서론
無標題
简体中文
英文原文
The foregoing psalm was a hymn of praise to the Creator; this is a hymn of praise to the Redeemer. It is a psalm of triumph in the God of Israel, and over the enemies of Israel. Probably it was penned upon occasion of some victory which Israel was blessed and honoured with. Some conjecture that it was penned when David had taken the strong-hold of Zion, and settled his government there. But it looks further, to the kingdom of the Messiah, who, in the chariot of the everlasting gospel, goes forth conquering and to conquer. To him, and his graces and glories, we must have an eye, in singing this psalm, which proclaims, I. Abundance of joy to all the people of God, Ps 149:1-5. II. Abundance of terror to the proudest of their enemies, Ps 149:6-9.
1-5
Saints Admonished to Praise God
简体中文
圣徒受劝勉赞美神
¹ 你们要赞美耶和华！向耶和华唱新歌，在圣民的会中赞美他。
² 愿以色列因造他的主欢喜；愿锡安的民因他们的王快乐。
³ 愿他们跳舞赞美他的名，击鼓弹琴歌颂他。
⁴ 因为耶和华喜爱他的百姓；他要用救恩当作谦卑人的妆饰。
⁵ 愿圣民因所得的荣耀高兴；愿他们在床上欢呼。
我们在此看到，
一、给神的以色列的赞美呼召。前一诗篇中他一切所造的都受激发来赞美他；但此处他的圣徒特别被要求称颂他。请留意，1. 谁被呼召来赞美神。整体上的以色列，教会的全体（诗 149:2），尤其是锡安的民，那圣山的居民，比其他以色列人更亲近神；那得以就近神的话语与典章、不必远行追寻的，理当比别人在赞美神上更加殷勤。一切真基督徒都可自称为锡安的民，因为凭着信心与盼望我们已经来到锡安山（来 12:22）。圣徒当赞美神——名义上的圣徒、生命中有能力的圣徒，因为这是他们成圣的目的；他们献身于神的荣耀，又蒙神的恩典更新，为要成为他的名和他的赞美。2. 这赞美的原则当是什么，就是向着神的圣洁喜乐：愿以色列欢喜，愿锡安的民快乐，愿圣民在荣耀中高兴。我们对神的赞美当发自一颗因神的属性并我们与他的关系而充满喜乐与夸胜的心。敬虔在心中大有能力，其中相当部分在于以神为我们至高的喜乐并从他得着慰藉；我们对基督的信心，乃以在他里面喜乐来描述。当我们以他为乐时，便是将尊荣耀归给他。我们必须在荣耀中喜乐，即以他为我们的荣耀，并以我们在他里面所得的分为荣；并当看我们能列在赞美神的人中，是我们的荣耀。3. 这赞美当如何表达。我们当以一切合宜的方式表明对神的赞美：向耶和华唱诗。我们当唱诗赞美他（诗 149:3）、大声歌唱（诗 149:5）来自娱并宣扬他的名，因为我们当全心唱诗，作为不但不以为耻、反而在其中得释放的人。我们当唱新歌，每逢特殊场合新谱的歌，并以新的情感来唱——正是这情感使歌曲成为新的，纵然词句已用过，并使歌词不至陈旧。当照着旧约教会很早的惯例，击鼓弹琴跳舞赞美神（出 15:20），那里我们看到神被以鼓与舞赞美。若有人因此主张宗教敬拜中使用器乐，按同样原则也当引入跳舞，因为两者原是并行的，如大卫在约柜前跳舞，以及士 21:21。但新约中许多经文虽维持唱诗为福音的典章，却没有一处规定维持奏乐与跳舞；福音唱诗的准则乃是用灵并用悟性歌唱。4. 当抓住什么机会赞美神，一个也不可放过，尤其是：（1）当在公众场合赞美神，在严肃的会中（诗 149:1），在圣民的会中。人越多越好，越像天。如此神的名必在世人面前被承认；如此敬拜当被赋予庄重，我们也当彼此激发。我们在宗教聚集中来的原则、目的与设计，乃为要一同赞美神。聚会的其他部分都当为此而设。（2）当在隐秘处赞美他。愿圣徒因在神里面的喜乐如此洋溢，以至于在床上欢呼，当夜间醒来时，满心都是对神的赞美，如大卫那样（诗 119:62）。当神的以色列得享平静的安居，他们当怀着对神的感谢享受其中；那已进入神的安息、在耶稣基督里寻得归宿的真信徒，更当为此欢乐歌唱。在他们的病榻上、临终的床上，他们当唱他们神的赞美。
二、给神的以色列赞美的缘由。请思想，1. 神为他们所作的。他们有理由在神里喜乐，将自己献于他的尊荣并尽忠于他的事奉；因为造他们的乃是他。他赐我们作人的存在，我们当为此赞美他，因为这是高贵而优美的存在。他赐予以色列作一百姓、作一教会的存在，使他们成为与列国截然不同的民。愿那百姓因此赞美他，因为他为着自己造了他们，特要他们传扬他的赞美（赛 43:21）。愿以色列因造他们的主欢喜（原文为复数）；因为神说我们要造人；有人以为其中含有三一神的奥秘。2. 神在他们之上的治权。这是承上文而来的：他若造了他们，他就是他们的王；那赐人存在的，无疑也能赐人律法；而且我们当喜乐赞美的，正是我们处在如此智慧有权能之王的引导与保护之下。锡安的民哪，应当大大喜乐！看哪，你的王来到，就是神所立在锡安圣山上的弥赛亚王；愿锡安一切的儿女在他里面快乐，并出去以和散那迎接他（亚 9:9）。3. 神对他们的喜悦。他乃是凭爱治理的王，因此当受赞美；因为耶和华喜爱他的百姓——喜爱他们的事奉、他们的福祉、与他们的相交，并他向他们所施恩惠的赐予。他乃是自己在自己里面完全有福、其福祉无可增添的一位，却仍俯就喜爱他的百姓（诗 147:11）。4. 神关于他们的旨意。除了他现今在他们身上所得的喜悦外，他还为将来的荣耀预备了他们：他要用救恩作谦卑人的妆饰——那 humble、卑微、心里痛悔、因他的话战兢而顺服、在患难中忍耐并向众人显出温柔的人。这些人被人藐视毁谤，但神要称他们为义，并除掉他们的羞辱；不但如此，他还要以救恩妆饰他们；他们不仅要在众人面前显为清白，且要显为秀美，带着他所加给他们的美好。他要以救恩妆饰他们——以今世的拯救（当神为他百姓行奇妙的拯救时，那些卧在鼎中之物就如鸽子翅膀镀白银一般——诗 68:13），更是以永远的救恩。在那日义人要发光如太阳，便得着妆饰。怀着这指望，让他们即使在最黑暗的日子，也唱新歌。
英文原文
Saints Admonished to Praise God
¹ Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
² Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
³ Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
⁴ For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
⁵ Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
We have here,
