Psalms 150:3-5
Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This isn't just a list of instruments; it's a call to use every sound and ability we have for God's praise. The variety of instruments, even those we can't precisely identify today, signifies that all the richness and skill of music, from the powerful trumpet to the delicate harp, belongs to Him.
This psalm is the grand finale of the entire Psalter, an ecstatic call to worship God with everything imaginable. It builds on the previous verses that urged praise from the heavens and God's mighty acts, now directing that praise to be expressed with a whole symphony of sounds and instruments. The psalm culminates by declaring that all creation, everything that breathes, should join in this ultimate act of adoring God.
Have you ever thought about how we should praise God? This psalm calls for a whole orchestra!
Psalm 150 is like a grand finale, calling all creation to worship. In verse 3, it specifically names instruments – the trumpet, lute, and harp.
A Royal Command
Think of it: the trumpet, a powerful, commanding sound, often used to announce something important or gather people. Then the lute and harp, associated with melody, harmony, and expressing deep emotion.
This isn't just a suggestion; it's a command from the Psalmist: 'Praise him with...' This implies that all kinds of music, from the most majestic to the most tender, are fitting for God's praise.
Beyond the Legal Era
While these instruments were used in ancient Israel's temple worship, the principle extends beyond that specific time and place. If these instruments were used to express joy, awe, and devotion then, why wouldn't God's people use music today to do the same? The goal is to lift our hearts and minds to Him.
What good is a beautiful song if the singer's heart isn't in it?
While Psalm 150 lists instruments, the commentators remind us that the quality of the praise matters most. The music itself is a tool, but the real worship comes from within.
More Than Just Sound
True praise isn't just about loud trumpets or skilled harpists. It's about a heart filled with 'strong faith,' 'holy love and delight,' and 'entire confidence in Christ.' The external actions of worship are meant to flow from an internal reality.
A Full-Hearted Offering
This means our praise should involve our whole being – our minds contemplating God's greatness, our wills submitting to His commands, and our emotions rejoicing in His goodness. The 'most perfect harmony and melody of musical sounds... is as insignificant before God' without these devout affections.
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.
tōp̄ · Hebrew Noun
A frame drum or hand-held percussion instrument commonly played during times of religious festivities and expressions of corporate joy.
Psalm 150 isn't just a list of instruments; it's a crescendo of praise, calling for the loudest, most joyful, and diverse sounds imaginable to honor God for His mighty deeds, a tradition built over centuries of Israel's worship.
~1000 BC
David Organizes Temple Musicians
King David, after establishing Jerusalem as his capital, organized the Levites to serve as musicians in worship, including those who played stringed instruments like the harp and psaltery.
c. 960 BC
Solomon's Temple Inauguration
During the dedication of Solomon's Temple, a massive choir accompanied by numerous trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, led by the Levites, offered praise to God.
c. 715 BC
Hezekiah's Religious Reforms
King Hezekiah reinstated proper temple worship, including the use of musical instruments, re-establishing the Levitical choirs and trumpet fanfares.
c. 515 BC
Second Temple Rebuilt and Dedicated
After the return from Babylonian exile, the Second Temple was dedicated with praise and sacrifices, likely continuing the musical traditions of the first Temple.
Paul uses musical analogies to explain the importance of clear communication in worship, echoing the idea that instruments should produce a discernable sound for God's praise.
Revelation 5:8This passage describes heavenly worship where the elders hold harps and golden bowls of incense, showing that instrumental music is a fitting expression of praise even in God's presence.
2 Samuel 6:15This account highlights David and all Israel bringing the Ark of the Covenant with great rejoicing, accompanied by music from lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals, demonstrating joyful worship with instruments.
Exodus 15:20Miriam and the women use tambourines and dance to praise God after the Red Sea deliverance, showing that celebratory expressions, including music, are a long-standing tradition in Israel's worship.
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, linking heartfelt praise with musical expression.
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…
This isn't just a list of instruments; it's a call to use every sound and ability we have for God's praise. The variety of instruments, even those we can't precisely identify today, signifies that all the richness and skill of music, from the powerful trumpet to the delicate harp, belongs to Him.
This psalm is the grand finale of the entire Psalter, an ecstatic call to worship God with everything imaginable. It builds on the previous verses that urged praise from the heavens and God's mighty acts, now directing that praise to be expressed with a whole symphony of sounds and instruments. The psalm culminates by declaring that all creation, everything that breathes, should join in this ultimate act of adoring God.
This psalm is the grand finale of the entire Psalter, an ecstatic call to worship God with everything imaginable. It builds on the previous verses that urged praise from the heavens and God's mighty acts, now directing that praise to be expressed with a whole symphony of sounds and instruments. The psalm culminates by declaring that all creation, everything that breathes, should join in this ultimate act of adoring God.
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māḥôl · Hebrew Noun
A rhythmic physical response to joy and worship, used historically in Israel to express profound gratitude and victory before God.
ʿūḡāḇ · Hebrew Noun
A term for wind instruments, often associated with piping or fluting, contributing to the melodic diversity of communal worship.
ṣelṣal · Hebrew Noun
Percussion instruments consisting of brass plates, used in the temple liturgy to create loud, ringing, or clashing sounds to mark moments of great celebration.
c. 444 BC
Nehemiah's Dedication Ceremony
During the dedication of Jerusalem's wall under Nehemiah, great joy was expressed with music, including large choirs and trumpeters, a powerful demonstration of communal worship.
Unknown (Likely Post-Exilic)
Psalms of Ascent Sung
Psalms 120-134, known as the 'Psalms of Ascent,' were likely sung by pilgrims as they journeyed to Jerusalem for festivals, reflecting communal worship and anticipation of God's presence.
Unknown (Likely Post-Exilic)— this verse
Psalm 150 Composed
This final psalm, Psalm 150, is a grand call to worship, encompassing all creation and all instruments to praise God in His sanctuary and His mighty acts. It's a comprehensive exhortation to use every means possible to offer God the highest praise.
"Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!" — This isn't just a list of instruments; it's a call to use every sound and ability we have for God's praise. The variety of instruments, even those we can't precisely identify today, signifies that…
