What does Psalm 149:6 mean?
ESV: Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,
NIV: May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,
NASB: The high praises of God shall be in their mouths, And a two-edged sword in their hands,
CSB: Let the exaltation of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,
NLT: Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands —
KJV: Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
NKJV: Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand,
Verse Commentary:
In this context, the word "their" refers to the people of Old Testament Israel (Psalm 149:2, 4). As with many other psalms, the Israelites are called to worship God with their own voices (Psalm 5:11; 30:4; 98:1). This is an expected re-sponse after everything the Lord has done for them (Psalm 147:13–20). Christians today ought to have the same natural response to God's goodness (Psalm 103:1–2; 2 Corinthians 9:15).
The second command re-lates to Israel's instructions after the exodus (Exodus 12:41). God ordered Israel to conquer the Promised Land, part-ly as judgment on depravedly evil Canaanite culture (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4–5). This destruction was target-ed at a specific people, for a specific reason (Psalm 149:7), and was to come through ancient Israel alone. The psalmist is not calling on all believers in God, for all time, to wage holy war (Romans 12:19). In fact, this song would have been written after the time of David, as it uses the term "Zion" (Psalm 149:2; 2 Samuel 5:7). By then, there was virtually no chance for Israel to properly complete those instructions. Such encouragements are probably more in reference to the end times victory of Messiah (Psalm 45:3–6) than to an impending campaign.
Verse Context:
Psalm 149:6–9 calls on godly Israelites to continue their praise of God while executing His commanded judgment on ungodly nations. These actions were commanded by God after the exodus; they were instructions to Israel alone, regarding those pagan nations alone. As Israel follows these commands, they fulfill God's prophecies and bring honor to them-selves.
Chapter Summary:
The psalmist calls on Israel to praise the Lord God who is their King. He celebrates the Lord's special concern for Israel and expects the people to respond with joy. The song also calls on Israel—the Old Testament nation—to live out God's commands to overcome the depraved nations of Canaan as they were instructed after the exodus (Deuteronomy 7:2; 9:5). This will fulfill prophecy and be a source of honor for those who obey God.
Chapter Context:
The English word "hallelujah" comes from the Hebrew expression halelu-yāh. This unique phrase only occurs biblically in the book of Psalms; many instances are in the last five entries (Psalms 146—150). Each of these last songs begins and ends with this phrase which literally means "praise the Lord!" The later verses call on the Old Testament people of Israel to fulfill their intended role as instruments of the Lord's vengeance on evil nations (Deuteronomy 7:2; 9:5; Ezekiel 25:14).
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
Accessed 2/10/2025 8:33:26 AM
© Copyright 2002-2025 Got Questions Ministries. All rights reserved.
Text from ESV, NIV, NASB, CSB, NLT, KJV, NKJV © Copyright respective owners, used by permission.