Another jubilant anthem, in which Israel is exhorted to praise Jehovah its Maker, Who has restored it to a position of dignity and honour (Psalm 149:1-4); and a victorious triumph over all the nations of the world is confidently anticipated (Psalm 149:5-9). In Psalm 148:11 the nations are summoned to join with Israel in the chorus of universal praise: here their obstinate hostility is represented as doomed to punishment. “That nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted” (Isaiah 60:12).

This Psalm has been confidently assigned, and not without good reason, to the Maccabaean period. Religious ardour, united with a consciousness of vigorous strength, national enthusiasm coupled with passionate hatred of national enemies, were, it is pointed out, prominent characteristics of the Maccabaean period. The chǎṣîdîm of the Psalm are supposed to be the Hasidaeans, and in particular the “assembly of the chǎṣîdîm” (Psalm 149:1) is compared to the “company of the Hasidaeans” mentioned in 1Ma 2:42. It is suggested that the Psalm was composed either for the re-dedication of the Temple in b.c. 165 (1Ma 4:54), or for the rejoicings on the surrender of the Acra in b.c. 142 (1Ma 13:51).

The Psalm cannot however be separated from the other Psalms of this group, to which it is related in tone and language[91], and evidence has recently come to light, which seems to prove that two at least of these Psalms are earlier than the Maccabaean age. If the newly-discovered Hebrew of Ecclesiasticus preserves the original text, it is unquestionable that Psalms 147, 148 were known to the author, and must therefore have been written earlier than the beginning of the second century b.c. In the hymn which follows ch. Psalm 51:12 in the Heb. text, though not in the Versions, Psalm 149:6-7, “Give thanks unto him that gathereth the outcasts of Israel, for his lovingkindness endureth for ever. Give thanks unto him that buildeth up his city and his sanctuary, for his lovingkindness endureth for ever,” are based upon Psalm 147:2; and Psalm 147:15 is a verbatim quotation of Psalm 148:14. The hymn is an imitation of Psalms 136 (see p. 776), and it is clear from its whole character that Ben Sira has borrowed from the Psalms and not the Psalmists from Ben Sira.

[91] Note that, like 147, it is largely dependent on Isaiah 40-66. See notes on Psalm 149:2; Psalm 149:4; Psalm 149:7-9.

Independently of this evidence the reasons urged in favour of the Maccabaean date are not so conclusive as they at first appear. The militant spirit of the Psalm has been exaggerated; Psalm 149:5 ff., even if suggested by some recent success, are in the main no more than an adaptation of the language of prophecy, and may be quite general in their reference, anticipating the speedy approach of Israel’s triumph over the nations of the world foretold by the prophets: the chǎṣîdîm of the Psalm are the nation, and not, as in 1 Macc., a particular religious party in it. Moreover, though the argument from silence is precarious, there is nothing in the Psalm to suggest that Israel was in the midst of a life and death struggle for its religion and its very existence.

If now the group is considered as a whole, it is from Psalms 147 that the clearest indications of date are to be obtained, and this, as we have seen, may best be assigned to the time of Nehemiah.

The “zealot temper” of the Psalm has been somewhat exaggerated. Still, as Delitzsch points out, its spirit is that of the O.T., not of the N.T., and its standpoint approximates to that of the Book of Esther. “Under the delusion that its language might still be used as a prayer without any spiritual transmutation, it has been made the watchword of the most horrible errors. It was by means of this Psalm that Caspar Scioppius in his ‘Clarion of the Sacred War’ (Classicum belli sacri), written, as Bakius says, not with ink but with blood, fired the Roman Catholic princes to undertake the Thirty Years’ War. And within the Protestant Church Thomas Münzer employed it to stir up the flames of the Peasants’ War. It is obvious that the Christian cannot make direct use of such a Psalm without ignoring the apostolic warning that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (2 Corinthians 10:4).” But the morality of the Psalm must not be measured by the Christian standard. Only by slow degrees could the lesson be learnt, that the conquest of the nations was to be achieved in a nobler way than by force of arms; and it must not be forgotten that even in the Apocalypse the judgement of the enemies of God and His people is a subject for earnest prayer and solemn thanksgiving (Revelation 6:10; Revelation 11:18; Revelation 19:2).

