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Psalms 149

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A Call to Joyful Praise 1–5

1
Praise ye Jehovah. Sing unto Jehovah a new song, And his praise in the assembly of the saints. ​
2
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. ​
3
Let them praise his name in the dance: Let them sing praises unto him with timbrel and harp.
4
For Jehovah taketh pleasure in his people: He will beautify the meek with salvation. ​
5
Let the saints exult in glory: Let them sing for joy upon their beds. ​

The Saints Execute God's Judgment 6–9

6
Letthe high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand; ​
7
To execute vengeance upon the nations, And punishments upon the peoples;
8
To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron;
9
To execute upon them the judgment written: This honor have all his saints. Praise ye Jehovah. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Psalms 149

Verse 1

a new song — The call is also in Ps 33:3, Ps 98:1 and Isa 42:10, and it is sung in heaven: 'they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book' (Rev 5:9). 'Saints' is chasid, the one who shows chesed (loving-kindness); 'congregation' is qahal, the assembly gathered to the LORD.

Verse 2

in him that made him — The maker is the King: 'it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves' (Ps 100:3), and 'thy Maker is thine husband' (Isa 54:5). 'The children of Zion' are called to joy in 'their King' (melek), as Zechariah has it, 'Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion… behold, thy King cometh unto thee' (Zech 9:9).

Verse 4

he will beautify the meek with salvation — Pa'ar, to adorn, is the verb of 'he hath glorified thee' in Isa 55:5. The 'meek' (anav) are those of whom Ps 37:11 says 'the meek shall inherit the earth', and salvation is their dress, as the LORD says, 'I will also clothe her priests with salvation' (Ps 132:16).

Verse 5

sing aloud upon their beds — The night is a place of song: 'in the night his song shall be with me' (Ps 42:8); 'when I remember thee upon my bed' (Ps 63:6). 'Joyful' is alaz, to exult, and 'sing aloud' is ranan. At Philippi 'at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God' (Acts 16:25).

Verse 6

a twoedged sword in their hand — The praise is 'in their mouth' (literally the throat, garon) and the sword in the hand. Scripture names that sword: 'the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God' (Eph 6:17), 'sharper than any twoedged sword' (Heb 4:12), which comes from the mouth of Christ (Rev 1:16).

Verse 9

the judgment written — A sentence already set down in Scripture, carried out by 'his saints'. Daniel sees 'judgment was given to the saints of the most High' (Dan 7:22); Paul asks, 'Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?' (1 Cor 6:2). 'Honour' is hadar, splendour, and the psalm ends 'Praise ye the LORD'.