Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just list instruments; it calls for the most powerful, celebratory sounds—trumpets, lutes, and harps—to be brought into worship. This isn't about casual humming, but a full-throated, no-holds-barred offering, suggesting that the intensity and variety of our praise should match the immensity of God's greatness.
Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This is the grand finale of the Psalms, a powerful, all-encompassing call to worship God with every fiber of our being. Following a series of psalms that reflect on God's actions and His people's experiences, this final psalm declares that all creation, and especially humanity, should praise the Lord with every possible expression of joy and awe, using every instrument available.
Why does Psalm 150 list so many instruments? It’s not just about having a nice sound, but about offering God our very best.
Psalm 150 calls for a full, vibrant expression of praise, using a variety of instruments.
A Symphony of Worship
The psalm mentions trumpets, lutes, and harps. While we may not know the exact sound of every ancient instrument, the intention is clear: use a diverse range of sounds to magnify God.
Beyond the Music
Commentators note that the true music God desires is not just the sound, but the offering of our hearts. This includes faith, love, obedience, and hope. The instruments are a means to express these inner praises.
A Unified Call
From priests with trumpets to Levites with strings, and even women with timbrels, all were called to participate. This shows that worship is for everyone, using every gift, to bring glory to God.
The ancient trumpets and harps weren't just for temple services; they pointed to something even greater.
The instruments mentioned in Psalm 150 have deeper spiritual significance, especially when viewed through the lens of the New Testament.
A Certain Sound
The trumpet's sound, often used to call assemblies or announce significant events, is seen as a type of the Gospel. The Gospel call is clear, joyful, and summons us to God's presence and praise.
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Heartfelt Melody
Instruments like the lute and harp, used for singing psalms, symbolize the spiritual melody within believers' hearts. As Ephesians 5:19 mentions singing and making melody in the heart to the Lord, these instruments represent that inner, vibrant worship.
Echoes of Heaven
When John saw heavenly worship in Revelation, he heard harpers playing. This connects earthly worship, with its instruments, to the eternal praise happening in God's presence.
Understand the original words
šōp̄ār · Hebrew Noun
A wind instrument (shofar) typically made from a ram's horn, used in Israel for signaling, warfare, and significant religious celebrations.
nēḇel · Hebrew Noun
A stringed instrument (nebel) often used in temple worship and prophetic contexts to provide musical accompaniment for praise.
kinnōr · Hebrew Noun
A stringed instrument (kinnor) associated with joy, celebration, and the soothing power of music in the presence of the Lord.
This psalm calls for a full spectrum of praise, using instruments common in ancient Israelite worship—trumpets for solemn calls, and stringed instruments like lyres and harps for joyous expression—even as its placement in the canon reflects the re-establishment of worship after exile.
c. 1000 BC
David Establishes Temple Music
King David organizes Levites as musicians to lead worship with instruments in Jerusalem, setting a precedent for the use of music in the sanctuary.
c. 950 BC
Solomon's Temple Inaugurated
The dedication of the First Temple involves a massive musical offering, with hundreds of Levitical musicians and priests using trumpets, harps, and other instruments to praise God.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel leads to the displacement and scattering of many Israelites, impacting religious practice and worship traditions.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
The Babylonian conquest results in the destruction of the First Temple and the exile of many Judeans, silencing the traditional instrumental worship.
c. 539 BC
Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great allows the Judeans to return to Jerusalem, beginning the rebuilding of the Temple and the restoration of worship, though with less splendor than before.
c. 450 BC
Post-Exilic Temple Worship
Under Ezra and Nehemiah, worship in the Second Temple is re-established, with the gradual reintroduction of musical instruments, though the full Davidic orchestra is not restored.
c. 400 BC— this verse
Compilation of Psalms
The collection of psalms, including Psalm 150, is finalized, serving as the hymnal for the Second Temple and future generations, calling for comprehensive praise with all available means.
This passage details David's arrangement for the ark's transport, specifically mentioning Levites appointed to sing and play musical instruments, mirroring the directive in Psalms 150 to use instruments in worship.
2 Chronicles 5:12-13This describes the dedication of Solomon's Temple where the musicians, including trumpeters, praised God with instruments, echoing the enthusiastic instrumental praise commanded in Psalms 150.
Revelation 14:2This verse describes heavenly worship with a sound like harpers playing their harps, showing that instrumental music is not just an earthly practice but part of worship in God's very presence.
Ephesians 5:19Paul encourages believers to speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in their hearts to the Lord, connecting the inner disposition with outward expression of praise, whether vocal or instrumental.
bensonPsalms 150:3: "Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp."
Psalm 150:3-5 . Praise him with the sound of the trumpet, &c. — “It is impossible for us to distinguish,” says Dr. Horne, “and describe the several sorts of musical instruments here mentioned, as the Hebrews themselves acknowledge their ignorance in this particular. Thus much is clear, that the people of God were enjoined to use all the various kinds of them in the performance of their divine servic…
pulpitPsalms 150:3: "Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp."
Verse 3. - Praise him with the sound of the trumpet, (On the use of the trumpet in Divine service, see Leviticus 23:24; Leviticus 25:9; Numbers 10:10; 2 Samuel 6:15; 1 Chronicles 13:8; 1 Chronicles 15:24; 1 Chronicles 16:6; 2 Chronicles 5:12, 13; 2 Chronicles 7:6; 2 Chronicles 29:27; Psalm 81:3; Psalm 98:6.) Praise him with the psaltery and harp (comp. Psalm 57:8; Psalm 81:2; Psalm 108:2; 1 Chronicl…
The verse doesn't just list instruments; it calls for the most powerful, celebratory sounds—trumpets, lutes, and harps—to be brought into worship. This isn't about casual humming, but a full-throated, no-holds-barred offering, suggesting that the intensity and variety of our praise should match the immensity of God's greatness.
This is the grand finale of the Psalms, a powerful, all-encompassing call to worship God with every fiber of our being. Following a series of psalms that reflect on God's actions and His people's experiences, this final psalm declares that all creation, and especially humanity, should praise the Lord with every possible expression of joy and awe, using every instrument available.
This is the grand finale of the Psalms, a powerful, all-encompassing call to worship God with every fiber of our being. Following a series of psalms that reflect on God's actions and His people's experiences, this final psalm declares that all creation, and especially humanity, should praise the Lord with every possible expression of joy and awe, using every instrument available.
"Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!" — The verse doesn't just list instruments; it calls for the most powerful, celebratory sounds—trumpets, lutes, and harps—to be brought into worship. This isn't about casual humming, but a full-throated…
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Last reviewed October 2026