1. Praise ye the Lord] The liturgical Hallelujah. See on Psalm 104:35.

Sing unto Jehovah a new song] In acknowledgment of new mercies. Cp. Psalm 33:3; Psalm 96:1, note.

his praise in the assembly of the beloved] Cp. Psalm 22:22; Psalm 22:25; Psalm 107:32. The P.B.V., let the congregation of saints praise him, follows the LXX (Vulg.) and Jer. in adopting a possible but less probable construction, lit. let his praise be &c. The title the beloved or godly (see Appendix, Note I.) is used at the beginning, middle and end of this Psalm to denote Israel, which had had fresh experience of Jehovah’s lovingkindness. Cp. Psalm 145:10; Psalm 147:14.

2. Jehovah is Israel’s Maker (Psalm 95:6; Psalm 100:3; Isaiah 44:2; Isaiah 51:13), for to Him it owes its original existence as a nation, and the present restoration of its national life; now that it has no earthly king, it acknowledges Him as its true King as in days of old (1 Samuel 8:7; 1 Samuel 12:12), and celebrates the glory of His kingdom, which is universal (Psalm 145:1; Psalm 145:11-13), yet in an especial sense has its seat in Zion (Isaiah 52:7).

3. in the dance] This, and not pipe (A.V. marg.), is the right rendering here and in Psalm 150:4. Dancing was a natural expression of joy among the Jews as among other nations of antiquity, in all periods of their history, on occasions of religious as well as secular festivity. Cp. Exodus 15:20; Jdg 11:34; 2 Samuel 6:14; Jeremiah 31:4; and for a description of the torch-dance, which formed part of the festivities of the Feast of Tabernacles in the later post-exilic period, see Delitzsch in the Expositor, 1886 (2), pp. 81 ff.; Hastings’ Dict. of Bible, 1. 550. Even the leading men of the city and famous teachers joined in it, and it was a current proverb that he who had not seen this joy had not seen any joy in his life.

timbrel] The tambourine, or hand drum, frequently mentioned in connexion with dances and processions (Psalm 68:25).

4. taketh pleasure in his people] The deliverance which they have experienced is the proof of the renewal of His favour. Cp. Psalm 147:11; Isaiah 54:7-8; Isaiah 60:10.

he adorneth the meek with salvation] Through humiliation Israel has learnt humility; and now Jehovah restores their prosperity. Beautify or adorn is a word frequently used of the restoration of Israel in the later chapters of Isaiah (Isaiah 55:5; Isaiah 60:7; Isaiah 60:9; Isaiah 60:13, A.V. glorify or beautify). Salvation is not to be limited to victory (R.V. marg.), but denotes welfare and prosperity generally.

5. Let the beloved exult in glory] Let Israel triumph in the honour thus restored to them. Perhaps glory as in Psalm 85:9 may include the thought of the renewed manifestation of Jehovah’s Presence among His people.

upon their beds] “Songs in the night” take the place of tears and sorrow (Psalm 4:4; Psalm 6:6). They can lie down in peace without the fear of being roused to repel a sudden assault (Nehemiah 4:23).

6. high praises] Cp. Psalm 66:17, note.

in their mouth] Lit. throat (Psalm 115:7).

a twoedged sword] So the LXX and Jer.; cp. Jdg 3:16 : but a sword of mouths means rather a devouring sword. So Nehemiah’s builders prayed (Nehemiah 4:9) and built with sword in hand (Nehemiah 4:16 ff.); and Judas Maccabaeus and his followers joined battle with Nicanor, “contending with their hands, and praying unto God with their hearts” (2Ma 15:26-27).

7. vengeance upon the nations] Cp. Isaiah 61:2; Isaiah 63:4.

punishments upon the peoples] Lit. corrections.

8. The subjection and homage of the nations to Israel are repeatedly anticipated in the later chapters of Isaiah (Isaiah 45:14; Isaiah 49:7; Isaiah 49:23; Isaiah 60:3 ff.). In Psalms 2 the Messianic king, here the Messianic people, subjugates the nations.

their nobles] Their honourable men, as Isaiah 23:8-9; Nahum 3:10.

9. upon them] The nations; not the kings and nobles only.

the judgment written] The sentence pronounced by Jehovah and recorded in His book (cp. Isaiah 65:6; Isaiah 10:1; Job 13:26) for execution at the proper time; or the reference may be to the general testimony of law and prophets concerning the ultimate judgement of the nations. See Deuteronomy 32:41 ff.; Isaiah 41:15 f.; Ezekiel 38, 39; Joel 3:12 ff.; Micah 4:13; Zechariah 14; &c.

this honour &c.] Honour shall that be for all his beloved. The defeat of their enemies brings honour to Jehovah’s chosen people. It is possible to render He is the honour of all his beloved, but this fits the context less well.

The LXX is probably right in omitting the final Hallelujah.