The Meaning of Psalms 149:5 Explained

Psalms 149:5

KJV: Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

YLT: Exult do saints in honour, They sing aloud on their beds.

Darby: Let the godly exult in glory; let them shout for joy upon their beds.

ASV: Let the saints exult in glory: Let them sing for joy upon their beds.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Let the saints  be joyful  in glory:  let them sing aloud  upon their beds. 

What does Psalms 149:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 149:1-9 - The Praise-Songs Of God's People
Israel was formed into a nation and delivered from Babylon, that her singers should lead the praises of mankind, and her teachers provide the metaphors and phrases for the world's religious nurture. "This people have I made for myself," said the Most High, "that they might show forth my praise." Is it not also our Christian duty to be joyful in our King? Our religious life has not enough ecstasy and gladness in it to attract the world, which is sad enough beneath its outward gaiety.
Psalms 150:1-6
A worthy close to the Psalter. Ten times the summons to praise rings out, and ten is the number of perfection. Think of the tears and groans, the questionings and perplexities, the feeble faith and disappointed aspiration, that have preceded! Now it all finishes thus! So life will finish! Our Misereres will be forgotten in the outbursting Jubilates . The first three books of the Psalter end with Amen and Amen, the firm expression of faith. The fourth book with Amen, Hallelujah, as though faith were beginning to be lost in glad realization. But here, at the end of all, there is one abounding and unhesitating Hallelujah!
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Chapter Summary: Psalms 149

1  The prophet exhorts to praise God for his love to the church
5  And for that power which he has given to the church

What do the individual words in Psalms 149:5 mean?

Let be joyful the saints in glory let them sing aloud on their beds
יַעְלְז֣וּ חֲסִידִ֣ים בְּכָב֑וֹד יְ֝רַנְּנ֗וּ עַל־ מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָֽם

יַעְלְז֣וּ  Let  be  joyful 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָלַז  
Sense: (Qal) to exult, rejoice, triumph.
חֲסִידִ֣ים  the  saints 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: חָסִיד  
Sense: faithful, kind, godly, holy one, saint, pious.
בְּכָב֑וֹד  in  glory 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כָּבֹוד  
Sense: glory, honour, glorious, abundance.
יְ֝רַנְּנ֗וּ  let  them  sing  aloud 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רוּן 
Sense: to overcome.
מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָֽם  their  beds 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מִשְׁכָּב  
Sense: a lying down, couch, bier, act of lying.