Psalm 33:2
New International Version
Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

New Living Translation
Praise the LORD with melodies on the lyre; make music for him on the ten-stringed harp.

English Standard Version
Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!

Berean Standard Bible
Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to Him with ten strings.

King James Bible
Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

New King James Version
Praise the LORD with the harp; Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.

New American Standard Bible
Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.

NASB 1995
Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.

NASB 1977
Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.

Legacy Standard Bible
Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.

Amplified Bible
Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with the harp of ten strings.

Christian Standard Bible
Praise the LORD with the lyre; make music to him with a ten-stringed harp.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Praise the LORD with the lyre; make music to Him with a ten-stringed harp.

American Standard Version
Give thanks unto Jehovah with the harp: Sing praises unto him with the psaltery of ten strings.

Contemporary English Version
Praise the LORD with harps! Use harps with ten strings to make music for him.

English Revised Version
Give thanks unto the LORD with harp: sing praises unto him with the psaltery of ten strings.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Give thanks with a lyre to the LORD. Make music for him on a ten-stringed harp.

Good News Translation
Give thanks to the LORD with harps, sing to him with stringed instruments.

International Standard Version
With the lyre, give thanks to the LORD; with the ten stringed harp, play music to him;

Majority Standard Bible
Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to Him with ten strings.

NET Bible
Give thanks to the LORD with the harp! Sing to him to the accompaniment of a ten-stringed instrument!

New Heart English Bible
Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre. Sing praises to him with the harp of ten strings.

Webster's Bible Translation
Praise the LORD with harp: sing to him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

World English Bible
Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre. Sing praises to him with the harp of ten strings.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Give thanks to YHWH with a harp, "" With stringed instrument of ten strings sing praise to Him,

Young's Literal Translation
Give ye thanks to Jehovah with a harp, With psaltery of ten strings sing praise to Him,

Smith's Literal Translation
Confess to Jehovah upon the harp: upon an instrument of ten strings play ye to him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Give praise to the Lord on the harp; sing to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Confess to the Lord with stringed instruments; sing psalms to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings.

New American Bible
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; on the ten-stringed lyre offer praise.

New Revised Standard Version
Praise the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Praise the LORD with harp and guitar; sing praises to him with a harp of ten strings.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Give thanks to him with the harp, and on a guitar of ten strings, sing unto him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Give thanks unto the LORD with harp, Sing praises unto Him with the psaltery of ten strings.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Praise the Lord on the harp; platy to him on a psaltery of ten strings.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Praise to the Creator
1Rejoice in the LORD, O righteous ones; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. 2Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to Him with ten strings. 3Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy.…

Cross References
Psalm 92:1-3
A Psalm. A song for the Sabbath day. It is good to praise the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High, / to proclaim Your loving devotion in the morning and Your faithfulness at night / with the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre.

Psalm 144:9
I will sing to You a new song, O God; on a harp of ten strings I will make music to You—

Psalm 147:7
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music on the harp to our God,

Psalm 150:3-5
Praise Him with the sound of the horn; praise Him with the harp and lyre. / Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; praise Him with strings and flute. / Praise Him with clashing cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals.

1 Chronicles 16:9
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders.

1 Chronicles 16:23
Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Proclaim His salvation day after day.

1 Chronicles 25:1-3
Additionally, David and the commanders of the army set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy with the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals. The following is the list of the men who performed this service: / From the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. These sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king. / From the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah—six in all—under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the harp, giving thanks and praise to the LORD.

2 Chronicles 5:13
The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the LORD with one voice. They lifted up their voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments, in praise to the LORD: “For He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.” And the temple, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud

2 Chronicles 29:25-30
Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet. For the command had come from the LORD through His prophets. / The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. / And Hezekiah ordered that the burnt offering be sacrificed on the altar. When the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD and the trumpets began as well, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. ...

Isaiah 38:20
The LORD will save me; we will play songs on stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the house of the LORD.

Isaiah 42:10
Sing to the LORD a new song—His praise from the ends of the earth—you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who dwell in them.

Ephesians 5:19
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord,

Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Hebrews 13:15
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.

Revelation 5:8-9
When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. / And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.


Treasury of Scripture

Praise the LORD with harp: sing to him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

Praise

Psalm 81:2,3
Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery…

Psalm 92:3
Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.

Psalm 98:4,5
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise…

with the psaltery.

