Psalms 147:7
in Psalms 147Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music on the harp to our God,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Sing unto Jehovah with thanksgiving; Sing praises upon the harp unto our God,
KJV
Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
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This verse in Psalms 147
Commentary
12 notes on this verseSing unto the Lord with thanksgiving,.... These are the words of the psalmist unto the Israelites, according to Aben Ezra and Kimchi; but may be an exhortation to all men, especially good men; who are capable of observing the following things concerning providential goodness and special grace, on account of which they are called upon to "sing unto the Lord": or to "answer" (q); to sing alternately, or by responses; the word is used for singing, Hos 2:15; see Exo 15:21; and intends vocal singing, as the next clause instrumental singing, as Kimchi observes.
This site's exposition
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving
on Psalms 147:7-11
The call to sing opens onto plain weather: clouds, rain for the earth, grass on the hills. Food follows for the animals and the young ravens. The horse's strength and the man's legs are passed over, and the LORD's pleasure rests on those who fear Him and hope in His loving devotion.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Sing to the Lord in confession. This David fulfilled: he who had offered us examples of righteousness, offered us also examples of penance. For he taught us how we ought to do penance, himself doing it. See, holy prophets, that not only their righteousness has profited us, but also their sin. Sing psalms to our God upon the harp. Let no string of the virtues be broken; let all the strings of the virtues sound together. Sing psalms to our God upon the harp. The harp has many strings: if one is broken, the sound cannot be produced.
"Begin to the Lord in confession" [Psalm 147:7]. Begin with this, if you would arrive at a clear understanding of the truth. If you will be brought from the road of faith to the profession of the reality, "begin in confession." First accuse yourself: accuse yourself, praise God. What after confession? Let good works follow. "Sing unto our God upon the harp." What is, "Upon the harp"? As I have already explained, just like the Psalm upon the psaltery, so also is the "harp:" not with voice only, but with works.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
) may well enough be applied to the first building and fortifying of Jerusalem in his time, and the gathering in of those that had been out-casts in Saul's time. The Septuagint divides it into two; and we may divide it into the first and second part, but both of the same import. We are called upon to praise God,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
), Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving, sing praise upon the harp to our God (let all our praises be directed to him and centre in him), for it is good to do so; it is our duty, and therefore good in itself; it is our interest, and therefore good for us.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
We are furnished with matter for praise, for God is to be glorified, 1. As the God of nature, and so he is very great,
5 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
In this paragraph the contrast announced in the former section is enlarged upon from another point of view, namely, as it is seen in nature and in providence. Sing unto the Lord with, thanksgiving; or rather, "respond to Jehovah." He speaks to us in his works, let us answer him with our thanks. All that he does is gracious, every movement of Iris hand is goodness; therefore let our hearts reply with gratitude, and our lips with song. Our lives should be responses to divine love. Jehovah is ever engaged in giving, let us respond with thanksgiving.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
His providence supplies bountifully the wild animals in their mountain homes. Lord--literally, "Answer the Lord," that is, in grateful praise to His goodness, thus declared in His acts.
In this paragraph the contrast announced in the former section is enlarged upon from another point of view, namely, as it is seen in nature and in providence. Sing unto the Lord with, thanksgiving; or rather, "respond to Jehovah." He speaks to us in his works, let us answer him with our thanks. All that he does is gracious, every movement of Iris hand is goodness; therefore let our hearts reply with gratitude, and our lips with song. Our lives should be responses to divine love. Jehovah is ever engaged in giving, let us respond with thanksgiving. Sing praise upon the harp unto our God. Blend music with song. Under a dispensation of ritual the use of music was most commendable, and suitable in the great congregation: those of us who judge it to be less desirable for public worship, under a spiritual economy, because it has led to so many abuses, nevertheless rejoice in it in our privacy, and are by no means insensible to its charms. It seems profanation that choice minstrelsy should so often be devoted to unworthy themes: the sweetest harmonies should be consecrated to the honour of the Lord. He is our God, and this fact is one choice joy of the sing. We have chosen him because he has chosen us; and we see in him peculiarities which distinguish him from all the pretended deities of those among whom we dwell. He is our God in covenant relationship for ever and ever, and to him be praise in every possible form.
Sing unto the Lord - ענו enu, sing a responsive song, sing in parts, answer one another.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving - Accompany the praise of God - the expression of worship - with a grateful remembrance of the past. The one will aid the other, and the two will constitute acceptable and proper worship. The first word here means properly to answer, or respond; and the idea would seem to be, that we are to make a suitable response or answer to the manifold layouts which we have received at the hand of God. Sing praise upon the harp unto our God - On the word harp, see the notes at Isa 5:12. The harp was an instrument commonly employed in divine worship. See the notes at Psa 33:2: “Praise the Lord with harp.” Compare Psa 43:4; Psa 49:4; Psa 57:8; Psa 71:22.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עֱנ֣וּ | ʾenu | sing | H6030 → | 331 times |
| לַיהוָ֣ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בְּתוֹדָ֑ה | betodah | with thanksgiving | H8426 → | 31 times |
| זַמְּר֖וּ | zameru | make music | H2167 → | 45 times |
| לֵאלֹהֵ֣ינוּ | leloheinu | to God our | H430 → | 2601 times |
| בְכִנּֽוֹר׃ | vekhinor | with a harp | H3658 → | 42 times |
עֱנ֣וּsing
ʾenuH6030 →331 times
לַיהוָ֣הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
בְּתוֹדָ֑הwith thanksgiving
betodahH8426 →31 times
זַמְּר֖וּmake music
zameruH2167 →45 times
לֵאלֹהֵ֣ינוּto God our
leloheinuH430 →2601 times
בְכִנּֽוֹר׃with a harp
vekhinorH3658 →42 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 68:32Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord— Selah
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:43
Rejoice, O heavens, with Him, and let all God’s angels worship Him. Rejoice, O nations, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His children. He will take vengeance on His adversaries…
- Psalms 117:1–2
Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples!
- Psalms 67:2–5
that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
- Romans 15:10–11
Again, it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.”
- Revelation 15:4
Who will not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.”
- Deuteronomy 32:43
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 147; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 7; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Homily 56, on Psalm 146; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.