I. The calls given to God's Israel to praise. All his works were, in the foregoing psalm, excited to praise him; but here his saints in a particular manner are required to bless him. Observe then, 1. Who are called upon to praise God. Israel in general, the body of the church (Ps 149:2), the children of Zion particularly, the inhabitants of that holy hill, who are nearer to God than other Israelites; those that have the word and ordinances of God near to them, that are not required to travel far to them, are justly expected to do more in praising God than others. All true Christians may call themselves the children of Zion, for in faith and hope we have come unto Mount Zion, Heb 12:22. The saints must praise God, saints in profession, saints in power, for this is the intention of their sanctification; they are devoted to the glory of God, and renewed by the grace of God, that they may be unto him for a name and a praise. 2. What must be the principle of this praise, and that is holy joy in God: Let Israel rejoice, and the children of Zion be joyful, and the saints be joyful in glory. Our praises of God should flow from a heart filled with delight and triumph in God's attributes, and our relation to him. Much of the power of godliness in the heart consists in making God our chief joy and solacing ourselves in him; and our faith in Christ is described by our rejoicing in him. We then give honour to God when we take pleasure in him. We must be joyful in glory, that is, in him as our glory, and in the interest we have in him; and let us look upon it as our glory to be of those that rejoice in God. 3. What must be the expressions of this praise. We must by all proper ways show forth the praises of God: Sing to the Lord. We must entertain ourselves, and proclaim his name, by singing praises to him (Ps 149:3), singing aloud (Ps 149:5), for we should sing psalms with all our heart, as those that are not only not ashamed of it, but are enlarged in it. We must sing a new song, newly composed upon every special occasion, sing with new affections, which make the song new, though the words have been used before, and keep them from growing threadbare. Let God be praised in the dance with timbrel and harp, according to the usage of the Old-Testament church very early (Ex 15:20), where we find God praised with timbrels and dances. Those who from this urge the use of music in religious worship must by the same rule introduce dancing, for they went together, as in David's dancing before the ark, and Jdg 21:21. But, whereas many scriptures in the New Testament keep up singing as a gospel-ordinance, none provide for the keeping up of music and dancing; the gospel-canon for psalmody is to sing with the spirit and with the understanding. 