Psaltery

How Nave’s arranged it

• (A harp)
• Used in religious services2 Samuel 6:51 Chronicles 13:81 Chronicles 16:51 Chronicles 25:11 Chronicles 25:51 Chronicles 25:62 Chronicles 29:25Psalms 33:2Psalms 57:8Psalms 71:22Psalms 81:2Psalms 92:3Psalms 108:2Psalms 144:9Psalms 150:3Revelation 5:8
• At the dedication of the new wall when the captivity returnedNehemiah 12:27
• Used in idolatrous worshipDaniel 3:5Daniel 3:7Daniel 3:10Daniel 3:15
• See Music, Instruments of

The passages, in Bible order (21)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. 2 Samuel 6:5

   David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of wood instruments, harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 6:52 voices

   “And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord,....

   "Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them." Strictly speaking, the word symphony is used by musicians for the voices of harmony. For among musical tones, some harmonize with each other and others do not. But the Gospel is also familiar with this term as applied to music where it says, "He heard music [symphōnias] and dancing."

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 6:5→

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2. 1 Chronicles 13:8

   David and all the Israelites were celebrating before God with all their might, with songs and on harps and lyres, with tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

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3. 1 Chronicles 16:5

   Asaph was the chief, Zechariah was second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel. They were to play the harps and lyres, while Asaph sounded the cymbals

   ›Commentary on 1 Chronicles 16:51 voice

   “Asaph the chief,.... Of those that were now appointed: otherwise, of the three principal singers, Heman was the chief, and Asaph next, 1Ch 6:33. and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, with psalteries, and with harps; to play upon them before the ark at the same time the psalms and songs were vocally sung; the above persons are such as are named before, 1Ch 15:18, but Asaph made a sound with cymbals; he struck and played upon them, see 1Ch 15:19.

   Everything gathered on 1 Chronicles 16:5→

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4. 1 Chronicles 25:1

   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:

   ›Commentary on 1 Chronicles 25:12 voices

   “We read in the first book of Paralipomena that when the prophet David grew old in years devoted to the Lord, he chose four thousand young men from the people of Israel to render the psalms, which he had composed through the Lord's inspiration, so …

   “Moreover, David and the captains of the host separated to the service,....

   Everything gathered on 1 Chronicles 25:1→

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5. 1 Chronicles 25:5

   All these sons of Heman the king’s seer were given him through the promises of God to exalt him, for God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

   ›Commentary on 1 Chronicles 25:52 voices

   “All these were the sons of Heman, the king's seer,....

   “To lift up the horn - Some take this literally, and consider that Heman and his sons played on the born in the musical services; but there is no other evidence that the horn was so employed. Perhaps the most probable explanation is that it has been transferred from the next clause, where (as here) it followed the word “God,” with the sense that “God, to exalt Heman’s horn (or, increase his dignity), gave him fourteen sons and three daughters.”

   Everything gathered on 1 Chronicles 25:5→

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6. 1 Chronicles 25:6

   All these were under the direction of their fathers for the music of the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the direction of the king.

   ›Commentary on 1 Chronicles 25:61 voice

   “All these were under the hands of their father, for song in the house of the Lord,.... Instructed and directed by him in the performance of the service in the temple: with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God; which were the three principal instruments of music used in the temple service: according to the king's order, to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman; who ordered and directed them what to sing, what tunes to make use of, and what instruments to play upon to those tunes.

   Everything gathered on 1 Chronicles 25:6→

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7. 2 Chronicles 29:25

   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.

   ›Commentary on 2 Chronicles 29:252 voices

   “And he set the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps,....

   “With cymbals, with psalteries - Moses had not appointed any musical instruments to be used in the divine worship; there was nothing of the kind under the first tabernacle. The trumpets or horns then used were not for song nor for praise, but as we use bells, i.e., to give notice to the congregation of what they were called to perform, etc. But David did certainly introduce many instruments of music into God’s worship, for which we have already seen he was solemnly reproved by the prophet Amos, Amo 6:1-

   Everything gathered on 2 Chronicles 29:25→

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8. Nehemiah 12:27

   At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from all their homes and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.

   ›Commentary on Nehemiah 12:272 voices

   “At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, etc. The city had already been built for some time, but it was not fitting to dedicate it until inhabitants were gathered, appropriate ministers for the temple were assigned, and guards were appointed for the gates and …

   “And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem,....

