1The Prophet exhorteth to praise God for his love to the church, 5and for that power which he hath given to his saints.
1PRAISE ye the LORD. 1Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise 2in the congregation of saints.
1 See the annotation at Psalm 33 on verse 3.
2 That is, in God’s church, which is an assembly of the elect.
2Let Israel rejoice 3in hima that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful 4in their King.
3 Hebr. in his makers. See Gen. 1:26; Gen. 20 on verse 13; Job 35:10; Eccl. 12:1; Isa. 54:5. God did not only create Israel, but chose them likewise for His own peculiar people.
a Psalm 100:3.
4 Or, by reason of their King, namely, Christ, as Cant. 1:4; Mat. 21:5, Whose type was David.
3Letb them praise his name 5in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
b Psalm 81:3, 4.
5 Or, with the pipe. Other, in dancing-rings, as Psalm 30:11; 150:4; Jer. 31:4, 13.
4For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will 6beautify the meek with salvation.
6 That is, He makes them glorious after that He has rescued and exalted them. Yea, He shall bring them to the enjoyment of the everlasting joy and salvation.
5Let the saints be joyful 7in glory: let them sing aloud 8upon their beds.
7 Which God bestows on them. See the previous verse.
8 On which they lie soft and rest themselves, while God the Lord protects and keeps them. See Psalm 3:5. The sense is: They shall praise the Lord by day and by night, even when they lie upon their beds.
6Let 9the high praises of God be 10in their mouth, andc11a twoedged sword in their hand;
9 That is, the songs of praises whereby they are to exalt the great and glorious works of God. Other, the elevations, namely, of the voice, that is, the preaching of God’s Word.
10 That is, shall be uttered and proclaimed with a loud resounding voice, as Isa. 58:1.
c 2 Thes. 2:8; Heb. 4:12; Rev. 1:16.
11 Hebr. the sword of the two mouths, that is, with two mouths or edges, as Judges 3:16. See the annotation there. This two-edged sword is the Word of God, and it proceeds out of the mouth of Christ, and with this sword the godly overcome the devil, the world and all the powers of this world, 2 Cor. 10:4; Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12; Rev. 1:16.
7To execute 12vengeance upon the heathen, and 13punishments upon the people;
12 Namely, with words, as John 16:8, etc.
13 This is done by preaching against the idolatry and impiety of the heathen and unbelievers, as Acts 14:15; 17:16, 17, 22, etc. Compare this with Isa. 41:15; 2 Cor. 10:4, 5.
814To bindd their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
14 Namely, by preaching of repentance and by restraining their sins, bringing them thus under the yoke and subjection of the Holy Gospel. See Psalm 2:3; Isa. 45:14; Mark 6:20; Acts 24:26; Rev. 21:24.
dMat. 18:18.
9To execute upon them 15the judgment written: thise honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
15 That is, to acquit or absolve them from their idolatry and other sins if they repent uprightly; but if they remain obstinate in their impenitence, to announce unto them eternal death and condemnation, according to the tenor of the Word of God, revealed unto us in the books of Holy Scripture.
eDeut. 4:6.