The Eastern Cross/Bible/Psalms/Psalm 149
The Book of Psalms · the Psalter
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Alleluia. Sing to the Lord a new song: His praise is in the assembly of the saints.
Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἄσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ ᾆσμα καινόν· ἡ αἴνεσις αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ὁσίων.
Let us praise the Lord both in voice, and in understanding, and in good works; and, as this Psalm exhorteth, let us sing unto Him a new song. It beginneth: "Sing ye to the Lord a new song. His praise is in the Church of the Saints" (ver. 1). The old man hath an old song, the new man a new song. The Old Testament is an…
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him; And let the children of Zion exult in their king.
Εὐφρανθήτω Ἰσραὴλ ἐπὶ τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτὸν, καὶ υἱοὶ Σιὼν ἀγαλλιάσθωσαν ἐπὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ αὐτῶν.
"Let Israel rejoice in Him who made Him". What is, "Israel"? "Seeing God." He who sees God, rejoices in Him by whom he was made. What is it then, brethren? We have said that we belong to the Church of the saints: do we already see God? And how are we Israel, if we see not? There is one kind of sight belonging to this…
Let them praise his name in the dance: Let them sing praises to him with timbrel and psaltery.
Αἰνεσάτωσαν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐν χορῷ, ἐν τυμπάνῳ καὶ ψαλτηρίῳ ψαλάτωσαν αὐτῷ.
"Let them praise His Name in chorus". What means "chorus"? Many know what a "chorus" is: nay, as we are speaking in a town, almost all know. A "chorus" is the union of singers. If we sing "in chorus," let us sing in concord. If any one's voice is out of harmony in a chorus of singers, it offends the ear, and throwes…
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; And will exalt the meek with salvation.
Ὅτι εὐδοκεῖ Κύριος ἐν λαῷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑψώσει πρᾳεῖς ἐν σωτηρίᾳ.
"For the Lord has dealt kindly among His people". What dealing so kindly, as to die for the ungodly? What dealing so kindly, as with righteous Blood to blot out the handwriting against the sinner? What dealing so kindly, as to say, "I regard not what you were, be ye now what you were not"? He deals kindly in…
The saints shall rejoice in glory; And shall exult on their beds.
Καυχήσονται ὅσιοι ἐν δόξῃ, καὶ ἀγαλλιάσονται ἐπὶ τῶν κοιτῶν αὐτῶν.
"The saints shall exult in glory". I would say somewhat important about the glory of the saints. For there is no one who loves not glory. But the glory of fools, popular glory as it is called, has snares to deceive, so that a man, influenced by the praises of vain men, shall be willing to live in such fashion as to be…
The high praises of God shall be in their throat, And two-edged swords in their hands;
Αἱ ὑψώσεις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν λάρυγγι αὐτῶν, καὶ ῥομφαῖαι δίστομοι ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν·
But the saints who "exult in glory," no need is there for us to say how they exult: just hear the verse of the Psalm which follows: "The saints shall exult in glory, they shall rejoice in their beds:" not in theatres, or amphitheatres, or circuses, or follies, or market places, but "in their chambers." What is, "in…
To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments among the peoples;
Τοῦ ποιῆσαι ἐκδίκησιν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ἐλεγμοὺς ἐν τοῖς λαοῖς·
To bind their kings with fetters, And their nobles with manacles of iron;
Τοῦ δῆσαι τοὺς βασιλεῖς αὐτῶν ἐν πέδαις, καὶ τοὺς ἐνδόξους αὐτῶν ἐν χειροπέδαις σιδηραῖς·
"That they may bind their kings in fetters, and their nobles in bonds of iron". "To execute upon them the judgment written". The kings of the Gentiles are to be bound in fetters, "and their nobles in fetters," and that "of iron."...For these verses which we are beginning to explain are obscure. For for this purpose…
To execute on them the judgment written: This honor have all his saints.
Τοῦ ποιῆσαι ἐν αὐτοῖς κρίμα ἔγγραπτον· δόξα αὕτη ἐστὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ὁσίοις αὐτοῦ.
Every note is a real passage, quoted word for word from a published English translation, with its source. Nothing here is summarised or written by us. Some verses have many notes and some have none, because the Fathers wrote more on some passages than others.
All of these translations are in the public domain. The passages were matched to their verses by the Historical Christian Commentaries project, which also hosts the full texts we link to. The Fathers are a treasury of the Church's mind, and they are best read alongside the life of the Church: if a passage raises a question, bring it to your priest.