4. What opportunities must be taken for praising God, none must be let slip, but particularly, (1.) We must praise God in public, in the solemn assembly (Ps 149:1), in the congregation of saints. The more the better; it is the more like heaven. Thus God's name must be owned before the world; thus the service must have a solemnity put upon it, and we must mutually excite one another to it. The principle, end, and design of our coming together in religious assemblies is that we may join together in praising God. Other parts of the service must be in order to this. (2.) We must praise him in private. Let the saints be so transported with their joy in God as to sing aloud upon their beds, when they awake in the night, full of the praises of God, as David, Ps 119:62. When God's Israel are brought to a quiet settlement, let them enjoy that, with thankfulness to God; much more may true believers, that have entered into God's rest, and find repose in Jesus Christ, sing aloud for joy of that. Upon their sick-beds, their death-beds, let them sing the praises of their God.
II. The cause given to God's Israel for praise. Consider, 1. God's doings for them. They have reason to rejoice in God, to devote themselves to his honour and employ themselves in his service; for it is he that made them. He gave us our being as men, and we have reason to praise him for that, for it is a noble and excellent being. He gave Israel their being as a people, as a church, made them what they were, so very different from other nations. Let that people therefore praise him, for he formed them for himself, on purpose that they might show forth his praise, Isa 43:21. Let Israel rejoice in his Makers (so it is in the original); for God said, Let us make man; and in this, some think, is the mystery of the Trinity. 2. God's dominion over them. This follows upon the former: if he made them, he is their King; he that gave being no doubt may give law; and this ought to be the matter of our joy and praise that we are under the conduct and protection of such a wise and powerful King. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! for behold thy king comes, the king Messiah, whom God has set upon his holy hill of Zion; let all the children of Zion be joyful in him, and go forth to meet him with their hosannas, Zec 9:9. 3. God's delight in them. He is a king that rules by love, and therefore to be praised; for the Lord takes pleasure in his people, in their services, in their prosperity, in communion with them, and in the communications of his favour to them. He that is infinitely happy in the enjoyment of himself, and to whose felicity no accession can be made, yet graciously condescends to take pleasure in his people, Ps 147:11. 4. God's designs concerning them. Besides the present complacency he has in them, he has prepared for their future glory: He will beautify the meek, the humble, and lowly, and contrite in heart, that tremble at his word and submit to it, that are patient under their afflictions and show all meekness towards all men. These men vilify and asperse, but God will justify them, and wipe off their reproach; nay, he will beautify them; they shall appear not only clear, but comely, before all the world, with the comeliness that he puts upon them. He will beautify them with salvation, with temporal salvations (when God works remarkable deliverances for his people those that had been among the pots become as the wings of a dove covered with silver, Ps 68:13), but especially with eternal salvation. The righteous shall be beautified in that day when they shine forth as the sun. In the hopes of this, let them now, in the darkest day, sing a new song.
