Psalm 150:4 kjv
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Psalm 150:4 nkjv
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Psalm 150:4 niv
praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe,
Psalm 150:4 esv
Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!
Psalm 150:4 nlt
Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
praise him with strings and flutes!
Psalm 150 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 15:20 | Then Miriam the prophetess… took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women… with tambourines and dancing. | Tambourines and dancing in celebratory worship. |
| Judg 11:34 | ...his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and dancing. | Tambourines and dancing as welcome and celebration. |
| 1 Sam 18:6 | ...the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines... | Tambourines and dancing for triumphant celebration. |
| 2 Sam 6:14 | And David danced before the Lord with all his might. | Dance as intense, joyful worship before the Lord. |
| Ps 30:11 | You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;... | Dancing as an expression of joy and divine reversal. |
| Ps 149:3 | Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! | Dancing, tambourine, and lyre together in praise. |
| Jer 31:4 | Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! You shall again adorn yourself with tambourines... | Restoration and joyful celebration with tambourines. |
| Jer 31:13 | Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance... | Rejoicing in dance as part of divine restoration. |
| Gen 4:21 | His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. | Early mention of musical instruments, lyre and pipe. |
| Job 21:12 | They sing to the tambourine and the lyre and rejoice to the sound of the pipe. | Tambourine, lyre, and pipe used in general rejoicing. |
| Job 30:31 | My lyre is turned to mourning, and my pipe to the voice of those who weep. | Lyre and pipe symbolizing contrasting emotions. |
| Ps 33:2 | Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! | Praise with stringed instruments. |
| Ps 98:5 | Make melody to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody. | Calls to musical praise with stringed instruments. |
| Ps 150:3 | Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! | Prior verse enumerating more instruments. |
| Ps 150:5 | Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! | Next verse enumerating more instruments. |
| Ps 150:6 | Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! | Universal call to praise concluding Psalm 150. |
| Ps 148:1-14 | Praise the Lord from the heavens… Praise the Lord from the earth… | Calls for universal creation to praise God. |
| Eph 5:19 | ...addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. | Heartfelt worship includes singing and melody. |
| Col 3:16 | Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns... | Word-filled worship includes various forms of song. |
| 1 Chr 15:16 | David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments… | Organized instrumental music for temple worship. |
| Rev 5:9 | And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you... | Heavenly worship involves new songs. |
| Rev 14:2 | And the sound that I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. | Harps featured in heavenly praise. |
| Rev 19:6 | Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying, “Hallelujah!” | Loud, uninhibited praise in heaven. |
Psalm 150 verses
Psalm 150 4 Meaning
Psalm 150:4 calls for the praise of God with a combination of rhythmic, physical, and melodic expressions: the tambourine and dance, along with stringed instruments and the pipe. This verse emphasizes the vibrant, enthusiastic, and holistic nature of worship, encompassing both percussive rhythms and graceful movement, alongside harmonic strings and the clear sounds of wind instruments. It represents a full-bodied, unreserved outpouring of adoration towards the Creator.
Psalm 150 4 Context
Psalm 150 is the triumphant conclusion to the entire Book of Psalms, acting as the ultimate doxology. Each of the preceding four books of Psalms ends with a doxology, but Psalm 150 serves as the culminating doxology for all five books. It is a resounding call for every living being and every available means to praise the Lord. The specific verse (Psalm 150:4) contributes to this comprehensive inventory of praise methods, demonstrating that worship is not limited to voice or traditional forms but embraces the full spectrum of cultural and expressive avenues, including dance and diverse musical instruments. Historically, these instruments and practices were common in ancient Near Eastern celebrations and worship, both within Israel and among surrounding cultures, emphasizing God's worthiness of every form of devotion.
Psalm 150 4 Word analysis
- Praise Him: (הַלְל֥וּהוּ - Hallelu-hu) The imperative form of "Hallel," meaning to laud, glorify, boast, celebrate. The "hu" suffix means "Him." This is a foundational command, repeated throughout the Psalm, highlighting active and intentional adoration.
- with tambourine: (בְתֹף - bəthōph)
- תֹף (tōph): A hand drum, or timbrel. Often used by women (e.g., Ex 15:20, Judg 11:34) and associated with festive occasions, processions, and triumphant celebrations. It provides rhythm and is easily portable for active worship.
