Psalms 149:1-8

1 Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: let his praise be in the church of the saints.

2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: and let the children of Sion be joyful in their king.

3 Let them praise his name in choir: let them sing to him with the timbrel and the psaltery.

4 For the Lord is well pleased with his people: and he will exalt the meek unto salvation.

5 The saints shall rejoice in glory: they shall be joyful in their beds.

6 The high praises of God shall be in their mouth: and two-edged swords in their hands:

7 To execute vengeance upon the nations, chastisements among the people:

8 To bind their kings with fetters, and their nobles with manacles of iron.

Psalms 149:1-8 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.