Psalms 150:5 Meaning Explained

Q: What does Psalms 150:5 mean?

The verse emphasizes two distinct kinds of cymbals, suggesting a deliberate and even varied intensity in expressing joyful praise, not just a single, generic clamor. It's a subtle nudge to consider how we can bring different expressions of our praise, perhaps both loud and clear, to God.

All verses

Psalms 150:5

Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

English Standard Version (ESV)

The verse emphasizes two distinct kinds of cymbals, suggesting a deliberate and even varied intensity in expressing joyful praise, not just a single, generic clamor. It's a subtle nudge to consider how we can bring different expressions of our praise, perhaps both loud and clear, to God.

What Psalms 150:5 means

This final psalm, a resounding call to worship, brings the entire book of Psalms to a jubilant crescendo. It moves from praising God in heavenly and earthly sanctuaries to detailing a full array of instruments, culminating in the most energetic and celebratory sounds. This climactic praise, intended for all creation, offers a fitting conclusion to the diverse human experiences and emotions found throughout the Psalter.

Cymbals: Instruments of Exuberant Joy

Why does Psalm 150 end with such a loud, clanging call to praise? It wasn't just background music; it was meant to be heard!

Psalm 150 is the grand finale of the Psalter, a powerful call for all of creation to praise God. In verse 5, the psalmist calls for the use of cymbals.

A Climax of Sound

These aren't just any instruments; cymbals were known for their loud, clear, and often clashing sounds. Think of them as the brass section of ancient worship, designed to create a joyous, even overwhelming, soundscape.

Two Kinds of Joy

The verse mentions "sounding cymbals" and "loud clashing cymbals." While the exact distinction is debated, it likely points to different sizes or tones of cymbals, all contributing to a full, celebratory noise. This isn't about quiet contemplation, but a vibrant, unrestrained expression of God's greatness and mighty deeds.

Worship Transcends the Mundane

The psalmist calls for instruments that might seem unusual or even disruptive to modern ears. What does this tell us about the nature of worship?

Psalm 150 calls for a worship that isn't limited to hushed reverence. It includes instruments like trumpets and cymbals, which create a powerful, attention-grabbing sound.

Beyond Ordinary Sound

These instruments were meant to declare God's glory in a way that ordinary conversation or quiet reflection couldn't. They symbolize a praise that is active, vocal, and meant to cut through the noise of everyday life.

A Holistic Offering

The variety of instruments mentioned suggests that all of creation, and all aspects of human expression, are invited into praising God. Whether it's the subtle harp or the loud cymbal, each has a role in declaring God's greatness. This calls us to consider how we can offer our whole selves, with all our unique expressions, to God in worship.

Understand the original words

Original language

cymbalsצֶלְצַל

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.

Historical context

Written: Likely compiled and edited around the 5th-4th century BC, with individual psalms dating much earlier.
Author: Traditionally attributed to David, though the Psalms are a collection by various authors over centuries.
Location: Jerusalem, during the time of the Temple's prominence.
Genre: Poetry (Praise Psalm); uses vivid imagery and repetition for emphasis.

Historical background

Psalms 150 is a call to universal praise using every instrument imaginable, emerging from a history where musical worship was central, disrupted by exile, and passionately restored. The mention of cymbals, especially, evokes the intense joy and triumphant sounds associated with major rededications and celebrations after periods of oppression.

c. 1000 BC
Davidic Worship Reforms
King David established a more elaborate system of worship in Jerusalem, including the organization of Levites as musicians and singers. This period likely saw the increased use and integration of various musical instruments in temple services.
c. 950 BC
Solomon's Temple Inauguration
The dedication of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem was a grand event marked by immense praise, likely involving a wide array of instruments including cymbals, as described in historical accounts.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians, leading to the exile of its people and a disruption of worship practices for many Israelites. This event intensified the importance of the Jerusalem Temple for those remaining.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonian conquest led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple, ending the Levitical musical services as they were previously known. This loss profoundly impacted Israelite identity and worship.

Key themes

01Joyful, loud worship
02Instrumental praise climax
03Universality of praise

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 13:1

This passage uses the imagery of 'clanging cymbals' to describe a love that is absent of true meaning, highlighting how even loud sounds lose their value without the right context, much like how these cymbals are meant to amplify praise.

2 Samuel 6:5

This passage describes David and all Israel bringing the Ark of the Covenant with 'all kinds of musical instruments of wood, with harps, lyres, tambourines, rattles and cymbals,' showing the ancient and joyful use of cymbals in worship and celebration.

Nehemiah 12:27

Here, cymbals are specifically mentioned as part of the dedication of Jerusalem's wall, showing their role in celebratory worship and the public expression of thanksgiving to God.

Exodus 35:19

This verse mentions 'cymbals of bronze' among the materials brought for the tabernacle, indicating their sacred use in worship even before the Temple was built, underscoring their long-standing significance in Israel's devotion.

Scholarly commentary

Psalms 150:5: "Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals."

Verse 5. - Praise him upon the loud cymbals; praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals. "We can hardly," says Professor Cheyne, "venture to distinguish two kinds of cymbals on the ground of these two epithet" The mention of "cymbals" is reserved to the last, as being the instrument of music most expressive of joy and jubilation. It completes the musical climax, as ver. 6 completes the ideal one.
pulpit

Psalms 150:5: "Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals."

(5) Cymbals. —Heb., tseltselîm ( 2Samuel 6:5 ), a word evidently formed to express the sound of the instrument. Two kinds are evidently indicated in this verse, the “loud” cymbals (literally, cymbals of hearing ) , and “high-sounding” (literally, of tumult ) . As the Arabs use at present a larger and smaller instrument (see Bible Educator, 2, 211, 311), it is possible that the same distinction is made h…
ellicott

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What Psalms 150:5 means

Historical context

Written: Likely compiled and edited around the 5th-4th century BC, with individual psalms dating much earlier.
Author: Traditionally attributed to David, though the Psalms are a collection by various authors over centuries.
Location: Jerusalem, during the time of the Temple's prominence.
Genre: Poetry (Praise Psalm); uses vivid imagery and repetition for emphasis.

Historical background

c. 1000 BC

Davidic Worship Reforms

King David established a more elaborate system of worship in Jerusalem, including the organization of Levites as musicians and singers. This period likely saw the increased use and integration of various musical instruments in temple services.

c. 950 BC

Solomon's Temple Inauguration

The dedication of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem was a grand event marked by immense praise, likely involving a wide array of instruments including cymbals, as described in historical accounts.

c. 722 BC

Fall of Samaria

The northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians, leading to the exile of its people and a disruption of worship practices for many Israelites. This event intensified the importance of the Jerusalem Temple for those remaining.

586 BC

Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple

The Babylonian conquest led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple, ending the Levitical musical services as they were previously known. This loss profoundly impacted Israelite identity and worship.