His Praise in the Assembly
Psalm 149 summary: what it means
Psalm 149 opens and closes with Praise the LORD. It calls for a new song in the assembly of the saints, and asks Israel to rejoice in the one who made them and the children of Zion to be joyful in their King. The praise is physical: dancing, tambourine and harp. The reason is given in verse 4. The LORD takes pleasure in his people and crowns the humble with salvation.
The second half turns sharply. The saints are pictured with the high praises of God in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations and bind kings with chains. The psalm calls this executing the written judgment, and says it is an honor for all his saints, before closing with Praise the LORD.
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Psalm 149: His Praise in the Assembly
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-149
Psalm 149 commentary: explained verse by verse
Praise the LORD!Sing to the LORD a new song,his praise in the assembly of the saints.
Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
The psalm begins with Praise the LORD and a call for a new song. The setting is the assembly of the saints, so this is public, shared worship.
Also read Psalm 111:1, Isaiah 42:10, Psalm 22:22, Psalm 68:26
Let Israel rejoice in him who made them.Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
Israel is told to rejoice in him who made them, and the children of Zion to be joyful in their King. God is named both as maker and as ruler.
Also read Philippians 3:3, Isaiah 54:5, John 19:19-22, Isaiah 52:7
Let them praise his name in the dance!Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp!
Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
The praise is to be danced and played on tambourine and harp. The psalm gives worship a body, not only words.
Also read 1 Chronicles 15:28-29, Psalm 81:2, 1 Chronicles 25:6, 2 Samuel 6:16
For the LORD takes pleasure in his people.He crowns the humble with salvation.
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
This is the reason for the celebration: the LORD takes pleasure in his people and crowns the humble with salvation. God's delight comes first, and the humble are the ones honored.
Also read Proverbs 11:20, Hebrews 12:10, 1 Peter 5:5, Psalm 132:16
Let the saints rejoice in honor.Let them sing for joy on their beds.
Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
The saints rejoice in honor and sing for joy on their beds. Praise is not limited to the assembly. It carries on at home, even lying down.
Also read Psalm 23:1, Psalm 145:10, Psalm 118:15, Psalm 132:16
May the high praises of God be in their mouths,and a two-edged sword in their hand,
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
Here the psalm joins two things that seem far apart: the high praises of God in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hand. Worship and readiness for battle are held together. Verses 7 to 9 say what the sword is for.
Also read Revelation 1:16, Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 96:4, Revelation 19:6
to execute vengeance on the nations,and punishments on the peoples;
To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
The sword is to execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples. The psalm frames this as God's cause carried out by his people.
Also read 1 Samuel 15:18-23, Judges 5:23, Revelation 19:11-21, Zechariah 9:13-16
to bind their kings with chains,and their nobles with fetters of iron;
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
Kings are to be bound with chains and nobles with fetters of iron. Rulers are the ones brought low. It continues the picture of verse 7.
Also read Joshua 10:23-24, Judges 1:6-7, Job 36:8, Joshua 12:7
to execute on them the written judgment.All his saints have this honor.Praise the LORD!
To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
All of this is called executing the written judgment, a judgment already set down rather than made up in the moment. It is described as an honor for all his saints. The psalm then closes as it began, with Praise the LORD.
Also read Revelation 17:14-16, 1 Corinthians 6:2-3, Revelation 3:21, Deuteronomy 32:42-43
A prayer from Psalm 149
LORD, I sing to you a new song. Let your people rejoice in you who made them, and be joyful in you, our King. Let us praise your name with dancing, with tambourine and harp. Thank you that you take pleasure in your people and crown the humble with salvation. Let your people sing for joy even on their beds. Let your high praises be in our mouths. Judgement on the nations and their kings belongs to you, and I leave it in your hands. Praise the LORD. Amen.
Psalm 149 Bible study questions
- In verses 1 to 3, how are the people called to praise, and which instruments are named?
- In verse 4, what does the psalm say the LORD takes pleasure in, and who does he crown with salvation?
- Verse 5 speaks of singing for joy on their beds. What does praise look like for you in private, away from a gathering?
- Verses 6 to 9 join praise with a sword and judgement on the nations. How do you respond to finding those two things side by side?
- Psalm 96:1 also calls people to sing to the LORD a new song. How does its call compare with Psalm 149:1?
