Psa 149:5 | KingComments | STEP | As “the godly ones”, they may “exult in glory” ( ). As the objects of His favor or grace, God’s honor – Hebrew kabod –, God’s glory rests upon them like a crown. The time of ikabod – means “away is the honor” – is over, the time when the honor of God’s people was gone (cf. ). The LORD has given His people “grace and honor” ( ). They have been glorified by Him, made glorious, before the eyes of the nations ( ). There is every reason to “sing for joy” ( ). This is the time when the remnant, who suffered with Christ in the time of the great tribulation, is glorified with Christ and will reign with Him. And they may do so with an abundance of joy, their “cup overflowing” ( ). We too, when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, may take the cup of thanksgiving in anticipation that we too, who are now suffering with Christ, will one day, that is, very soon, be glorified with Him. The remnant may do so “on their beds”. The beds were the places during the great tribulation where they sought the LORD’s face with tears ( ). In those places they wrestled with the question marks of life during sleepless nights ( ). Now the time of tears is over, the tears have been wiped away ( ; ). All questions have been answered. They know in some respect as they are known ( ). The beds are now no longer wet with tears, no longer churned over from sleepless nights. They have become places where the believer cannot stop the rejoicing of the day, even in bed he continues to rejoice and praise the LORD. God, according to His promise, has brought His people into the rest. Previously, the people had come into the land, but not into the rest ( ). Each time they forfeited the promised rest through their unfaithfulness to God. But the Messiah, the Man of true rest ( ), through His work on the cross, first gave rest to their consciences. And now they have entered into the rest outwardly as well. The godly ones of God are also singing and victorious warriors ( ). Out of their mouths sound “high praises of God”, while there is “a two-edged sword in their hand”. The first is a testimony of trust in God, while in that trust the sword is taken up to defeat the opponents, leaving no doubt about the outcome of the battle. We see these two aspects in the battle of Jehoshaphat: He puts singers first, then the armed men follow, after which the LORD gives the victory ( ). The struggle of us Christians is not against flesh and blood ( ). Therefore, we do not fight with a two-edged sword of iron in our hand, with carnal weapons, but with spiritual weapons that are but Divinely powerful ( ). Our sword is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” ( ; ; cf. ). The praise of God is incompatible with the evil with which the nations have ruled over God’s people. The battle is necessary “to execute vengeance on the nations” ( ). It is the vengeance of God that He executes on the nations through His people because of the enmity of those nations against His people ( ; ; ; ). His people are the remnant for whom the foretold time to reign has come ( ). It is over and done with the rule of the kings of those nations who have repeatedly besieged, humiliated, hunted down and killed God’s people ( ). The kings are deprived of all freedom of action by binding them “with chains.” Also “their nobles”, who have been guilty of robbing His people, lose their freedom and thus their prestige. They are bound “with fetters of iron”. Vengeance is not a sudden act of retaliation by one who feels that he has been wronged, but takes place “to execute on them the judgment written” ( ; ; ). It is a perfectly just judgment carried out in accordance with what is written long beforehand. The criminals will have no choice but to acknowledge its rightfulness. This righteous retribution will be “an honor for all His godly ones”. All of God’s actions in judgment, including the judgments He executes through His own, assure His own of His love. Therefore, at the conclusion of this psalm a new “hallelujah!”, “praise the LORD!” is appropriate.

‏ Psalms 149:5

God’s Godly Ones Rule

As “the godly ones”, they may “exult in glory” (Psa 149:5). As the objects of His favor or grace, God’s honor – Hebrew kabod –, God’s glory rests upon them like a crown. The time of ikabod – means “away is the honor” – is over, the time when the honor of God’s people was gone (cf. 1Sam 4:21). The LORD has given His people “grace and honor” (Psa 84:11). They have been glorified by Him, made glorious, before the eyes of the nations (Isa 55:5 ; Isa 60:9). There is every reason to “sing for joy” (Isa 61:10).

This is the time when the remnant, who suffered with Christ in the time of the great tribulation, is glorified with Christ and will reign with Him. And they may do so with an abundance of joy, their “cup overflowing” (Psa 23:5c). We too, when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, may take the cup of thanksgiving in anticipation that we too, who are now suffering with Christ, will one day, that is, very soon, be glorified with Him.

The remnant may do so “on their beds”. The beds were the places during the great tribulation where they sought the LORD’s face with tears (Psa 6:6). In those places they wrestled with the question marks of life during sleepless nights (Psa 77:5-8). Now the time of tears is over, the tears have been wiped away (Isa 25:8; Rev 21:4). All questions have been answered. They know in some respect as they are known (1Cor 13:12). The beds are now no longer wet with tears, no longer churned over from sleepless nights. They have become places where the believer cannot stop the rejoicing of the day, even in bed he continues to rejoice and praise the LORD.

God, according to His promise, has brought His people into the rest. Previously, the people had come into the land, but not into the rest (Heb 4:9). Each time they forfeited the promised rest through their unfaithfulness to God. But the Messiah, the Man of true rest (1Chr 22:9), through His work on the cross, first gave rest to their consciences. And now they have entered into the rest outwardly as well.

The godly ones of God are also singing and victorious warriors (Psa 149:6). Out of their mouths sound “high praises of God”, while there is “a two-edged sword in their hand”. The first is a testimony of trust in God, while in that trust the sword is taken up to defeat the opponents, leaving no doubt about the outcome of the battle. We see these two aspects in the battle of Jehoshaphat: He puts singers first, then the armed men follow, after which the LORD gives the victory (2Chr 20:21-22).

The struggle of us Christians is not against flesh and blood (Eph 6:12). Therefore, we do not fight with a two-edged sword of iron in our hand, with carnal weapons, but with spiritual weapons that are but Divinely powerful (2Cor 10:4). Our sword is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12; cf. Isa 49:2).

The praise of God is incompatible with the evil with which the nations have ruled over God’s people. The battle is necessary “to execute vengeance on the nations” (Psa 149:7). It is the vengeance of God that He executes on the nations through His people because of the enmity of those nations against His people (Isa 41:14-16; Jer 51:20; Mic 4:13 ; Mic 5:7-8; Zec 9:13). His people are the remnant for whom the foretold time to reign has come (Dan 7:22).

It is over and done with the rule of the kings of those nations who have repeatedly besieged, humiliated, hunted down and killed God’s people (Psa 149:8). The kings are deprived of all freedom of action by binding them “with chains.” Also “their nobles”, who have been guilty of robbing His people, lose their freedom and thus their prestige. They are bound “with fetters of iron”.

Vengeance is not a sudden act of retaliation by one who feels that he has been wronged, but takes place “to execute on them the judgment written” (Psa 149:9; Deu 7:1-2 ; Deu 31:5 ; Deu 32:41-43; Isa 26:9-10). It is a perfectly just judgment carried out in accordance with what is written long beforehand. The criminals will have no choice but to acknowledge its rightfulness. This righteous retribution will be “an honor for all His godly ones”.

All of God’s actions in judgment, including the judgments He executes through His own, assure His own of His love. Therefore, at the conclusion of this psalm a new “hallelujah!”, “praise the LORD!” is appropriate.