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9. Psalms 33:2

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

   ›Commentary on Psalms 33:21 voice

   “It is necessary to praise the Lord on the harp; that is, to render harmoniously the actions of the body. Since, indeed, we sinned in the body, "when we yielded our members as slaves of sin, to lawlessness," let us give praise with our body, using the same instrument for the destruction of sin. Have you reviled? Bless. Have you defrauded? Make restitution. Have you been intoxicated? Fast. Have you made false pretensions? Be humble. Have you been envious? Console. Have you murdered? Bear witness, or afflict your body with the equivalent of martyrdom through confession.

   Everything gathered on Psalms 33:2→

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10. Psalms 57:8

    Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.

    ›Commentary on Psalms 57:82 voices

    “Ver. 8. Awake up, my glory. Let the noblest powers of my nature bestir themselves: the intellect which conceives thought, the tongue which expresses it, and the inspired imagination which beautifies it --let all be on the alert now that the hour for praise has come. Awake, psaltery and harp. Let all the music with which I am familiar be well attuned for the hallowed service of praise. I myself will awake early. I will awake the dawn with my joyous notes.

    “Awake up, my glory,....

    Everything gathered on Psalms 57:8→

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11. Psalms 71:22

    So I will praise You with the harp for Your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to You with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.

    ›Commentary on Psalms 71:222 voices

    “Here is the final vow of praise. Ver. 22. I will also praise thee with the psaltery. Love so amazing calls for sweetest praise. David would give his best music, both vocal and instrumental, to the Best of Masters. His harp should not be silent, nor his voice. Even thy truth, O my God. This is ever a most enchanting attribute--viz., the truth or faithfulness of our covenant God. On this we rest, and from it we draw streams of richest consolation. His promises are sure, his love unalterable, his veracity indisputable.

    “I will also praise thee with the psaltery,....

    Everything gathered on Psalms 71:22→

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12. Psalms 81:2

    Lift up a song, strike the tambourine, play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.

    ›Commentary on Psalms 81:22 voices

    “Ver. 2. Take a psalm. Select a sacred song, and then raise it with your hearty voices. And bring hither the timbrel. Beat on your tambourines, ye damsels, let the sound be loud and inspiriting. "Sound the trumpets, beat the drums." God is not to be served with misery but with mirthful music, sound ye then the loud timbrel, as of old ye smote it by "Egypt's dark sea." The pleasant harp with the psaltery. The timbrel for sound, must be joined by the harp for sweetness, and this by other stringed instruments for variety.

    “Take a psalm,....

    Everything gathered on Psalms 81:2→

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13. Psalms 92:3

    with the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre.

    ›Commentary on Psalms 92:32 voices

    “On the ten-stringed psaltery, with a song upon the harp. I say it plainly: as often as we lift up our hands without wandering thoughts and disputings, we sing to the Lord on the ten-stringed instrument. On the ten-stringed psaltery, with a song upon the harp. Our harp is body and soul and spirit: they are composed of all the strings.

    “Upon an instrument of ten strings,.... An harp of ten strings, as the Targum.

    Everything gathered on Psalms 92:3→

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14. Psalms 108:2

    Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.

    ›Commentary on Psalms 108:21 voice

    "Arise, O psaltery and harp." O psaltery, O harp, you were made and created to make melody to God: arise and make melody, why do you lie idle? O monk, you who stand upright in body, why does your soul lie idle, and you do not make melody to the Lord? "Cursed is the man who does the work of God negligently." If you are a psaltery, if you are a harp, why are you deaf, and do not glorify God? "I will arise at daybreak."

    Everything gathered on Psalms 108:2→

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15. Psalms 144:9

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

    ›Commentary on Psalms 144:92 voices

    “O God, I will sing to you a new song. A new man, a new song. O God, I will sing to you a new song. 'Sing to the Lord a new song.' How beautifully he did not say, I sing, but, I will sing. In the future he made his promise; for in the present he knows there is a battle, not a song. An army never sings, except when it has conquered. Therefore since in the present I fight, I have no leisure to sing. When I shall have conquered, then I will sing.

    “I will sing a new song unto thee, O God,....

    Everything gathered on Psalms 144:9→

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16. Psalms 150:3

    Praise Him with the sound of the horn; praise Him with the harp and lyre.

    ›Commentary on Psalms 150:31 voice

    “The trumpet is the contemplative mind or the mind by which the teaching of the spirit is embraced. The harp is the busy mind that is quickened by the commands of Christ.

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