1Aleluia! Cantai ao SENHOR um cântico novo; [haja] louvor a ele na congregação dos santos.
2Alegre-se Israel em seu Criador; os filhos de Sião se encham de alegria em seu Rei.
3Louvem seu nome com danças; cantai louvores a ele com tamborim e harpa.
4Porque o SENHOR se agrada de seu povo; ele ornará os mansos com salvação.
5Saltem de prazer [seus] santos pela glória; fiquem contentes sobre suas camas.
6Exaltações a Deus [estarão] em suas gargantas; e espada afiada [estará] em sua mão,
7Para se vingarem das nações, e repreenderem aos povos.
8Para prenderem a seus reis com correntes, e seus nobres com grilhões de ferro;
9Para executarem sobre eles a sentença escrita; esta [será] a glória de todos os seus santos. Aleluia!
📖 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.