” (v 11), usually an ideal spot for ambushes, now a safe location to “recount the righteous acts of the Lord.” Stanza 5 (vv 12-18) introduces Deborah and Barak rising to the challenge. It both lauds those who came to aid Israel, primarily from Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and also censures those tribes that found other activities more important—Reuben, Dan, Gad, and Asher. The sixth stanza (vv 19-23) celebrates the miraculous defeat of Jabin, whose army was swept away by the overflowing Kishon. The seventh (vv 24-27) contains a tribute to Jael, “blessed among women” for her fearless exploit in defeating Sisera. The final stanza (vv 28-31) imagines the impatience of Sisera’s mother as she awaits the return of her son from the battle. Used to sharing some of the spoils of war, she looks in vain for his return. And, like a death knell, the last verse declares: “Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord!” The final line, however, looks forward with joy to the real possibility of living in the sunlight of Heaven’s unbroken fellowship. “But let those who love Him be like the sun when it comes out in full strength” (v 31).