Psalm 149: verses 4-6

Verses 4 to 7 of Psalm 149 explain the context for the 'new song' of the Church.

4	V	Quia beneplácitum est Dómino in pópulo suo: * et exaltábit mansuétos in salútem.
	NV	quia beneplacitum est Domino in populo suo, et honorabit mansuetos in salute.
	JH	Quia complacet sibi Dominus in populo suo ; exaltabit mansuetos in lesu.
		ὅτι εὐδοκεῖ κύριος ἐν λαῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑψώσει πραεῖς ἐν σωτηρίᾳ

beneplacitus, a, um well-pleasing, agreeable, acceptable

populus, i, people; the chosen people. 

exalto, avi, atum, are  to exalt, i.e., to elevate in rank, power, dignity, or the like; to dignify

mansuetus, a, um  meek, mild, humble

salus, utis, the act of helping, saving; victory, temporal salvation; help, deliverance, safety, salvation.

DR	For the Lord is well pleased with his people: and he will exalt the meek unto salvation.
Brenton	For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; and will exalt the meek with salvation.
MD	For the Lord delighteth in His people, He crowneth the humble with triumph
Cover	For the Lord hath pleasure in his people, and helpeth the meek-hearted.
Grail	For the Lord takes delight in his people. He crowns the poor with salvation.

Bellarmine explains why we should praise God, thanking him for our membership of the Church:

The reason for singing this new canticle is because the Lord hath been well pleased with his people, that is to say, loved them from eternity, from his own pure kindness, which good will of God is the foundation and primary source of all our blessings; for predestination, vocation, justification, glorifica­tion, all are owing to God's having been "well pleased with his people;" and, touching on this, the Lord himself said, "Fear not, little flock; for it hath pleased your Father to give you a king­dom." This good pleasure of God is frequently alluded to by St. Paul, and it justly forms the subject of the new canticle; "and he will exalt the meek unto salvation;" God not only resolved in his mind to deal thus kindly with his people, but he will carry it into immediate effect, because "he will exalt the meek unto salva­tion," he will exalt to the highest degree possible, to eternal hap­piness, his meek and humble people, as being true members of him who said, "I am meek and humble of heart."

  

5	V	Exsultábunt sancti in glória: * lætabúntur in cubílibus suis.
	NV	Iubilent sancti in gloria, laetentur in cubilibus suis.
	JH	Exultabunt sancti in gloria : laudabunt in cubilibus suis.
		καυχήσονται ὅσιοι ἐν δόξῃ καὶ ἀγαλλιάσονται ἐπὶ τῶν κοιτῶν αὐτῶν

exsulto, avi, atum, are  to spring, leap, or jump up; to exult, to rejoice exceedingly

gloria, ae,  glory, honor, majesty

cubile, is, n. a bed, couch; a den, lair.

DR	The saints shall rejoice in glory: they shall be joyful in their beds.
Brenton	The saints shall rejoice in glory; and shall exult on their beds
Knox	In triumph let thy faithful servants rejoice, rejoice and take their rest.
Cover	Let the saints be joyful with glory; let them rejoice in their beds.
Grail	Let the faithful rejoice in their glory, shout for joy and take their rest.

There are two key words here that need to be explained.  First 'glory': what they are rejoicing in here is the glorified Christ, which we too will share in our own resurrection.  St Augustine distinguishes this from the false glory of this world, represented for us today in the culture of 'celebrity':

I would say somewhat important about the glory of the saints. For there is no one who loves not glory. But the glory of fools, popular glory as it is called, has snares to deceive, so that a man, influenced by the praises of vain men, shall be willing to live in such fashion as to be spoken of by men, whosoever they be, in whatsoever way. Hence it is that men, rendered mad, and puffed up with pride, empty within, without swollen, are willing ever to ruin their fortunes by bestowing them on stage-players, actors, men who fight with wild beasts, charioteers. What sums they give, what sums they spend! They lavish the powers not only of their patrimony, but of their minds too. They scorn the poor, because the people shouts not that the poor should be given to, but the people do shout that the fighter with wild beasts be given to. When then no shout is raised to them, they refuse to spend; when madmen shout to them, they are mad too: nay, all are mad, both performer, and spectator, and the giver. This mad glory is blamed by the Lord, is offensive in the eyes of the Almighty....

