Psalm 149 verses 7-9

There are three possible layers of interpretation of the closing verses of Psalm 149.  First, this is a promise of ultimate victory against the powers and principalities against whom we wage spiritual war in our own lives.  Secondly, we execute justice when we convert others, turning them away from the path of evil.  Finally, they can be read as a reference to the role of the saints in the final judgment. 

7	V	Ad faciéndam vindíctam in natiónibus: * increpatiónes in pópulis.
	NV	ad faciendam vindictam in nationibus, castigationes in populis,
	JH	ad faciendam uindictam in gentibus, increpationes in populis;
		τοῦ ποιῆσαι ἐκδίκησιν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐλεγμοὺς ἐν τοῖς λαοῖς

vindicta, ae,  vengeance, punishment; cause, right.

natio, onis, nation, people; in pi., the gentiles; a generation.

increpatio, onis, a chiding, rebuke;  punishment, chastisement

DR	To execute vengeance upon the nations, chastisements among the people:
Brenton	to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments among the peoples
MD	They take vengeance on the heathen, inflict chastisement on the nations
Cover	to be avenged of the heathen, and to rebuke the people
Grail	to deal out vengeance to the nations and punishment on all the peoples;

St Augustine sees this verse as a call to action:

"And lest you should think that men are really smitten with the sword, blood really shed, wounds made in the flesh, he goes on and explains, upbraidings among the peoples. What is upbraidings? Reproof. Let the sword twice sharpened go forth from you, delay not. Say to your friend, if yet you have one left to whom to say it, What kind of man are you, who hast abandoned Him by whom you were made, and worshippest what He made? Better is the Workman, than that which He works. When he begins to blush, when he begins to feel compunction, you have made a wound with your sword, it has reached the heart, he is about to die, that he may live.

But it also has an eschatological connotation, as Cassiodorus explains:

So the blessed ones will assume this power and pass judgment in company with the Lord; as Scripture says: You shall sit on twelve seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel? For note what follows: To execute vengeance upon the nations, chastisements among the people. This truly takes place when they shall judge in company with the Lord.

   

8	V	Ad alligándos reges eórum in compédibus: * et nóbiles eórum in mánicis férreis.
	NV	ad alligandos reges eorum in compedibus et nobiles eorum in manicis ferreis,
	JH	ut alhgent reges eorum catenis, et inclitos eorum compedibus ferreis
		τοῦ δῆσαι τοὺς βασιλεῖς αὐτῶν ἐν πέδαις καὶ τοὺς ἐνδόξους αὐτῶν ἐν χειροπέδαις σιδηραῖς

alligo, avi, atum, are  to bind or make fast, to fetter;  to bind up as a wound.

compes, pedis,  a fetter or shackle for the feet.

nobilis, e, noble, high-born, of noble birth, of distinguished or illustrious ancestors;  

manica, ae, a handcuff, manacle.

ferreus, a, um  iron, made of iron

DR	To bind their kings with fetters, and their nobles with manacles of iron.
Brenton	to bind their kings with fetters, and their nobles with manacles of iron
MD	They lay their kings in chains, and their princes in iron fetters.
Cover	to bind their kings in chains, and their nobles with links of iron
Grail	to bind their kings in chains and their nobles in fetters of iron;

Some commentators see a link between this second last psalm of the psalter, and the second (Psalm 2): just as they attempted to bind Christ and is saints, they too will in turn be bound.  Bellarmine comments, for example:

Having said that "the two-edged swords" represent the judiciary power entrusted to the saints on the last day, it will not appear strange they should use such power "to execute vengeance," and "to bind kings in fetters," for such power includes the one as well as the other, and both will be fully exercised on the last day, when, in union with Christ, they will pass sentence on the Antiochuses, the Herods, the Neros, the Diocletians, and the other infidel princes, and will say, "Having bound their hands and feet, cast them into the exte­rior darkness."

9	V	Ut fáciant in eis judícium conscríptum: * glória hæc est ómnibus sanctis ejus.
	NV	ad faciendum in eis iudicium conscriptum.Gloria haec est omnibus sanctis eius.
	JH	ut faciant in eis iudicium scriptum : decor est omnium sanctorum eius.
		τοῦ ποιῆσαι ἐν αὐτοῖς κρίμα ἔγγραπτον δόξα αὕτη ἐστὶν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁσίοις αὐτοῦ

judicium, i, n.  judgment, decrees; law, commandment; the power, or faculty of judging wisely; justice.

conscriptus, a, um, written.

DR	To execute upon them the judgment that is written: this glory is to all his saints. Alleluia.
Brenton	to execute on them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints.
Cover	that they may be avenged of them, as it is written, Such honour have all his saints.
Grail	to carry out the sentence pre-ordained: this honor is for all his faithful.

This verse alludes to the idea that God's decrees are as if written in a book (the book of life), also seen in Job 13:26 and Is 65:6 for example.  Chrysostom gives it a less literal meaning:

To execute on them a verdict written (v.9): what is a verdict written. Obvious, manifest, not capable of being consigned to oblivion. God's doings are like that, you see, protracted to all time in the greatness of the achievements and the extraordinary character of the wonder-working. So the victory will be so great and the tro­phy so wonderful as to be clear to all, as obvious as if written on a column and never erased. 

Similarly, he brings the message of the psalm back to our own spiritual lives, and the spiritual warfare waged with the aid of grace: 

This glory is for all his holy ones: which glory? Conquering - or, rather, not simply conquering, but conquering in such a manner, through God's assistance, through grace from on high. Now, ob­serve how he makes mention of the holy ones, stimulating them to give attention to their life and virtue. In my view, however, by glory he refers not only to the victory, but also to the praise, the songs, the hymns, teaching us by every means that by singing praise to God they confer on themselves great glory and present themselves in a creditable light, thanks to the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power, for ages of ages. Amen.

Psalm 149

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.
Cantáte Dómino cánticum novum: * laus ejus in ecclésia sanctórum.	Sing to the Lord a new canticle: let his praise be in the church of the saints.
2  Lætétur Israël in eo, qui fecit eum: * et fílii Sion exsúltent in rege suo.	2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: and let the children of Sion be joyful in their king.
3  Laudent nomen ejus in choro: * in tympano, et psaltério psallant ei.	3 Let them praise his name in choir: let them sing to him with the timbrel and the psaltery.
4  Quia beneplácitum est Dómino in pópulo suo: * et exaltábit mansuétos in salútem.	4 For the Lord is well pleased with his people: and he will exalt the meek unto salvation.
5  Exsultábunt sancti in glória: * lætabúntur in cubílibus suis.	5 The saints shall rejoice in glory: they shall be joyful in their beds.
6  Exaltatiónes Dei in gútture eórum: * et gládii ancípites in mánibus eórum.	6 The high praises of God shall be in their mouth: and two-edged swords in their hands:
7  Ad faciéndam vindíctam in natiónibus: * increpatiónes in pópulis	7 To execute vengeance upon the nations, chastisements among the people:
8  Ad alligándos reges eórum in compédibus: * et nóbiles eórum in mánicis férreis.	To bind their kings with fetters, and their nobles with manacles of iron.
9  Ut fáciant in eis judícium conscríptum: * glória hæc est ómnibus sanctis ejus.	9 To execute upon them the judgment that is written: this glory is to all his saints. Alleluia.

The next psalm in this series on the repeated psalms of the Office is Psalm 150.