Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints ... the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds ... This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the Lord. - Psalm 149:1, 4-5, 9 (emphasis mine)

Three times we find the word "saints" in this brief psalm (at least in the venerable King James Version and the more modern New International Version - the New Revised Standard calls them "the faithful"). Is that why the lectionary committee chose this psalm for reading on All Saints Day? Perhaps - regardless, a hymn of praise such as this one is certainly appropriate as we pause to remember the saints who have gone before.

Truth be told, those are the people we r…