The second key word here is beds.  St Augustine suggests that it means in the privacy of our hearts:

The saints shall exult in glory, they shall rejoice in their beds: not in theatres, or amphitheatres, or circuses, or follies, or market places, but in their chambers. What is, in their chambers? In their hearts. Hear the Apostle Paul exulting in his closet: For this is our glory, the testimony of our conscience. 2 Corinthians 1:12 

There is though, perhaps another key allusion here, as St Jerome points out, for the exultation of the saints here is of those living in a state of grace.  It perhaps stands in contrast to the bed of the penitent depicted in Psalm 6 as lying in a bed drenched with tears.

6	V	Exaltatiónes Dei in gútture eórum: * et gládii ancípites in mánibus eórum.
		αἱ ὑψώσεις τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῷ λάρυγγι αὐτῶν καὶ ῥομφαῖαι δίστομοι ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν

For the two-edged sword see:  Neh 4:10; 2 Macc 15:27;

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Rev 1: 16 - in his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth issued a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

Rev 2:12 - "And to the angel of the church in Per'gamum write: `The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.

exsultatio, onis,  joy, rejoicing, exultation, praise

guttur, is, n., the throat

gladius, ii, m., a sword.

anceps, cipitis  two edged.

manus, us, hand

DR	The high praises of God shall be in their mouth: and two-edged swords in their hands:
Brenton	The high praises of God shall be in their throat, and two-edged swords in their hands
Cover	Let the praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hands
Grail	Let the praise of God be on their lips and a two-edged sword in their hand,

This verse sets out the dual mission of the Christian: on the one praising God, on the other working to advance his kingdom in the world by spreading the Gospel.  The Fathers interpret the two-edged sword, in the light of Hebrews 4, as meaning Scripture.  Cassiodorus for example explains that:

...Earlier he said that the saints rejoice in their beds; now he says that the Lord's rejoicings are set in their throats, the sense being that they never cease to praise whether in thought or in tongue Him from whom they obtain eternal gifts. He also moves on to explain the power that they wield, with the words: And two-edged swords in their hands. The two-edged sword is the word of the Lord Saviour, of which Christ Himself says in the gospel: I have come not to send peace to the earth, but a sword? It is two-edged because it contains the two Testaments. First it separated Jews from Gentiles; subse­quently it segregated and cut off only the Christians from the entice­ments of the whole world. There is one sword, but two ways of cutting which He grants to the chosen peoples at various selected moments of time.

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.
Cantáte Dómino cánticum novum: * laus ejus in ecclésia sanctórum.	Sing to the Lord a new canticle: let his praise be in the church of the saints.
2  Lætétur Israël in eo, qui fecit eum: * et fílii Sion exsúltent in rege suo.	2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: and let the children of Sion be joyful in their king.
3  Laudent nomen ejus in choro: * in tympano, et psaltério psallant ei.	3 Let them praise his name in choir: let them sing to him with the timbrel and the psaltery.
4  Quia beneplácitum est Dómino in pópulo suo: * et exaltábit mansuétos in salútem.	4 For the Lord is well pleased with his people: and he will exalt the meek unto salvation.
5  Exsultábunt sancti in glória: * lætabúntur in cubílibus suis.	5 The saints shall rejoice in glory: they shall be joyful in their beds.
6  Exaltatiónes Dei in gútture eórum: * et gládii ancípites in mánibus eórum.	6 The high praises of God shall be in their mouth: and two-edged swords in their hands:
7  Ad faciéndam vindíctam in natiónibus: * increpatiónes in pópulis	7 To execute vengeance upon the nations, chastisements among the people:
8  Ad alligándos reges eórum in compédibus: * et nóbiles eórum in mánicis férreis.	To bind their kings with fetters, and their nobles with manacles of iron.
9  Ut fáciant in eis judícium conscríptum: * glória hæc est ómnibus sanctis ejus.	9 To execute upon them the judgment that is written: this glory is to all his saints. Alleluia.

And for the final set of notes on this psalm, continue on here.

Psalm 149: verses 1-3

The first verse of Psalm 149 picks up where the last verse of Psalm 148 ends, with the praise of the faithful, or the 'saints'.

