Psalms 149:5

Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

Let the saints {H2623} be joyful {H5937} in glory {H3519}: let them sing aloud {H7442} upon their beds {H4904}.

Let the faithful exult gloriously, let them sing for joy on their beds.

Let the saints exult in glory; let them shout for joy upon their beds.

Let the saints exult in glory: Let them sing for joy upon their beds.

Psalm 149:5 invites believers, referred to as "saints," to experience and express profound joy and praise to God, even in their most intimate and private moments. The verse calls for a deep, internal exultation that naturally overflows into vocal worship, even when resting.

Context

Psalm 149 is a vibrant psalm of praise that begins by calling God's people to sing a "new song" to the Lord (Psalm 149:1). It celebrates God's delight in His people and His intention to bring them victory and honor. The preceding verses emphasize public praise with musical instruments and dancing, highlighting God's pleasure in His people and His adornment of the humble with salvation (Psalm 149:4). Verse 5 then shifts to a more personal, perhaps private, aspect of this joyful praise, bridging the public celebration with the personal experience of God's glory and the subsequent execution of His judgments mentioned in the latter part of the psalm.

Key Themes

  • Unceasing Joy and Praise: This verse underscores that the joy of the Lord is not confined to public worship services but is a constant, indwelling state for the believer, expressed even in private moments.
  • Intimate and Personal Worship: Singing "upon their beds" beautifully suggests a personal, quiet, and perhaps night-time devotion. It implies that one's heart can be filled with praise even during times of rest, solitude, or reflection, highlighting the deep, abiding nature of one's relationship with God.
  • The Glory of the Saints: Being "joyful in glory" indicates that the saints find their profound joy in God's manifest presence and in the honor and splendor He bestows upon them as His chosen people.

Linguistic Insights

  • The Hebrew word for "joyful" is alaz (עָלַז), which means to exult, rejoice, or triumph. It conveys a vibrant, overflowing gladness rather than mere contentment.
  • "Glory" comes from the Hebrew kavod (כָּבוֹד), signifying weight, honor, splendor, or the manifest presence of God. Saints are joyful within this divine splendor or the honor God grants them.
  • To "sing aloud" is from ranan (רָנַן), meaning to utter a ringing cry, to shout for joy, or to sing triumphantly. This emphasizes an unrestrained, audible expression of praise.
  • "Upon their beds" (mishkav - מִשְׁכָּב) literally refers to a resting place or bed. This imagery profoundly conveys the idea of praise that permeates all aspects of life, even in the quiet of one's personal space or during periods of rest, similar to how Psalm 63:6 speaks of meditating on God in the night watches.

Significance and Application

Psalm 149:5 offers profound encouragement for believers today, emphasizing the importance of personal, intimate worship. It teaches that true joy in God is not dependent on external circumstances but flows from an internal relationship with Him. This verse encourages us to cultivate a spirit of constant rejoicing in the Lord, even in the privacy of our homes or during moments of rest. It reminds us that our praise can be an unceasing offering, a melody in our hearts that breaks forth into song, reflecting the deep contentment and honor we find in being God's saints. Embracing this personal worship strengthens our faith and deepens our appreciation for the glory God has bestowed upon His chosen people, who are heirs with Christ and sharers in His glory.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Job 35:10

    But none saith, Where [is] God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;

  • Psalms 42:8

    [Yet] the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song [shall be] with me, [and] my prayer unto the God of my life.

  • 1 Peter 1:8

    Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see [him] not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

  • Psalms 145:10

    ¶ All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.

  • Psalms 118:15

    The voice of rejoicing and salvation [is] in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

  • Psalms 92:2

    To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

  • Psalms 23:1

    ¶ A Psalm of David. The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.

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