Bible Commentaries

Hallelujah to the God of Victory.

A song of praise exhorting particularly the chosen people, the true believers, to praise God for favors of the past, as well as for future victories, which His promise assures them.

v. 1. Praise ye the Lord, this being the constant occupation of the faithful, their moat delightful pastime. Sing unto the Lord a new song, one composed under the pressure of new, youthful energy, as the congregation enters upon a new era of growth and prosperity, and His praise in the congregation of saints, in the midst of those who have remained faithful to the true God and are impelled to make known the faith of their hearts in open avowal to Him.

v. 2. Let Israel, the congregation of believers, rejoice in Him that made him, who has once more renewed His covenant with His children and established them as His people; let the children of Zion, the members of the Church, be joyful in their King, in Christ, the Messiah, Ruler of the Kingdom of Grace.

v. 3. Let them praise His name in the dance, in ecstatic marching and rhythmic leaping, as we read of Miriam and of David, Exo 15:20-21; 2Sa 6:14; let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel, a small kettle-drum, and harp, or zither, their accompanied with the most joyful instrumental music.

v. 4. For the Lord taketh pleasure in His people, accepting their offerings and thereby declaring Himself well pleased with them; He will beautify the meek with salvation, adorning those who come to Him with sorrowful, repentant hearts, with faith, hope, joy, and peace.

v. 5. Let the saints be joyful in glory, on account of the honor granted them by virtue of their adoption as children of God; let them sing aloud upon their beds, the change from mourning and lamentation being so great that the day is too short to express the happiness possessing their hearts, for which reason they continue their hymns of praise even after they have retired for the night.

v. 6. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, literally, in their throat, to indicate the bubbling over of the joy of their hearts in hymns glorifying Jehovah, and a two-edged sword in their hand, signifying their willingness to defend the truth of their belief against the whole world, true soldiers of the Cross,

v. 7. to execute vengeance upon the heathen, at that time a part of Israel's duty, and punishments upon the people; the fleshly warfare having now been replaced by the warfare of the Word, attended by the victories of the Gospel;

v. 8. to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron;

v. 9. to execute upon them the judgment written, the proclamation of the Gospel continuing to have the effect of taking captive the hearts of even mighty and learned ones of this world and convincing them of the truth of the Gospel, Isa 53:12; Isa 49:23; Rev 3:8-9. This honor have all His saints, the glory of being a soldier of the Cross not being confined to the regularly ordained pastors and missionaries, but being the privilege of all Christians, as they are inspired with missionary energy flowing from the Word and go forth to win the Lord's battles. Praise ye the Lord! Cf 2Co 2:14-17.