Psalms 108:3 — Word Study
WLCאוֹדְךָ֖ בָעַמִּ֥ים׀ יְהוָ֑ה וַ֝אֲזַמֶּרְךָ֗ בַּל־ אֻמִּֽים׃
BSAto rouseʻûwr bagnebel lyrekinnôwr to rouseʻûwr dawnshachar
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אוֹדְךָ֖ | I will give thanks you | Verb hiphil imperfect first person common singular, suffix |
| בָעַמִּ֥ים׀ | among the peoples | Preposition, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| יְהוָ֑ה | O Yahweh | Noun proper |
| וַ֝אֲזַמֶּרְךָ֗ | and I will sing praises to you | Conjunction, verb piel first person common singular, suffix |
| בַּל־ | not | Particle |
| אֻמִּֽים׃ | nations | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing Your praises among the peoples. |
| KJV | I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. |
| ASV | I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah, among the peoples; And I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. |
| YLT | I thank Thee among peoples, O Jehovah, And I praise Thee among the nations. |
| WEB | I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations. I will sing praises to you among the peoples. |
| BBE | I will give you praise, O Lord, among the peoples; I will make melody to you among the nations. |
Where they part company is בַּל־ — see How Translations Differ.
Two main clauses connected by the act of praising and singing, each with a prepositional phrase indicating the context.
5 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, AdamClarke, Cambridge, Barnes & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 108:3
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Psalm of Praisegenerated
Psalm 108:3 is part of a psalm that calls for worship and recognition of God's faithfulness and love. The psalmist invites musical instruments to join in the praise, indicating a communal aspect to the worship. This psalm emphasizes the importance of proclaiming God's greatness not only within Israel but among all nations, reflecting a universal call to worship.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 22:22–27 | I will proclaim Your name to my brothers; I will praise You in the assembly. |
| 2 | Psalm 96:10 | Declare among the nations: “The LORD reigns!” The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity. |
| 3 | Psalm 117:1 | Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples! |
| 4 | Psalm 138:4–5 | All the kings of the earth will give You thanks, O LORD, when they hear the words of Your mouth. |
| 5 | Zephaniah 3:14–20 | Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אוֹדְךָ֖, 'od.Khagenerated
The verb אוֹדְךָ ('od.Kha) is a form of יָדָה (yadah), meaning 'to give thanks' or 'to praise.' It is built from a root that conveys the idea of throwing or casting, akin to shooting an arrow. In worship, it signifies extending hands in gratitude and acknowledgment of God's goodness.
This verb is in the Hiphil stem, indicating a causative action, which emphasizes the act of praising as a deliberate and expressive response to God's nature. The first person singular form indicates that the psalmist is personally committing to this act of praise.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb אוֹדְךָ governs the structure of the verse, with two clauses following it: one expressing the commitment to praise and the other to sing. The order emphasizes the psalmist's intent to publicly declare God's greatness.
The use of prepositional phrases, such as בַּל־ and בַּעַמִּ֥ים, indicates the locations where this praise will occur, highlighting the psalmist's desire for God's glory to be known among all peoples.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אוֹדְךָ as ἐχεγέρθητι, which suggests a call to awaken or bring forth praise, indicating a more dynamic action. This choice may reflect an interpretive nuance that emphasizes the act of calling others to join in the worship.
The Greek word for 'nations' in the Septuagint corresponds closely to the Hebrew, maintaining the focus on a collective group, which aligns with the psalmist's intent to praise God universally.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 108:3 expresses the psalmist's desire to praise the LORD among all nations and to sing His praises among various peoples. This highlights the importance of worship and recognition of God's greatness beyond Israel, inviting all to join in.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Praising the LORD among the nations signifies a call for all people, regardless of their background, to recognize and worship God for His greatness and faithfulness.
Singing praises is an expression of joy and gratitude, allowing worshipers to articulate their love for God and to celebrate His attributes through music.
This psalm reflects the mission of God's people to share His glory and faithfulness with the world, emphasizing that worship is not confined to one group but is for all nations.
Musical instruments are called to join in the praise, indicating that worship is a communal and celebratory act that involves the entire community.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I share my praise for God with those around me?
- How can I incorporate music into my worship and expressions of gratitude?
- What does it mean for me to recognize God's greatness among different cultures and peoples?
- How can I encourage others to join in praising God together?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 108:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 108 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 3. Among the people] The Jews. Among the nations.] The Gentiles. Wherever this Psalm is sung or read, either among Jews or Gentiles, David may be said to sing praise to God.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 108 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3. I will give thanks unto thee, Jehovah, among the peoples: And I will make melody unto thee among the nations. Jehovah (A.V. Lord) takes the place of Adônai (A.V. Lord) of the ‘Elohistic’ Psalms 57:9. Again the old words would have special significance for the returned Israelites. Jehovah had wrought salvation for them “in the sight of the nations” (Psalms 98:2-3), and therefore they were to publish His praise among them (Psalms 96:3; Psalms 105:1).
Read Cambridge on Psalms 108 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI will praise thee, O Lord ... - This is taken from Psalms 57:9. The only change is the substitution here of the name יהוה Yahweh for אדני 'Adonāy. Why that change was made is unknown.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 108 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible3. Lord—Jehovah; in Psalms 57:9, àãðé, (Adonah,) Lord.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 108 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing Your praises among the peoples.
I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations. I will sing praises to you among the peoples.
I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing Your praises among the peoples.
I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord! I will sing praises to you before foreigners!
Tyndale line
I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah, among the peoples; And I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the peoples: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises to thee among the nations.