6-9
Israel Admonished to Praise God
简体中文
劝勉以色列赞美神
⁶ 愿他们口中称赞神为高，手里有两刃的剑，
⁷ 为要报复列国，刑罚万民；
⁸ 要用链子捆他们的君王，用铁镣锁他们的 nobles；
⁹ 要在他们身上施行所记录的审判；他一切圣民都有这荣耀。你们要赞美耶和华。
神的以色列在此被表明为胜过仇敌而夸胜——这既是他们赞美的内容（当将那些夸胜的荣耀归给神），也是他们赞美的报答；凡真正为安宁而感谢神的，必蒙赐胜利。也可视为他们赞美更深的表达（诗149:6）：「愿他们口中称赞神为高」，然后怀着为他尊荣而发的圣洁热心，「手里有两刃的剑」，为他的国与仇敌争战。这话可应用于，1. 神赐福他百姓以色列胜过迦南列国及别一些被注定灭亡之国的许多胜利。这些胜利始于摩西与约书亚——他们既教训以色列「以称赞神为高」，又把「两刃的剑」交在他们手中；大卫也是如此，因他既是以色列的美歌者，也是他们众军的长帅，又教训犹大人使用弓（撒下1:18），教训他们的手争战，正如神教训他的手争战。如此他与他们胜利前进，争耶和华的战，又向那些欺压他们的人报以色列的仇；那时他们「报复列国」（非利士人、摩押人、亚扪人等，撒下8:1等），「刑罚万民」——因他们对神百姓所行的一切欺压（诗149:7）。他们的君王与贵族被俘（诗149:8），其中一些照「所记录的审判」被处决——如约书亚之于迦南诸王、基甸之于米甸首领、撒母耳之于亚甲。这荣耀归于神一切以色列人；他们将之全然归给那使他们得此荣耀的，在他们哈利路亚中。约沙法的军兵在同一时刻「口中称赞神为高，手里有两刃的剑」，因为他们出去争战时唱着赞美神，那时他们的剑就执行了杀戮（代下20:23）。有人将其应用于马加比时代，那时犹太人有时对欺压他们的人取得大胜。那温柔之人既具那品性，竟如此严厉，竟及于君王贵族，若以为可怪，这里有一字足以证明他们为正当：这是「所记录的审判」。他们如此行并非出于个人的恶毒报复，也非出于任何血腥的政治，而是奉神所差、照他指引、顺服他命令而行；扫罗正是因违背这类命令而失了国。如此，将来在毁灭新约巴比伦之事上被使用的地上君王，不过是「施行所记录的审判」（启17:16-17）。然而，如今既不能再拿出这类特殊使命，这便绝不能 justify 臣民对君主、或君主对臣民、或两者对邻舍，借宗教之名的暴力；因基督从未打算借刀剑之火推广他的福音，或借人的怒气成就他的公义。当我们口中称赞神为高之时，手中当拿着和平的橄榄枝。2. 基督借他福音与恩典的权能胜过属灵仇敌的胜利，其中一切信者都已得胜有余。神的道是「两刃的剑」（来4:12），「圣灵的剑」（弗6:17），我们不能仅藏之于兵器库，更当握之于手——正如我们的主所行，当他说：「经上记着说」。如今，（1）借这两刃的剑，福音首批传道人在黑暗权势之上得了荣耀胜利；外邦的神受了报应——因那些长久敬拜它们的人被定罪归正而不服者受惊慌混乱（启6:15）；撒但的坚固垒被攻破（林后10:4-5）；伟人因神的话而战惧，如腓力斯；这世界的神撒但已被赶出，正如所判定的。「这」是全体基督徒的荣耀——他们的圣洁宗教已如此得胜。（2）借这两刃的剑，信者与自己本性的败坏争战，并借神的恩典制伏治死它；那曾辖制他们的罪已被钉十字架；那曾坐为王的自私，已被链子捆绑，被服在基督的轭下；那试探者已被挫败，被踏在他们脚下。「他一切圣民都有这荣耀。」（3）这事的全备成全，在于大日审判——那时「主」必「带着他的千万圣者来临，对众人施行审判」（犹14-15）。那时必「报复列国」（诗9:17），「刑罚万民」以永远的刑罚。「君王与贵族」，那曾「挣脱基督政权的捆绑绳索」的（诗2:3），必不能挣脱他怒气与公义的链子与铁镣。那时「所记录的审判」必被执行，因为「神借福音审判人的隐秘事」。「他一切圣民」都必「有这荣耀」——作为基督的陪审，「审判世界」（林前6:2）。他们既盼望这事，就当赞美主，并一生作基督忠心的仆人与精兵到底。
英文原文
Israel Admonished to Praise God
⁶ Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
⁷ To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
⁸ To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
⁹ To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
The Israel of God are here represented triumphing over their enemies, which is both the matter of their praise (let them give to God the glory of those triumphs) and the recompence of their praise; those that are truly thankful to God for their tranquillity shall be blessed with victory. Or it may be taken as a further expression of their praise (Ps 149:6): let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and then, in a holy zeal for his honour, let them take a two-edged sword in their hand, to fight his battles against the enemies of his kingdom. Now this may be applied, 1. To the many victories which God blessed his people Israel with over the nations of Canaan and other nations that were devoted to destruction. These began in Moses and Joshua, who, when they taught Israel the high praises of the Lord, did withal put a two-edged sword in their hand; David did so too, for, as he was the sweet singer of Israel, so he was the captain of their hosts, and taught the children of Judah the use of the bow (2Sa 1:18), taught their hands to war, as God had taught his. Thus he and they went on victoriously, fighting the Lord's battles, and avenging Israel's quarrels on those that had oppressed them; then they executed vengeance upon the heathen (the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and others, 2Sa 8:1, etc.) and punishments upon the people, for all the wrong they had done to God's people, Ps 149:7. Their kings and nobles were taken prisoners (Ps 149:8) and on some of them the judgment written was executed, as by Joshua on the kings of Canaan, by Gideon on the princes of Midian, by Samuel on Agag. The honour of this redounded to all the Israel of God; and to him who put it upon them they return it entirely in their hallelujahs. Jehoshaphat's army had at the same time the high praises of God