149:6 149:6

Psalms 149:7

149:8 149:8

Bible Versions

To execute vengeance upon the heathen, [and] punishments upon the people;
To execute {H6213} vengeance {H5360} upon the heathen {H1471}, and punishments {H8433} upon the people {H3816};
to carry out vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,
to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,
To execute vengeance upon the nations, And punishments upon the peoples;

Psalms 149:7 KJV speaks to the active role God's people play in His ultimate plan of justice and judgment against those who oppose Him. This verse is part of a prophetic psalm that celebrates God's sovereignty and His intention to bring justice to the earth through His chosen ones.

Context

Psalm 149 is a psalm of praise, calling God's people to sing a "new song" to the Lord. It describes the joy and honor of the saints, who are equipped with "high praises of God in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand" (Psalms 149:6). Verses 7-9 detail the purpose of this spiritual and, in its original historical context, potentially literal armament: to execute divine judgment upon the nations, referred to here as "the heathen" and "the people" (typically referring to hostile nations or those outside God's covenant).

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Justice: The verse highlights God's unwavering commitment to justice. "Vengeance" (Hebrew: naqam) here refers not to personal revenge, but to God's righteous retribution against evil and injustice. It assures believers that God will ultimately address the wrongs committed by those who defy Him.
  • The Role of God's People: This psalm envisions the saints participating in God's redemptive and judgmental work. While historically this may have referred to Israel's military victories as instruments of divine will, prophetically and spiritually it points to the church's role in proclaiming God's truth, which brings conviction and judgment, and ultimately to the triumph of Christ and His saints at the end of the age.
  • God's Sovereignty and Power: The ability to execute such judgment emphasizes God's supreme authority over all nations and peoples. No one can ultimately stand against His will or escape His righteous decrees.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "vengeance" is naqam (נקם), which carries the connotation of rightful retribution or vindication, often specifically attributed to God. It is distinct from personal, spiteful revenge. The term "punishments" translates from tokhakhoth (תוכחות), which can mean rebukes, chastisements, or judgments, underscoring the corrective and declarative nature of God's actions.

Practical Application

For the modern believer, this verse is not a call to physical violence or personal retaliation. Instead, it offers several profound applications:

  • Assurance of God's Justice: It provides comfort that God sees all injustice and will ultimately bring about perfect justice. This understanding helps believers to refrain from taking vengeance into their own hands, trusting God's timing and method.
  • Spiritual Warfare: In a spiritual sense, believers are called to engage in spiritual warfare, not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). Our "twoedged sword" is the Word of God, which judges thoughts and intentions.
  • Prophetic Hope: The psalm points to the future, when Christ will return to establish His righteous kingdom and execute final judgment upon all who have rebelled against God (Revelation 19:11). Believers are called to live in anticipation of this glorious culmination of God's plan.
Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Revelation 19:11

    ¶ And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

  • Revelation 19:21

    And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

  • 1 Samuel 15:2

    Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember [that] which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid [wait] for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

  • 1 Samuel 15:3

    Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

  • Judges 5:23

    Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

  • Zechariah 14:17

    And it shall be, [that] whoso will not come up of [all] the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.

  • Zechariah 14:19

    This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
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