2. praise him in the company of all who love him. Sing to the L ord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. At some point—or indeed, many—we have seen our Almighty God conquer those battles for us, by the very virtue of our simply getting out of the way. 8to bind their kings with fetters and their nobles with chains of iron. All rights reserved worldwide. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. 4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory. Whenever I’ve seen frustration and irritability in myself or others it’s switched a light on for me. This immersion in praise was by no means a retreat from the world; it provided hope, encouragement, motivation, and support to the congregation to join with God is gathering the outcasts, healing the brokenhearted, and lifting up the downtrodden (Psalm 147:1-6; compare also 146:5-9). 1 Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness; answer me in your righteousness. All of this is brought together in the Psalter’s final Hallel, and all of us are called to join the dance. This is a rich text, packed with theological nuggets for the interpreter to explore. My daughter, a liturgical dancer, is always armed with a collection of Bible verses to foil those church people who seek to deny the validity of her art, and Psalm 149:3 is high on her list: “Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.”. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. No matter how powerful they were they did not last, and the high were brought low, eventually. What did it mean in biblical times to be hasid, a faithful one, a saint? 6Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands. 4 Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. Psalm 149. Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre. 1 Praise the Lord!Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.2 Let Israel be glad in its Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.3 Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory.5 Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their couches.6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,7 to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,8 to bind their kings with fetters and their nobles with chains of iron,9 to execute on them the judgment decreed. 2 Let Israel be glad in its Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King. The connection of Psalm 149 to tribal dance is appropriate. This is glory for all his faithful ones.Praise the Lord! # 149:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 9. 3 Let them praise his name with dancing. Praise for God’s Goodness to Israel. 1. the congregation of the godly ones (lit. To enter the worship of ancient Israel would have been for us a profoundly cross-cultural experience! Still, though her reference is appropriate, the dance described in the psalm seems to have resembled the ritualized war dance of native tribes more than the gracious movements of young women and men in a church chancel: “Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands” (verse 6). This is a Psalm written to commemorate and rejoice over a military victory by Israel over a Gentile foe (cf.