- and dance: (וּמָחֹ֑ול - uumāḥōl)
- מָחֹול (māḥōl): Refers to a round dance, or simply "dancing." It denotes vigorous, uninhibited, communal, and often joyful bodily expression in worship (e.g., 2 Sam 6:14, Ps 30:11). It signifies an unrestrained, holistic response to God.
- praise Him with stringed instruments: (בְמִנִּ֥ים - bəminnīm)
- מִנִּים (minnīm): Plural of "min" (מִן), literally "strings." It refers to various stringed instruments. While precise identification can be debated, it encompasses instruments like lyres (kinnor) and harps (nevel) that produce melodic tones, signifying beauty and harmony in praise. This covers a broad category of plucked or bowed instruments.
- and pipe! (וְעוּגָֽב - wə‘ûgāḇ)
- עֻגָב (‘ūgāḇ): Often translated as "pipe" or "flute." In some interpretations, it might refer to an early form of organ or panpipes. It is one of the oldest instruments mentioned in Scripture (Gen 4:21), demonstrating that even ancient forms of musical expression are suitable for praising God. It provides a distinct, breath-generated melody.
Words-group analysis:
- "Praise Him with tambourine and dance": This phrase unites percussive rhythm with physical, bodily movement. It signifies uninhibited, joyful, and often communal celebration, suggesting that worship is not merely intellectual or vocal, but engages the entire body and emotional being in expressive freedom. This contrasts with reserved, ritualistic, or passive forms of worship, emphasizing active participation. It could also indirectly polemicize against disembodied spiritualities by showing physical expression as divinely sanctioned praise.
- "praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe!": This grouping covers melodic and harmonic aspects of praise. "Stringed instruments" (minnim) encompass instruments capable of rich harmony and varied melodies, while "pipe" (ugab) offers wind-generated, often clear and penetrating, sounds. Together, these terms complete a broad representation of instrumental music, indicating that God is worthy of the most sophisticated and varied musical artistry in adoration, providing the beauty and structure to accompany the joy and spontaneity of the dance. The combination points to the fullness of expression God desires from His worshipers.
Psalm 150 4 Bonus section
Psalm 150:4, when viewed alongside the preceding verses and the rest of the Psalm, contributes to the idea of "all-inclusive" praise. It demonstrates a progressive broadening of the means of praise, moving from mighty instruments (trumpet, lute, harp in Ps 150:3) to more communal and expressive forms like tambourine and dance, culminating in percussion (cymbals in Ps 150:5), and finally encompassing "everything that has breath" (Ps 150:6). This progression indicates that worship is not prescriptive to a limited set of forms or instruments but is fundamentally about the heart's outpouring using any available means. The repeated command "Praise Him" underscores the primary focus on the object of praise—YHWH—rather than the specific mechanics, making the choice of instruments a vehicle for expressing that glory rather than an end in itself. The ancient instruments mentioned were deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of Israel, reinforcing that worship embraces everyday life and common elements to declare God's worthiness.
Psalm 150 4 Commentary
Psalm 150:4 is a vibrant call to utilize the fullness of human expression—physicality, rhythm, melody, and harmony—in the worship of God. The inclusion of the tambourine and dance signifies uninhibited, joyful bodily response, moving beyond mere intellectual assent to a deep, visceral celebration of God's character and works. It suggests that worship should be dynamic and liberating, embracing even cultural forms of celebratory expression, rather than being confined to solemn or rigid traditions. Simultaneously, "stringed instruments and pipe" highlight the importance of planned musicality and varied sonic texture in praise, ranging from intricate harmonies to sustained melodic lines. This verse teaches that our praise to God should be comprehensive, engaging every part of our being and utilizing all our creative talents. It removes artificial divisions between the "sacred" and "secular" insofar as instruments or bodily expressions themselves are concerned, inviting every legitimate form of expression to be sanctified and offered back to the Creator. It’s an invitation to bring our whole selves, our whole culture, and all our diverse gifts into joyful, unreserved praise of the King of Glory. For example, worship in various cultures today embraces diverse instruments and dance forms, showing this principle in practice.