PSALMS 149

READING CYCLE THREE(see “Guide
to Good Bible Reading“)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT
PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are
responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in
the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in
interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations
above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original
author’s intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one
and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. This is a Psalm written to commemorate and
rejoice over a military victory by Israel over a Gentile foe (cf. Ps.
149:6b-9a).

B. Israel is honored as YHWH’s special people
(Psalm 112).

1. the congregation of the godly ones (lit. “the
assembly of the faithful”) – BDB 874
construct BDB 339, Ps. 149:1

2. YHWH is their

a. Maker (BDB 793 I, KB 889, Qal participle), Ps. 149:2

b. King (BDB 572 I), Ps. 149:2

3. His people. . .the afflicted ones, Ps. 149:4

4. the godly ones (lit. “the faithful”), Ps. 149:5

5. “His godly ones” (lit. “faithful ones”), Ps.
149:9

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 149:1-4
 ¹Praise the Lord!
 Sing to the
Lord a new song,
 And His praise in the
congregation of the godly ones.
 ²Let Israel be glad
in his Maker;
 Let the sons of Zion rejoice
in their King.
 ³Let them praise His
name with dancing;
 Let them sing praises to Him
with timbrel and lyre.
 ⁴For the
Lord
takes pleasure in His people;
 He will beautify the afflicted
ones with salvation.

149:1-4 The strophe starts off with
two parallel Piel imperatives.

1. praise

2. sing

These are followed by a series of four
imperfects used as jussives.

1. let Israel be glad

2. let Zion rejoice

3. let them praise His name

4. let them sing praises to Him

The psalmist prays that Israel will respond appropriately to their military
victory by recognizing it is from YHWH and not themselves.

149:1 “a new song” This would
represent a cultural way to commemorate an event (compare Exod. 15:1-18,21;
Jdgs. 5:1-13; 1 Sam. 18:6; Ps. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; Isa. 42:10).

▣ “congregation” This is Qahal
(BDB 874), which in the LXX, was translated ekklesia. See
Special Topic:
Church (ekklesia).

▣ “the godly ones” This is the same
word used in Ps. 148:14, which comes from hesed (BDB 339). See note at
Ps. 16:10 online.

149:2 “Maker” This (BDB 793 I) does
not refer to creation but to the call of Abraham and the promise to his
descendants, which was fully ratified on Mt. Sinai (cf. Exodus 19-20). It is
also alluded to in Ps. 95:6; 100:3; Isa. 17:7). YHWH was uniquely their Maker,
Savior, and Covenant Deity!

▣ “their King” This theological
understanding goes back to 1 Sam. 8:7, cf. Ps. 47:6; 89:18. The King of God’s
people was meant to be His earthly representative, His Undershepherd.

▣ “Zion” See
Special Topic: Zion.

149:3 “dancing” This implies a special
worship event celebrating

1. a military victory (cf. Exod. 15:20; Jdgs.
11:34; 1 Sam. 18:6)

2. a worship event (cf. 2 Sam. 6:5; Ps. 150:4)

3. a restoration (cf. Ps. 30:11; in connection
with this, “bed” [BDB 1012] may refer to a place sick people lie, cf. Exod.
21:18; Job 33:19)

149:4 “the afflicted ones” Although
this root (BDB 776) can refer to the poor and needy, it often was used of God’s
persecuted people.

▣ “salvation” See
Special Topic:
Salvation (OT).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 149:5-9
 ⁵Let the godly ones
exult in glory;
 Let them sing for joy on their
beds.
 ⁶Let the high
praises of God be in their mouth,
 And a two-edged sword in their
hand,
 ⁷To execute
vengeance on the nations
 And punishment on the peoples,
 ⁸To bind their kings
with chains
 And their nobles with fetters
of iron,
 ⁹To execute on them
the judgment written;
 This is an honor for all His
godly ones.
 Praise the Lord!

149:5-9 This strophe has three prayer
requests using imperfects used in a
jussive sense.

1. exult

2. sing for joy

3. an assumed “to be”
verb in Ps. 149:6a

This strophe combines a prayer for

1. God’s people to rejoice

2. God’s enemies to be judged

149:5 “the godly ones” This is from
the root hesed (BDB 339, see
Special Topic: Lovingkindness [hesed]).
It is used often and denotes someone faithful to the covenant.

The other term used for faithful followers is from the root
kadosh (BDB 872, see SPECIAL TOPIC: HOLY), which denotes one separated for
YHWH’s service.

These “godly ones” are not sinless but have a faith, obedient,
and repentant relationship with YHWH.

▣ “glory” This Hebrew root (BDB 458,
see SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY [kabod]) is difficult to define. It has a wide
semantic field. AB (p. 357) thinks it is a title for YHWH, “their Glorious One.”

▣ “sing for joy on their beds” This is
a surprising place to “exult. . .sing.” This must be figurative language of a
person with a joyful, peaceful heart that sleeps well! This is the opposite of
Ps. 6:7.

It is surely possible (Tyndale, OT Commentary Series,
vol. 16, Psalm, p. 527) that “couch” refers to reclining at a meal and,
therefore, singing and rejoicing at a victory banquet!

149:6 The peaceful attitude of Ps.
149:5 is matched with military preparedness. There is peace because YHWH has
given His covenant people victory over the surrounding nations (cf. Ps.
149:7-8).

▣ “high praises” This construct (BDB 928, KB 1206 and BDB 42) occurs
only here and possibly Ps. 66:17.

▣ “sword in their hand” This phrase
could refer to

1. literary imagery of a past victory

2. a symbolic dance by priests

3. preparation for a coming battle

149:7 Some see this verse in an
eschatological setting but it could fit any victory in Israel’s history over the
surrounding nations of the ANE.

▣ “vengeance” For a good brief
discussion of this theological concept in the OT, see NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp.
1140-1149. If YHWH does not bring justice in this life, there must be an
afterlife.

149:9a “the judgment written” This
must refer to

1. “Holy War” promises, as in the Exodus and
Conquest

2. results of the “cursing and blessing” promises
of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27-30

3. an allusion to the Prophetic sections on the
judgment of the nations (i.e., Jeremiah 46-51)

4. a good example of this kind of “peace promise”
is Ezek. 28:26; 34:25-28; 38:8

149:9b The victory brought by YHWH
will bring honor to the covenant people (cf. Psalm 1121).

149:9c Psalms 146-150 all begin and
end with “Hallelujah,” a
Piel imperative of
“praise,” or an abbreviation of YHWH.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide
commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of
the Bible. Each of us must walk n the light we have. You, the Bible, and the
Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a
commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think
through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be
thought provoking, not definitive.

1. On what occasions were “a new song” sung?

2. Does Ps. 149:2a refer to Genesis 1 or Genesis
12?

3. Is the Psalm about a past military victory or a
future one?

4. Does the Bible as a whole emphasize the
judgment of the nations or the inclusion of the nations?

5. Who are the godly ones in Ps. 149:1,5,9?

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