Psa 149 | EE | STEP | Hallelujah! Sing a new song to the LORD. Praise him where his people meet together.

Psalms 149

His People (The 4th Hallelujah Psalm)

1 Hallelujah!

Sing a new song to the LORD.

Praise him where his people meet together. ^{▼▼149:1 Verse 1: The word ‘hallelujah’ means ‘praise the LORD.’ ‘Praise’ means ‘tell someone that they are very great.’ ‘LORD’ is a special name for God. It is his covenant name. A covenant is when two people (or groups of people) agree. Here, God agrees to love and give help to his people. They agree to love and obey God. ‘His people’ is ‘chesidim’ in Hebrew. It is the people that have accepted God’s kind love. Some Bible students translate it ‘saints’, some translate it ‘God’s people.’}

2 People of Israel, be very happy because God made you.

Sons of Zion, be very happy because he is your king.

3 Praise his name with dancing.

Make music to him with harp and tambourine. ^{▼▼149:3 Verse 3: The harp and the tambourine make music. There is more about things that make music in Psalm 150 in this set.}

4 When they do this his people will give the LORD pleasure.

He gives help to those who will take it.

He does this so that they can beat their enemies.

5 His people will be very happy because he has made them feel important.

They will sing all night on their beds because they are so happy. ^{▼▼149:5 Verse 5: Bible students are not sure what the word ‘beds’ means here. It may be something that people knelt on when they prayed.}

6 The praises of God will always be in their mouths.

Also, swords with two edges will be in their hands. ^{▼▼149:6 Verse 6: A sword is a very long, sharp knife that soldiers use. Here, the sword has two sharp edges.}

7 ^{▼▼This verse is empty because in this translation its contents have been moved to form part of verse Psa 149:9.} ^{▼▼In this translation, this verse contains text which in some other translations appears in verses Psa 149:7-Psa 149:9.}8 ^{▼▼This verse is empty because in this translation its contents have been moved to form part of verse Psa 149:9.} ^{▼▼In this translation, this verse contains text which in some other translations appears in verses Psa 149:7-Psa 149:9.}9 They must:

· bring God’s vengeance on foreign countries;

· punish people that do not obey God;

· lock their kings in prison;

· put their leaders in chains of iron;

· do whatever God decided should happen to them.

This is how God will make his people feel important.

Hallelujah! ^{▼▼149:7-9 Verse 8: The chains of iron are something to tie people up with. They are very strong, so people cannot get away from them.
Verse 9: God decided many centuries ago what to do to his enemies. At the end of time, it will happen.}