1 Chronicles 13:8
And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

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Corded Harp Instrument Instruments Lyre Melody Music Praise Praises Psalms Psaltery Sing Strings Ten Ten-Stringed Thanks
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Corded Harp Instrument Instruments Lyre Melody Music Praise Praises Psalms Psaltery Sing Strings Ten Ten-Stringed Thanks
Psalm 33
1. God is to be praised for his goodness
6. for his power
12. and for his providence
20. Confidence is to be placed in God














Praise the LORD
The Hebrew word for "praise" is "הַלֵּל" (halal), which means to boast or to glorify. This word is often used in the context of worship and adoration, emphasizing the act of giving glory to God. The phrase "the LORD" refers to "Yahweh," the covenant name of God, highlighting His eternal and unchanging nature. In the context of ancient Israel, praising the LORD was not just a personal act but a communal one, reflecting the collective acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and goodness.

with the harp
The harp, or "כִּנּוֹר" (kinnor) in Hebrew, was a stringed instrument commonly used in ancient Israelite worship. It is one of the oldest known musical instruments, often associated with joy and celebration. The use of the harp in worship signifies the beauty and harmony that music brings to the act of praising God. Historically, the harp was used by King David, a skilled musician, to soothe King Saul, illustrating its power to bring peace and divine presence.

make music to Him
The phrase "make music" comes from the Hebrew "זָמַר" (zamar), which means to sing, play an instrument, or make melody. This verb conveys the idea of creating a joyful sound, an expression of worship that engages both the heart and the mind. In the biblical context, making music to God is an act of devotion, a way to express love, gratitude, and reverence for the Creator.

with ten strings
The mention of "ten strings" refers to a specific type of harp or lyre used in ancient times. The number ten may symbolize completeness or perfection in biblical numerology, suggesting that the music offered to God should be whole and wholehearted. The use of a ten-stringed instrument underscores the richness and fullness of worship, inviting believers to use all available resources to honor God. Historically, the craftsmanship of such instruments reflects the care and dedication given to worship practices in ancient Israel.

(2) Harp.--Heb., khinnor (LXX. and Vulg., "cithara"), most probably a trigon or three-cornered harp, such as may be seen sculptured in Egyptian bas-reliefs. The number of strings probably varied, as different accounts are given. (See Bible Educator, 1:19.)

With the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.--Properly, as LXX. and Vulg., "with the ten-stringed psaltery." (See 1Samuel 10:5.) Evidently a more elaborate instrument than the khinnor, and with greater capacities. (See Bible Educator, 1:70, and art. "Psaltery" in Smith's Biblical Dictionary.) From the Greek psalterion comes the title "psalter" for the Book of Psalms. By its derivation it meant an instrument played with the fingers. The word was in use in old English:

"And before hem went minstrels many one,

As harpes, pipes, lutes, and sautry."

CHAUCER: The Flower and the Leaf, 237.

Verse 2. - Praise the Lord with harp. The harp obtains mention here for the first time in the Psalms. Reference, however, had been made to it previously in Genesis, Job, and the First Book of Samuel. There is reason to believe that the instrument, as known to the Hebrews, was a simple one, consisting of a nearly triangular framework of wood, crossed by seven strings. The Egyptians were acquainted from early times with a very much more elaborate instrument - harps which stood six feet high upon a broad base of their own, and had as many as twenty-two strings (Rawlinson, 'History of Ancient Egypt,' vol. 1. p. 521). The harp was regarded by the Hebrews as peculiarly fitted for sacred music (see 1 Samuel 10:5; 2 Samuel 6:5; 1 Chronicles 15:16; 1 Chronicles 25:1, 3, 6; 2 Chronicles 5:12; 2 Chronicles 29:25; Nehemiah 12:27, etc.). Sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings; rather, sing unto him with the lute of ten strings. One instrument only is here mentioned - a lute or psaltery (nebel), having ten strings (comp. Psalm 92:3; Psalm 144:9). The nebel was an instrument differing from the harp chiefly in the arrangement of the strings. It was used in the temple service, as appears from 1 Chronicles 15:6, 28; 1 Chronicles 25:1, 6; 2 Chronicles 5:12; 2 Chronicles 29:25, etc.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Praise
הוֹד֣וּ (hō·w·ḏū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 3034: To throw, at, away, to revere, worship, to bemoan

the LORD
לַיהוָ֣ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

with the harp;
בְּכִנּ֑וֹר (bə·ḵin·nō·wr)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3658: A harp

make music
זַמְּרוּ־ (zam·mə·rū-)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 2167: Play, to make music, celebrate in song and music

to Him
לֽוֹ׃ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

with ten strings.
עָ֝שׂ֗וֹר (‘ā·śō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6218: Ten, by abbreviated form ten strings, a decachord


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OT Poetry: Psalm 33:2 Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre (Psalm Ps Psa.)
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