1Louvae ao Senhor. Cantae ao Senhor um cantico novo, e o seu louvor na congregação dos sanctos.
2Alegre-se Israel n'aquelle que o fez, gozem-se os filhos de Sião no seu rei.
3Louvem o seu nome com flauta; cantem-lhe o seu louvor com adufe e harpa.
4Porque o Senhor se agrada do seu povo; ornará os mansos com a salvação.
5Exultem os sanctos na gloria, alegrem-se nas suas camas.
6Estejam na sua garganta os altos louvores de Deus, e espada de dois fios nas suas mãos,
7Para tomarem vingança das nações, e darem reprehensões aos povos;
8Para aprisionarem os seus reis com cadeias, e os seus nobres com grilhões de ferro;
9Para fazerem n'elles o juizo escripto; esta será a gloria de todos os sanctos. Louvae ao Senhor.
📖 Chapter study
Summary
A song that invites Israel to praise God with dancing and musical instruments, celebrating that God delights in his people, but also including an unusual warrior image: a 'two-edged sword' in the hands of the saints to execute judgment on oppressive nations.
Explanation
This second-to-last psalm of the psalter combines festive praise (dancing, tambourine, harp) with battle language, reflecting Israel's expectation that God, through his people, would bring final justice against oppressive nations — an image that must be read within the context of the era's hope for national deliverance, and not as encouragement for arbitrary religious violence. The specific mention of 'dance' (v.3) as a form of worship shows that biblical praise included physical, bodily expression, not just words or music. The application for today is that celebrating God can (and should) involve the whole body and all available joy, not just silent reflection.
Fun facts
- Dance as a form of worship (v.3) is mentioned in several other biblical texts, including David's dance before the ark in 2 Samuel 6:14, showing that physical expression was a legitimate part of Israelite worship.
- This is the second-to-last psalm of the book, part of the final sequence of the five 'Hallelujah psalms' (146-150) that close out the entire psalter with rising praise.