Questions about Psalm 149
What is the meaning of Psalm 149?
It calls God's people to praise him with a new song, dancing and music because he takes pleasure in them. Its second half pictures them carrying out the written judgment on the nations and their kings.
Who wrote Psalm 149?
The psalm has no heading in the text, so the author is not named.
What does Psalm 149:6 mean?
It pictures the saints with the high praises of God in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hand. Praise and judgment are joined, and verses 7 to 9 describe what the sword is for.
What does Psalm 149:4 mean?
It says the LORD takes pleasure in his people and crowns the humble with salvation. It is the reason the psalm gives for all its praise.
What does Psalm 149:1 say?
It opens with Praise the LORD and calls for a new song to be sung to the LORD, his praise in the assembly of the saints.
What does Psalm 149:9 mean?
It calls the vengeance of verses 7 and 8 the written judgment, and says this honor belongs to all his saints. The psalm then ends with Praise the LORD.
Psalm 149 KJV: the King James Version
Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.1
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.2
Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.3
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.4
Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.5
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;6
To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;7
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;8
To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.9
Psalm 149 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀ שִׁ֣ירוּ לַֽ֭יהוָה שִׁ֣יר חָדָ֑שׁ תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ בִּקְהַ֥ל חֲסִידִֽים׃
2 יִשְׂמַ֣ח יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל בְּעֹשָׂ֑יו בְּנֵֽי־צִ֝יּ֗וֹן יָגִ֥ילוּ בְמַלְכָּֽם׃
3 יְהַֽלְל֣וּ שְׁמ֣וֹ בְמָח֑וֹל בְּתֹ֥ף וְ֝כִנּ֗וֹר יְזַמְּרוּ־לֽוֹ׃
4 כִּֽי־רוֹצֶ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה בְּעַמּ֑וֹ יְפָאֵ֥ר עֲ֝נָוִ֗ים בִּישׁוּעָֽה׃
5 יַעְלְז֣וּ חֲסִידִ֣ים בְּכָב֑וֹד יְ֝רַנְּנ֗וּ עַל־מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָֽם׃
6 רוֹמְמ֣וֹת אֵ֭ל בִּגְרוֹנָ֑ם וְחֶ֖רֶב פִּֽיפִיּ֣וֹת בְּיָדָֽם׃
7 לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת נְ֭קָמָה בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם תּֽ֝וֹכֵחֹ֗ת בַּל־אֻמִּֽים׃
8 לֶאְסֹ֣ר מַלְכֵיהֶ֣ם בְּזִקִּ֑ים וְ֝נִכְבְּדֵיהֶ֗ם בְּכַבְלֵ֥י בַרְזֶֽל׃
9 לַעֲשׂ֤וֹת בָּהֶ֨ם ׀ מִשְׁפָּ֬ט כָּת֗וּב הָדָ֣ר ה֭וּא לְכָל־חֲסִידָ֗יו הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃
Psalm 149 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 149 there.
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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 praise 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.
9 To execute upon them the judgment that is written: this glory is to all his saints. Alleluia.
Psalm 149 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 149.
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1 Alleluja. Cantate Domino canticum novum; laus ejus in ecclesia sanctorum.
2 Lætetur Israël in eo qui fecit eum, et filii Sion exsultent in rege suo.
3 Laudent nomen ejus in choro; in tympano et psalterio psallant ei.
4 Quia beneplacitum est Domino in populo suo, et exaltabit mansuetos in salutem.
5 Exsultabunt sancti in gloria; lætabuntur in cubilibus suis.
6 Exaltationes Dei in gutture eorum, et gladii ancipites in manibus eorum:
7 ad faciendam vindictam in nationibus, increpationes in populis;
8 ad alligandos reges eorum in compedibus, et nobiles eorum in manicis ferreis;
9 ut faciant in eis judicium conscriptum: gloria hæc est omnibus sanctis ejus. Alleluja.
Printable Psalm 149: free, large print and PDF
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Psalm 149 at a glance
| Verses | 9 |
| Heading in the text | No heading |
| Attributed to | The psalm has no heading in the text, so no author is named. |
| Type | Hallelujah and Praise |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 149, the same |
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Psalm 149 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 149 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 149 belongs
Hallelujah psalmsBook 5 of the Psalms
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source