Psa 149:1-3 | Clarke | STEP | All the congregation are invited to praise God for his mercies, . Their great privileges, , . Their victories, . This seems to be an epinikion, or song of triumph, after some glorious victory; probably in the time of the Maccabees. It has been also understood as predicting the success of the Gospel in the nations of the earth. According to the Syriac, it concerns the new temple, by which the Christian Church is meant. It has no title in the Hebrew, nor in any of the Versions, and no author's name. Verse 1 Sing unto the Lord a new song - That is, as we have often had occasion to remark, an excellent song, the best we can possibly pronounce. So the word חדש chadash is often understood; and so the word novus, "new," was often used among the Latin writers: - Pollio amat nostram, quamvis sit rustica, musam. Pollio et ipse facit. Nova Carmina Virg. Ecl. iii., ver. 84. Pollio loves my lines, although rude: Pollio himself makes excellent odes. Tamely and inexpressively translated by Dryden: - "Pollio my rural verse vouchsafes to read. My Pollio writes himself." O what a falling off is here! Servius, in his comment on nova, says, magna, Miranda. Nova means great, admirable. So on novum nectar, Ecl. v., ver. 71, he says, id est, magna dulcedo; "nectar of Excellent flavor." Congregation of saints - The Israelites, who were, by profession and by injunction, a holy people.

Psalms 149:1-3

Introduction

All the congregation are invited to praise God for his mercies, Psa 149:1-3. Their great privileges, Psa 149:4, Psa 149:5. Their victories, Psa 149:6-9.

This seems to be an epinikion, or song of triumph, after some glorious victory; probably in the time of the Maccabees. It has been also understood as predicting the success of the Gospel in the nations of the earth. According to the Syriac, it concerns the new temple, by which the Christian Church is meant. It has no title in the Hebrew, nor in any of the Versions, and no author's name.

Verse 1

Sing unto the Lord a new song - That is, as we have often had occasion to remark, an excellent song, the best we can possibly pronounce. So the word חדש chadash is often understood; and so the word novus, "new," was often used among the Latin writers: -

Pollio amat nostram, quamvis sit rustica, musam.

Pollio et ipse facit.

Nova Carmina Virg. Ecl. iii., ver. 84.

Pollio loves my lines, although rude:

Pollio himself makes excellent odes.

Tamely and inexpressively translated by Dryden: - "Pollio my rural verse vouchsafes to read.

My Pollio writes himself."

O what a falling off is here!

Servius, in his comment on nova, says, magna, Miranda. Nova means great, admirable.

So on novum nectar, Ecl. v., ver. 71, he says, id est, magna dulcedo; "nectar of Excellent flavor."

Congregation of saints - The Israelites, who were, by profession and by injunction, a holy people. Verse 2

In him that made him - Let them remember in their exultations to give all glory to the Lord; for he is the Author of their being and their blessings. And let them know that he is their King also; that they should submit to his authority, and be guided and regulated in their hearts and conduct by his laws. Verse 3

Let them praise his name in the dance - במחול bemachol, with the pipe, or some kind of wind music, classed here with תף toph, the tabor or drum, and כנור kinnor, the harp." מחול machol," says Parkhurst, "some fistular wind-instrument of music, with holes, as a flute, pipe, or fife, from חל chal, to make a hole or opening." I know no place in the Bible where מחול machol and מחלת machalath mean dance of any kind; they constantly signify some kind of pipe.