in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand, for they went forth to war singing the praises of God, and then their sword did execution, 2Ch 20:23. Some apply it to the time of the Maccabees, when the Jews sometimes gained great advantages against their oppressors. And if it seem strange that the meek should, notwithstanding that character, be thus severe, and upon kings and nobles too, here is one word that justifies them in it; it is the judgment written. They do not do it from any personal malice and revenge, or any bloody politics that they govern themselves by, but by commission from God, according to his direction, and in obedience to his command; and Saul lost his kingdom for disobeying a command of this nature. Thus the kings of the earth that shall be employed in the destruction of the New-Testament Babylon will but execute the judgment written, Re 17:16,17. But, since now no such special commissions can be produced, this will by no means justify the violence either of subjects against their princes or of princes against their subjects, or both against their neighbours, under pretence of religion; for Christ never intended that his gospel should be propagated by fire and sword or his righteousness wrought by the wrath of man. When the high praises of God are in our mouth with them we should have an olive-branch of peace in our hands. 2. To Christ's victories by the power of his gospel and grace over spiritual enemies, in which all believers are more than conquerors. The word of God is the two-edged sword (Heb 4:12), the sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17), which it is not enough to have in our armoury, we must have it in our hand also, as our Master had, when he said, It is written. Now, (1.) With this two-edged sword the first preachers of the gospel obtained a glorious victory over the powers of darkness; vengeance was executed upon the gods of the heathen, by the conviction and conversion of those that had been long their worshippers, and by the consternation and confusion of those that would not repent (Re 6:15); the strongholds of Satan were cast down (2Ch 10:4,5); great men were made to tremble at the word, as Felix; Satan, the god of this world, was cast out, according to the judgment given against him. This is the honour of all Christians, that their holy religion has been so victorious. (2.) With this two-edged sword believers fight against their own corruptions, and, through the grace of God, subdue and mortify them; the sin that had dominion over them is crucified; self, that once sat king, is bound with chains and brought into subjection to the yoke of Christ; the tempter is foiled and bruised under their feet. This honour have all the saints. (3.) The complete accomplishment of this will be in the judgment of the great day, when the Lord shall come with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, Jude 1:14,15. Vengeance shall then be executed upon the heathen (Ps 9:17), and punishments, everlasting punishments, upon the people. Kings and nobles, that cast away the bands and cords of Christ's government (Ps 2:3), shall not be able to cast away the chains and fetters of his wrath and justice. Then shall be executed the judgment written, for the secrets of men shall be judged according to the gospel. This honour shall all the saints have, that, as assessors with Christ, they shall judge the world, 1Co 6:2. In the prospect of that let them praise the Lord, and continue Christ's faithful servants and soldiers to the end of their lives.
前篇是向创造主所献的赞美诗;本篇是向救赎主所献的赞美诗。它是一首因以色列的神、并胜过以色列仇敌而夸胜之诗。大概因以色列所得某次胜利之祝福与尊荣而作。有人推测是大卫取了锡安保障、在那坚立其政权之时所作。但它目光更远,直指弥赛亚的国度——他乘着永世福音的车辇,出而胜了又要胜。我们唱这首诗时,当瞩目于他与其恩典与荣耀,本诗所宣告的:一、向神一切百姓宣告丰盛的喜乐(诗149:1-5);二、向他们最骄傲的仇敌宣告丰盛的可畏(诗149:6-9)。