Psalms 149:5-8 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Let the saints be joyful in glory For the honour which God puts upon them. Let them sing aloud upon their beds By night as well as by day, in the time usually devoted to rest and sleep, which they shall borrow to praise God in for his eminent and extraordinary blessings. Let the high praises of God be in their mouths; &c. “In assured hopes of victory they shall go to war with psalms and hymns in their mouths, concerning the great acts of the Lord, which they shall courageously sing with a loud voice when they shall fall upon their enemies, and prefer to the two-edged sword which they carry in their hands.” Bishop Patrick. To execute vengeance upon the heathen For all their cruelties and injuries toward God's people. This was literally accomplished by David upon the Philistines, Ammonites, Syrians, and other neighbouring nations. Their kings and nobles were taken prisoners, (Psalms 149:8,) and on some of them the judgment written (Psa 149:9) was executed, as by Joshua on the kings of Canaan, by Gideon on the princes of Midian, and by Samuel on Agag. Jehoshaphat's army had, at the same time, the high praises of God in their mouths, 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, 2 Chronicles 20:23. It may be applied to the time of the Maccabees, when the Jews sometimes gained great advantages against their oppressors. And it is evident from many passages both of the Old and New Testaments, especially from Zechariah 9:13-16; and Zechariah 14:17-19; Revelation 19:11-21, that something of a similar nature will take place when the antichristian powers are destroyed, and more glorious times are introduced.