Psalms 33:3
in Psalms 33Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Sing unto him a new song; Play skilfully with a loud noise.
KJV
Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
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This verse in Psalms 33
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThe loud noise is a certain inarticulate sound, when those who are fighting side by side in a war shout out in unison with each other. Sing, then, in harmony and in agreement and in union through charity.
This site's exposition
Rejoice in the LORD
on Psalms 33:1-3
Praise here is a command, and verse 1 gives its reason, that praise is fitting for the upright. Verses 2 and 3 name the instrument and the skill, the harp, ten strings, and playing done well. The song asked for is a new one.
This site's exposition
a shout of joy
John Gill tied the new song to new mercies, which come every morning and call for a fresh song each day. Basil of Caesarea heard the shout of joy as the cry of soldiers fighting side by side. Adam Clarke asked that the sound suit the words.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Sing unto Him a new song:" sing unto Him a song of the grace of faith. "Sing skilfully unto Him with jubilation" [Psalm 33:3]: sing skillfully unto Him with rejoicing.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, "Sing," he treats of the song of the human voice. Now it should be known, according to the letter, that there is a twofold modulation: one is through simple song, and another through harmonizing. He touches on the first when he …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Sing unto him a new song,.... One newly composed on account of recent mercies received; and as the mercies of God are new every morning, there ought to be a daily song of praise to him; and so a new song is a continual song, as Christ is called the "new and living way", Heb 10:20; because he is the everliving way; or the constant and only one, which always was, is, and will be.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Sing unto him a new song. All songs of praise should be unto him. Singing for singing's sake is nothing worth; we must carry our tribute to the King, and not cast it to the winds. Do most worshippers mind this? Our faculties should be exercised when we are magnifying the Lord, so as not to run in an old groove without thought; we ought to make every hymn of praise a new song. To keep up the freshness of worship is a great thing, and in private it is indispensable.
Sing unto him a new song. All songs of praise should be unto him. Singing for singing's sake is nothing worth; we must carry our tribute to the King, and not cast it to the winds. Do most worshippers mind this? Our faculties should be exercised when we are magnifying the Lord, so as not to run in an old groove without thought; we ought to make every hymn of praise a new song. To keep up the freshness of worship is a great thing, and in private it is indispensable. Let us not present old worn out praise, but put life, and soul, and heart, into every song, since we have new mercies every day, and see new beauties in the work and word of our Lord. Play skilfully. It is wretched to hear God praised in a slovenly manner. He deserves the best that we have. Every Christian should endeavour to sing according to the rules of the art, so that he may keep time and tune with the congregation. The sweetest tunes and the sweetest voices, with the sweetest words, are all too little for the Lord our God; let us not offer him limping rhymes, set to harsh tunes, and growled out by discordant voices. With a loud noise. Heartiness should be conspicuous in divine worship. Well bred whispers are disreputable here. It is not that the Lord cannot hear us, but that it is natural for great exultation to express itself in the loudest manner. Men shout at the sight of their kings: shall we offer no loud hosannahs to the Son of David?
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Sing unto him a new song - Do not wear out the old forms: fresh mercies call for new songs of praise and gratitude. Play skilfully with a loud noise - Let sense and sound accompany each other; let the style of the music be suited to the words. This skill is possessed by few singers. They can make a loud noise, but they cannot adapt sound to sense.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Sing unto him a new song - A song specially composed for this occasion; expressive of the special feelings suggested by this occasion, or appropriate to this new manifestation of the divine goodness and mercy. Such occasions, exhibiting some new phase of the divine goodness, demanded new language appropriate to them. So now, new hymns of praise, and new tunes in music, are demanded to meet the ever-varying manifestations of the mercy of God; and as the church is extended in the world, its modes of praise must be adapted to the new state of things which will arise. Nothing could be more absurd than to attempt to restrict the church in its praises to the exact words which were used in the time of David, or to the music which was employed then. Compare the notes at Rev 5:9. The expression “new song” occurs several times in the Psalms, showing that new hymns of praise were composed as adapted to some new manifestation of the goodness of God: Psa 40:3; Psa 96:1; Psa 98:1; Psa 144:9; Psa 149:1. Compare also Isa 42:10. Play skillfully with a loud noise - literally, “Do well to play;” or, “do well in playing.” That is, do the work well, or with all the skill of music. The word rendered “loud noise,” means properly “a shout of joy” or “rejoicing:” Job 8:21; 1Sa 4:5. It is especially applied to the sound or clangor of trumpets: Lev 25:9; Lev 23:24; Num 29:1. There is rather the idea of “rejoicing” than of “noise” in the word. The meaning is that the music should be such as would be expressive of the highest joy.
The words behind it
7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שִֽׁירוּ־ | shiru- | sing | H7891 → | 86 times |
| ל֭וֹ | lo | to him | ||
| שִׁ֣יר | shir | a song | H7892 → | 59 times |
| חָדָ֑שׁ | chadash | new | H2319 → | 53 times |
| הֵיטִ֥יבוּ | heitivu | do well | H3190 → | 117 times |
| נַ֝גֵּ֗ן | nagen | to play | H5059 → | |
| בִּתְרוּעָֽה׃ | bitruah | with a shout of joy | H8643 → | 36 times |
שִֽׁירוּ־sing
shiru-H7891 →86 times
ל֭וֹto him
lo
שִׁ֣ירa song
shirH7892 →59 times
חָדָ֑שׁnew
chadashH2319 →53 times
הֵיטִ֥יבוּdo well
heitivuH3190 →117 times
נַ֝גֵּ֗ןto play
nagenH5059 →
בִּתְרוּעָֽה׃with a shout of joy
bitruahH8643 →36 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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
Ephesians 5:19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord,
it leads to
- 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…
- Psalms 95:2
Let us enter His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him in song.
- 1 Corinthians 14:26
What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the…
- Acts 16:25
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
- Psalms 147:7
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music on the harp to our God,
- Colossians 3:16
Through
Psalms 96:1Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.
it leads to
- Psalms 149:1
Hallelujah! Sing to the LORD a new song— His praise in the assembly of the godly.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 16:23–33
Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Proclaim His salvation day after day.
- Psalms 98:1
Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand and holy arm have gained Him the victory.
- Psalms 149:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 33; Basil of Caesarea, HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 15:3 (PS 33); Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.