Psalm 149:4 asserts:
- the LORD is pleased with his People (ie: the Jews)
- the LORD makes his People an object of admiration by rescuing them
International Standard Version Psalm 149:4 For the LORD is pleased with his people; he beautifies the afflicted with salvation.
However in the scriptural history of the Jews the LORD is constantly expressing his displeasure with his People and is sending them into slavery, captivity, misery, punishment and expresses his dissatisfaction with them in ways that could largely be described as hatred, frustration and a desire to kill them all off.
So is this referring to a particular time?
- in the past? Perhaps at some ideal time early on?
- the present (from the point of view of the Psalmist) IE: the time of the David's or Solomon's reign?
- the future, during the Messianic, millennial or eschatalogical fulfillment?
- or "gnomic", referring to God's delight whenever they gather and praise him?