— Psalm 149 (Vulgate / Hebrew)
Cantate Domino canticum novum
By GRAHAM JOHN
A psalm of communal praise that binds joy, identity, and justice, portraying worship as both celebration and moral commitment.
9 verses total
VERSUS 1–9 (LATIN + LITERAL ENGLISH + WORD NOTES)
1
Cantate Domino canticum novum: laus ejus in ecclesia sanctorum.
Sing to the Lord a new song; his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Word Notes
- cantō, cantāre, cantāvī, cantātum — to sing
- canticum, canticī (n.) — song
- novus, nova, novum — new
- laus, laudis (f.) — praise
- ecclēsia, ecclēsiae (f.) — assembly
- sanctus, sanctī (m.) — holy one
2
Lætetur Israël in eo qui fecit eum: et filii Sion exsultent in rege suo.
Let Israel rejoice in him who made him; let the children of Zion exult in their king.
Word Notes
- lætō, lætāre — to rejoice
- faciō, facere, fēcī, factum — to make
- exsultō, exsultāre — to exult
- rēx, rēgis (m.) — king
3
Laudent nomen ejus in choro: in tympano et psalterio psallant ei.
Let them praise his name with dancing; let them sing to him with timbrel and harp.
Word Notes
- chorus, chorī (m.) — dance, choir
- tympanum, tympanī (n.) — tambourine
- psalterium, psalteriī (n.) — harp
- psallō, psallere, psallīvī — to sing
4
Quia beneplacitum est Domino in populo suo: et exaltabit mansuetos in salutem.
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people and lifts up the humble to salvation.
Word Notes
- beneplacitum — pleasure
- populus, populī (m.) — people
- exaltō, exaltāre, exaltāvī — to lift up
- mansuetus, mansueta, mansuetum — gentle, humble
- salūs, salūtis (f.) — salvation
5
Exsultabunt sancti in gloria: lætabuntur in cubilibus suis.
The faithful shall exult in glory; they shall rejoice on their couches.
Word Notes
- glōria, glōriae (f.) — glory
- cubīle, cubīlis (n.) — bed, resting place
6
Exaltationes Dei in gutture eorum: et gladii ancipites in manibus eorum.
The praises of God in their throats, and two-edged swords in their hands.
Word Notes
- exaltātiō, exaltātiōnis (f.) — praise, exaltation
- guttur, gutturis (n.) — throat
- gladius, gladiī (m.) — sword
- anceps, ancipitis — two-edged
7
Ad faciendam vindictam in nationibus: increpationes in populis.
To execute vengeance among the nations and punishments among the peoples.
Word Notes
- vindicta, vindictae (f.) — vengeance, justice
- nātiō, nātiōnis (f.) — nation
- increpātiō, increpātiōnis (f.) — rebuke
8
Ad alligandos reges eorum in compedibus: et nobiles eorum in manicis ferreis.
To bind their kings with chains and their nobles with iron fetters.
Word Notes
- alligō, alligāre, alligāvī — to bind
- rēx, rēgis (m.) — king
- compēs, compedis (f.) — chain
- manica, manicae (f.) — fetter
- ferreus, ferrea, ferreum — iron
9
Ut faciant in eis judicium conscriptum: gloria hæc est omnibus sanctis ejus. Alleluia.
To carry out the judgment written: this glory is for all his faithful. Alleluia.
Word Notes
- judicium, judiciī (n.) — judgment
- conscrīptus, conscrīpta, conscrīptum — written
- glōria — glory
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES (5)
Identify tense, voice, mood, and principal parts:
- cantate
- lætetur
- psallant
- exaltabit
- alligandos
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES — KEY
cantate
- Verb: cantō, cantāre, cantāvī, cantātum
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: imperative (plural)
- Meaning: sing!
lætetur
- Verb: lætō, lētāre
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: subjunctive (jussive)
- Meaning: let … rejoice
psallant
- Verb: psallō, psallere, psallīvī
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: subjunctive (jussive)
- Meaning: let them sing
exaltabit
- Verb: exaltō, exaltāre, exaltāvī
- Tense: future
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: he will exalt
alligandos
- Verb: alligō, alligāre, alligāvī
- Form: future passive participle (gerundive)
- Meaning: to be bound
TRANSLATION EXERCISES (5)
Translate into Latin:
- Sing a new song to the Lord.
- Let Israel rejoice in its maker.
- The Lord takes pleasure in his people.
- The humble will be lifted up.
- This glory is for all his faithful.
TRANSLATION EXERCISES — KEY
- Cantate Domino canticum novum.
- Lætetur Israël in eo qui fecit eum.
- Beneplacitum est Domino in populo suo.
- Mansuetos exaltabit.
- Gloria hæc est omnibus sanctis ejus.
SUMMARY (≈120 words)
Psalm 149 is unsettling precisely because it refuses to separate worship from justice. Joy, music, and dance stand beside judgment and restraint of oppressive power. Read carefully, the psalm does not glorify violence but asserts moral accountability: praise aligns the community with a written order that limits tyranny. The “two-edged sword” belongs not to private vengeance but to the collective enactment of justice already defined. The psalm insists that dignity belongs to the faithful not because they dominate, but because they participate in God’s moral order. Praise becomes an act of allegiance — joyful, embodied, and ethically charged.
REFLECTION QUESTION
How do you hold together joy and moral seriousness — celebration and responsibility — without collapsing one into the other?