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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 149:1-5

We have here, I. The calls given to God's Israel to praise. All his works were, in the foregoing psalm, excited to praise him; but here his saints in a particular manner are required to bless him. Observe then, 1. Who are called upon to praise God. Israel in general, the body of the church (Ps. 149:2), the children of Zion particularly, the inhabitants of that holy hill, who are nearer to God than other Israelites; those that have the word and ordinances of God near to them, that are not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 149:4

For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people ,.... Not all mankind; though they are all his people by creation, and are under the care of his providence; yet they are not all acceptable to him; some are abhorred by him for their sins and transgressions: but these are a special and peculiar people, whom he has foreknown and chosen, taken into the covenant of his grace, and provided in it blessings for them; whom he has given to Christ, and he has redeemed; and who are called by the Spirit and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 149:5

Let the saints be joyful in glory ,.... In the glory put upon them now, being beautified with salvation; in the righteousness of Christ on them, and the grace of Christ in them, which makes them all glorious within; and in the glory they expect to have hereafter, both upon their bodies and souls, and in the hope of that, Romans 5:2 . Some copies of the Ethiopic version render it, "in his glory"; in the glory of Christ, asa divine Person and as Mediator, seen now in the glass of the Gospel,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 149:4

The Lord taketh pleasure in his people - The pleasure or good will of God is in his people: he loves them ardently, and will load them with his benefits, while they are humble and thankful; for, He will beautify - יפאר yephaer , he will make fair, the meek, ענוים anavim , the lowly, the humble with salvation, בישועה bishuah ; which St. Jerome thus translates, Et exaltabit mansuetos in Jesu, "And he will exalt the meek in Jesus." Whether this rendering be correct or not, there... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 149:5

Let the saints be joyful in glory - Let them be gloriously joyful: seeing themselves so honored and so successful, let them be joyful. God has put glory or honor upon them; let them give him the thanks due to his name. Sing aloud upon their beds - While they are reclining on their couches. At their festal banquets, let them shout the praises of the Lord. In imitation of this we often have at our public entertainments the following words sung, taken from the Vulgate of Psalm 115:1 ; : ... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 149:4

Verse 4 4.For God hath taken pleasure in his people. We have spoken elsewhere of the verb רצה, ratsah here it means free favor, the Psalmist saying that it was entirely of his good pleasure that God had chosen this people to himself. From this source flows what is added in the second clause, that God would give a new glory of deliverance to the afflicted. In the Hebrew ענוים, anavim, means poor and afflicted ones, but the term came afterwards to be applied to merciful persons, as bodily... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 149:5

Verse 5 5.They shall rejoice. In making mention here of joy, jubilee, and the high praises of God, he shows still more clearly from the effects which it would produce, that he does not speak of a common benefit of God; for had not the deliverance of the people been of a remarkable kind, there would have been no occasion for such joy, and even triumph. And by these expressions he intimates that the people would not be brought back from exile to be immediately dispersed again, but to flourish in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 149:1-5

The voice of praise. "Breathes the spirit of intense joy and eager hope in the period which succeeded the return from Babylon. The poet saw in their return so signal a proof of the Divine favor, that he regarded it as a pledge of a glorious future yet in store for the nation. But language like that of Psalms 149:6-9 is no warrant for the exhibition of a similar spirit in the Christian Church." I. A NEW ERA IN THE LIFE OF THE NATION OR INDIVIDUAL FURNISHES NEW ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 149:1-9

God's pleasure in us, and ours in him. The more particularly inviting passage is found in the fourth verse; but those before and after are also suggestive. Taking them first, and that last, we have— I. THE CONSTANCY OF OCCASION FOR PRAISING GOD . ( Psalms 149:1 .) The " new song" of the psalmist is surely not a fresh composition, though we may well be thankful for the new hymnologist, and consider him a very valuable gift of God to the Church; but it is rather the... read more

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