Discovery BoxPsalms 149:1-9 
Context149:1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Praise him in the assembly of the godly! 2
149:2 Let Israel rejoice in their Creator!
Let the people 3 of Zion delight in their king! 4
149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing!
Let them sing praises to him to the accompaniment of the tambourine and harp!
149:4 For the Lord takes delight in his people;
he exalts the oppressed by delivering them. 5
149:5 Let the godly rejoice because of their vindication! 6
Let them shout for joy upon their beds! 7
149:6 May they praise God
while they hold a two-edged sword in their hand, 8
149:7 in order to take 9 revenge on the nations,
and punish foreigners.
149:8 They bind 10 their kings in chains,
and their nobles in iron shackles,
149:9 and execute the judgment to which their enemies 11 have been sentenced. 12
All his loyal followers will be vindicated. 13
Praise the Lord!
1 sn Psalm 149. The psalmist calls upon God’s people to praise him because he is just and avenges them.
2 tn Heb “his praise in the assembly of the godly ones.”
3 tn Heb “sons.”
4 sn The
5 tn Heb “he honors the oppressed [with] deliverance.”
6 tn Heb “in glory.” Here “glory” probably refers to the “honor” that belongs to the
7 tn The significance of the reference to “beds” is unclear. Perhaps the point is that they should rejoice at all times, even when falling asleep or awaking.
8 tn Heb “[May] praises of God [be] in their throat, and a two-edged sword in their hand.”
9 tn Heb “to do.”
10 tn Heb “to bind.”
11 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the enemies of the people of God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12 tn Heb “to do against them judgment [that] is written.”
13 tn Heb “it is honor for all his godly ones.” The judgment of the oppressive kings will bring vindication and honor to God’s people (see vv. 4-5).
