What does Psalm 150:4 mean?
ESV: Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!
NIV: praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe,
NASB: Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flute.
CSB: Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and flute.
NLT: Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes!
KJV: Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
NKJV: Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Verse Commentary:
Here, the psalmist continues to list instruments which can be applied to worship of God. These are not the only instruments which can be used; the point of this passage is that every possible means of honor and praise should be used—including our own voices (Psalm 150:6). This verse advances a pattern of including all possible forms of musical sound: inanimate objects, human-powered devices, breath-powered ones, and even breath itself.
A "tambourine" (Psalm 81:2) usually means a small, hand-held drum with miniature cymbals or bells attached. This may also be called a "timbrel." The Hebrew words tōp' and taphaph refer to the instrument and its use, respectively.
In Scripture, the word for "strings" or "stringed instruments" is uncommon (Psalms 45:8). Various sizes and shapes of wood frames were made to hold strings of dried animal gut. Instruments of that era were almost always plucked, with musical bows developing later. Example words seen in English translations are harp, lute, lyre, and psaltery.
A "pipe" is a musical instrument made of a hollow tube, with a series of holes down the length, played by blowing air through the tube (Genesis 4:21). Like stringed instruments, these could vary in size, shape, and sound.
Few biblical references to dancing suggest the entertainment-based version used in the modern world (Matthew 14:6), though some mention it as an expression of happiness (Psalm 30:11; Luke 15:25). Most references tie dancing to a spiritual purpose (Exodus 15:20; 1 Chronicles 15:29; Psalm 149:3).
Verse Context:
Psalm 150:3–6 lists many of the ways in which God's people can praise Him. This includes all manner of in-struments as well as one's own voice. The psalmist calls on everything alive (Genesis 1:30; Isaiah 42:5) to join in this unified worship of the Lord God. This supports the idea that Scripture calls on mankind to use instruments and music "in general," and does not prohibit instruments not explicitly named in the Bible.
Chapter Summary:
This song uses a poetic form of repetition, calling for worship of the Lord. God should be praised for His attributes and mira-cles. All forms of instruments and singing should be included in this celebration. This psalm begins and ends with the He-brew phrase often translated into English as "hallelujah!"
Chapter Context:
This song completes the biblical collection of psalms, which traditionally has five divisions. These are Psalm 1—41, 42—72, 73—89, 90—106, and 107—150. Each "book" division ends with an exclama-tion of praise (41:13; 72:18–19; 89:52; 106:48). The last five songs of this "book" each begin and end with the term halelu-yāh, literally meaning "praise the Lord!" The text broadly describes all manner of instruments, indicating that worshipful praise can take many forms and styles.
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
Accessed 4/2/2025 11:27:32 PM
© Copyright 2002-2025 Got Questions Ministries. All rights reserved.
Text from ESV, NIV, NASB, CSB, NLT, KJV, NKJV © Copyright respective owners, used by permission.
