Psalms 149:2-9

2 Let Israel rejoice with his Maker; let the sons of Zion be joyful with their King.

3 Let them praise his name in the dance; let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he will beautify the humble with saving health.

5 The merciful shall be joyful with glory; they shall sing aloud upon their beds.

6 The high praises of God shall be in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand,

7 to execute vengeance upon the Gentiles and punishments upon the peoples,

8 to imprison their kings with fetters and their nobles with chains of iron,

9 to execute upon them the judgment written: this shall be glory for all his merciful ones. Halelu-JAH.

Psalms 149:2-9 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.