1	V/NV	Cantáte Dómino cánticum novum: * laus ejus in ecclésia sanctórum.
	JH	Cantate Domino canticum nouum; laus eius in congregatione sanctorum.
		ᾄσατε τῷ κυρίῳ ᾆσμα καινόν ἡ αἴνεσις αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ὁσίων

Cantate (sing) Domino (to the Lord) canticum (song) novum (new) laus (praise) ejus (his) in ecclésia (in the assembly/church/congregation) sanctórum (of the saints).

canto, avi, atum, are to sing, to praise in song

canticum, i, n. a song, canticle.

novus, a, um,  new.

laus, laudis,f, praise.

ecclesia, ae,  an assembly, congregation,Church  esp. a gathering of the people for religious worship

sanctus, a, um, adj., holy, a holy or pious person ,saints, faithful

DR	Sing to the Lord a new canticle: let his praise be in the church of the saints.
Brenton	Sing to the Lord a new song: his praise is in the assembly of the saints.
MD	Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of the just
Knox	Sing the Lord a new song; here, where the faithful gather, let his praise be heard.
Cover	O sing unto the lord a new song; let the congregation of saints praise him
Grail	Sing a new song to the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.

The phrase 'sing a new song' is invariably interpreted, whenever it occurs in the psalms, by the Fathers in the light of Revelation 14:2-3, to mean the new creation of the world through Christ's death and Resurrection.  Cassiodorus, for example, comments:

"The new canticle is the secret of the holy incarnation, the wondrous nativity, the saving teaching, the suffering which is the mistress of endurance, the resur­rection which is the most certain proof of our hope, the seat at the right hand of the Father which denotes strength and unique power."

Chrysostom makes the contrast between the Old and the New:

The old man has an old song, the new man a new song. The Old Testament is an old song, the New Testament a new song. In the Old Testament are temporal and earthly promises. Whoso loves earthly things sings an old song: let him that desires to sing a new song, love the things of eternity. Love itself is new and eternal; therefore is it ever new, because it never grows old...

But whereas the previous psalm invites the whole universe to join in with God's praises, this one restricts the call to those within the Church, as Cassiodorus explains:

Let his praise be in the church of the saints. You can say that this denotes the Catholic Church, which is indeed the Church of saints, or the heavenly Jerusalem which is also undoubtedly the abode of the saints; for church (ecclesia) means assembly, and there is no doubt that this can refer to one or the other.

Haydock's commentary makes an unfashionable point about 'acceptable worship': 

Though all creatures are bound to praise the Lord, he accepts only praises of those who live in the Church. (Worthington)

  

2	V	Lætétur Israël in eo, qui fecit eum: * et fílii Sion exsúltent in rege suo.
	JH	Laetetur Israhel in factore suo : filii Sion exultent in rege suo.
		εὐφρανθήτω Ισραηλ ἐπὶ τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτόν καὶ υἱοὶ Σιων ἀγαλλιάσθωσαν ἐπὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ αὐτῶν

laetor, atus sum, ari, to rejoice, be joyful, take delight in

filius, ii, m. a son, child

rex, regis, m.  a king, ruler, lawgiver

exsulto, avi, atum, are to spring, leap, or jump up; to exult, to rejoice exceedingly

DR	Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: and let the children of Sion be joyful in their king.
Brenton	Let Israel rejoice in him that made him; and let the children of Sion exult in their king.
Cover	Let Israel rejoice in him that made him, and let the children of Sion be joyful in their King.
Grail	Let Israel rejoice in its Maker, let Zion's sons exult in their king.

The reason for rejoicing here is not just that God created us, but also that he chose us to be members of his Church, as Chrysostom explains:

...Give thanks to God because he brought you into being when you did not exist, and breathed life into you. This, too, is no little part of beneficence, after all. Here, however, he shows something more important: he not simply men­tions creation but highlights relationship by expressing himself this way, and he bids them give thanks not because God made them but because he also made them his own people. 

The reference to being 'children of Sion' is important here, as St Augustine points out:

The sons of the Church are Israel. For Sion indeed was one city, which fell: amid its ruins certain saints dwelt after the flesh: but the true Sion, the true Jerusalem (for Sion and Jerusalem are one), is eternal in the heavens, 2 Corinthians 5:1 and is our mother. Galatians 4:26 She it is that has given us birth, she is the Church of the saints, she has nourished us, she, who is in part a pilgrim, in part abiding in the heavens. 

