Psalms 149:1-6

1 Praise ye Jah! Sing ye to Jehovah a new song, His praise in an assembly of saints.

2 Israel doth rejoice in his Maker, Sons of Zion do joy in their king.

3 They praise His name in a dance, With timbrel and harp sing praise to Him.

4 For Jehovah is pleased with His people, He beautifieth the humble with salvation.

5 Exult do saints in honour, They sing aloud on their beds.

6 The exaltation of God [is] in their throat, And a two-edged sword in their hand.

Psalms 149:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 149

This psalm is thought by Calvin and others to have been written for the sake of the Jews that returned from the Babylonish captivity; and is a prediction of great and famous things done in the times of the Maccabees to Heathens and their princes, so Theodoret; the Syriac version entitles it,

``concerning the new temple;''

that is, the second temple, built by Zerubbabel, and the things done under that; but it rather seems to have been written by David in the beginning of his reign, when he obtained victories over the Philistines, Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, and Syrians; and refers to the times of the Messiah, as Kimchi, R. Obadiah Gaon, and others think; not of the Jews' vainly expected Messiah, but of the true Messiah, who is come, and will come again, spiritually and personally; and there are many things in it applicable both to the first and latter part of his days.