I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people, and I wil sing vnto thee among the nations.
Strictly literal
I will give thee thanks among the peoples, O Jehovah; of thee will I sing psalms among the nations:
I thank Thee among peoples, O Jehovah, And I praise Thee among the nations.
I thank You among peoples, O YHWH, || And I praise You among the nations.
(108:4) I will give thee thanks among the people, O Lord: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.
From the Latin
They have spoken against with deceitful tongues; and they have compassed me about with words of hatred; and have fought against me without cause.
Simplified
I will thank you among the peoples, Lord, I will sing your praises among the nations.
I will give you praise, O Lord, among the peoples; I will make melody to you among the nations.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text of Psalms 108:3 reads, 'אוֹדְךָ בָעַמִּים יְהוָה וַאֲזַמֶּרְךָ בַּל־אֻמִּים,' which translates to 'I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing Your praises among the peoples.' The Septuagint, while not providing a complete text, indicates that 4 out of the 6 words correspond with the Masoretic Text, suggesting a general agreement in meaning, although the specific wording and order may differ. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variants for this verse in the available fragments, thus reinforcing the consistency of the Masoretic Text in this instance.
אוֹדְךָ֖ בָעַמִּ֥ים׀ יְהוָ֑ה וַ֝אֲזַמֶּרְךָ֗ בַּל־ אֻמִּֽים׃
4 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 108:3
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
יָדָה (yadah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to throw or cast, particularly in the context of shooting arrows or stones. It also encompasses the meanings of giving thanks, praising, and confessing, especially in a ritual context. The word is built from a primitive root and has various forms, including Qal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances of action.
[יָדָה] vb. throw, cast
Qal shoot (arrows) at
Pi. and they cast (stones) on me
Hiph.
give thanks, laud, praise
confess
Hithp.
confess
give thanks, in ritual worship
base
H3034 [יָדָה] throw, cast .shoot (arrows) at
. and they cast (stones) on me
. . give thanks, laud, praise
. confess
. . confess
. give thanks, in ritual worship
3034 yadah yaw-daw'
a primitive root; used only as denominative from 3027;
literally, to use (i.e. hold out) the hand; physically, to
throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or
worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by
wringing the hands):--cast (out), (make) confess(-ion),
praise, shoot, (give) thank(-ful, -s, -sgiving).
see HEBREW for 03027
יָדָה (ya.dah) — to give thanks.
1) to throw, shoot, cast
1a) (Qal) to shoot (arrows)
1b) (Piel) to cast, cast down, throw down
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to give thanks, laud, praise
1c2) to confess, confess (the name of God)
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to confess (sin)
1d2) to give thanks
Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדָא "to praise" H3029)
HVhi1cs/Sp2ms — Verb hiphil imperfect first person common singular · suffixHVhi1cs/Sp2ms
עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.
עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people
a people, nation
= smaller units
= common people
people in gen., persons
phrases
base
[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)
base
H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)
5971 `am am
from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a
tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or
attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,
people.
see HEBREW for 06004
עַם (am) — people.
: people/nation
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — kinsman.
kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Ammi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — People's (Gate).
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.
Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Amaw.
This name means nation, people
עַם (am) — people: soldiers.
: soldiers/army
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — people: creatures.
: creatures
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
HRd/Ncmpa — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absoluteHRd/Ncmpa
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
HNpt — Noun properHNpt
זָמַר (zamar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sing or make music, particularly in praise of God. It is derived from a root that suggests touching the strings of a musical instrument. The word covers actions like singing, playing instruments, and celebrating through music. The Piel form specifically emphasizes making music in worship.
[זמר] vb. only Pi. make music in praise of God
base
H2167 זמר only Pi. make music in praise of God
2167 zamar zaw-mar'
a primitive root (perhaps ident. with 2168 through the idea
of striking with the fingers); properly, to touch the strings
or parts of a musical instrument, i.e. play upon it; to make
music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song
and music:--give praise, sing forth praises, psalms.
see HEBREW for 02168
זָמַר (za.mar) — to sing.
1) to sing, sing praise, make music
1a) (Piel)
1a1) to make music, sing
1a2) to play a musical instrument
Aramaic equivalent: ze.mar (זְמָר "music" H2170)
HC/Vpu1cs/Sp2ms — Conjunction · verb piel first person common singular · suffixHC/Vpu1cs/Sp2ms
בַּל (bal) is an adverb meaning 'not' or 'none.' It conveys a sense of negation, indicating absence or failure. The word is derived from a root that implies nothingness and can also be used in contexts like 'lest' or 'neither.' The entries consistently emphasize its function as a negation in various forms.
בַּל 69 adv. not
base
H1077 בַּל not
1077 bal bal
from 1086; properly, a failure; by implication nothing;
usually (adverb) not at all; also lest:--lest, neither, no,
none (that...), not (any), nothing.
see HEBREW for 01086
בַּל (bal) — not.
not, hardly, else
HTn — ParticleHTn
אֻמָּה (ummah) refers to a community or collection of persons, encompassing meanings such as tribe and nation. It is derived from a root related to gathering, specifically linked to the concept of people. The term appears in contexts relating to groups within the Old Testament.
[אֻמָּה] n.f. tribe, people
base
H523 אֻמָּה tribe, people
523 'ummah oom-maw'
from the same as 517; a collection, i.e. community of
persons:--nation, people.
see HEBREW for 0517
אֻמָּה (um.mah) — people.
people, tribe, nation
Aramaic equivalent: um.mah (אֻמָּה "people" H0524)
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
na'-shunz.
See GENTILES; GOIIM; HEATHEN; TABLE OF NATIONS.