3	V	Laudent nomen ejus in choro: * in tympano, et psaltério psallant ei.
	NV	Laudent nomen eius in choro, in tympano et cithara psallant ei,
	JH	Laudent nomen eius in choro : in tympano et cithara cantent ei.
		αἰνεσάτωσαν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐν χορῷ ἐν τυμπάνῳ καὶ ψαλτηρίῳ ψαλάτωσαν αὐτῷ

laudo, avi, atum, are   to praise, glorify

nomen, mis, n. name; God himself; the perfections of God, His glory, majesty, wisdom, power, goodness,

chorus, i, m.   a choral dance; a dancing and singing troop or band, a chorus, a choir.

tympanum, i, n. timbrel, tabret, small hand drum or tambourine.

psalterium, ii, n. a stringed instrument, a psaltery, harp, zither.

psallo, ere 3 to sing to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument,; to sing the praises of God.

DR	Let them praise his name in choir: let them sing to him with the timbrel and the psaltery.
Brenton	Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sings praises to him with timbrel and psaltery.
MD	Let them praise His Name with a dance, with timbrel and harp let them play before him
RSV	Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with timbrel and lyre!
Knox	let there be dancing in honour of his name, music of tambour and of harp, to praise him.
Cover	Let them praise his Name in the dance; let them sing praises unto him with tabret and harp.
Grail	Let them praise his name with dancing and make music with timbrel and harp.

Is this verse a justification for the use of  'liturgical dancing' (also mentioned in Ex 15:20; Judith 11:34; Jer 31:4; &Ps 117:27).  St John Chrysostom doesn't seem to think so, seeing the use of the dancing and instruments mentioned as a concession particular to the Old Testament:

Some com­mentators also take the mention of these instruments in a spiritual sense and say that the drum implies the mortification of our flesh, while the harp has reference to heaven, this instrument being played on high, not here below, like the lyre. I would say this, on the other hand, that in ancient times they were led by these instru­ments owing to the dullness of their thinking and their recent con­version from idols. So, just as he permitted them sacrifices, in like manner he also let them have these things, out of consideration for their limitations. Accordingly, here he requires singing with pleasure: this is the meaning of Let them praise his name in choir, in harmony, with a pure life.

St Augustine on the other hand, does interpret the choir, instruments and dancing spiritually:

...A chorus is the union of singers. If we sing in chorus, let us sing in concord. If any one's voice is out of harmony in a chorus of singers, it offends the ear, and throwes the chorus into confusion. If the voice of one echoing discordantly troubles the harmony of them who sing, how does the discord of heresy throw into confusion the harmony of them who praise...When timbrel and psaltery are taken, the hands harmonize with the voice. So too do thou, whenever you sing, Halleluia, deal forth your bread to the hungry, clothe the naked, take in the stranger: then does not only your voice sound, but your hand sounds in harmony with it, for your deeds agree with your words...On the timbrel leather is stretched, on the psaltery gut is stretched; on either instrument the flesh is crucified. How well did he sing a psalm on timbrel and psaltery, who said, the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world? Galatians 6:14
This psaltery or timbrel He wishes you to take up, who loves a new song, who teaches you, saying to you, Whosoever wills to be My disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.
Cantáte Dómino cánticum novum: * laus ejus in ecclésia sanctórum.	Sing to the Lord a new canticle: let his praise be in the church of the saints.
2  Lætétur Israël in eo, qui fecit eum: * et fílii Sion exsúltent in rege suo.	2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: and let the children of Sion be joyful in their king.
3  Laudent nomen ejus in choro: * in tympano, et psaltério psallant ei.	3 Let them praise his name in choir: let them sing to him with the timbrel and the psaltery.
4  Quia beneplácitum est Dómino in pópulo suo: * et exaltábit mansuétos in salútem.	4 For the Lord is well pleased with his people: and he will exalt the meek unto salvation.
5  Exsultábunt sancti in glória: * lætabúntur in cubílibus suis.	5 The saints shall rejoice in glory: they shall be joyful in their beds.
6  Exaltatiónes Dei in gútture eórum: * et gládii ancípites in mánibus eórum.	6 The high praises of God shall be in their mouth: and two-edged swords in their hands:
7  Ad faciéndam vindíctam in natiónibus: * increpatiónes in pópulis	7 To execute vengeance upon the nations, chastisements among the people:
8  Ad alligándos reges eórum in compédibus: * et nóbiles eórum in mánicis férreis.	To bind their kings with fetters, and their nobles with manacles of iron.
9  Ut fáciant in eis judícium conscríptum: * glória hæc est ómnibus sanctis ejus.	9 To execute upon them the judgment that is written: this glory is to all his saints. Alleluia.

And for the next set of notes on this psalm, continue on here.