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Psalms 68:32 — Word Study

Depth

WLCמַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָ֭אָרֶץ שִׁ֣ירוּ לֵאלֹהִ֑ים זַמְּר֖וּ אֲדֹנָ֣י סֶֽלָה׃

BSAto Godʼĕlôhîym [Elohim, the supreme Lord]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 68
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 32 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (Se.lah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 68:32quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist calls all nations to sing praises to God.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing the kingdoms of the earth.
Where we areA call to worship, set within a context of God's sovereignty.
The hard wordמַמְלְכ֣וֹת
Take awayAll the earth is invited to join in worship.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbמִצְרַיִם The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 68:32

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 Call to Worshipgenerated

31Envoys will arrive from Egypt; Cush will stretch out her hands to God.
32Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord— Selah
33to Him who rides upon the highest heavens of old; behold, His mighty voice resounds.
34Ascribe the power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose strength is in the skies.

Psalm 68:32 invites all kingdoms of the earth to sing to God, highlighting His sovereignty over all nations. This verse emphasizes the universal call to worship and the recognition of God's authority, as seen in the preceding verses that speak of His power and majesty. The psalmist encourages nations to respond in praise, reflecting the collective acknowledgment of God's greatness.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 67:2–5that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
2Psalm 100:1Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.
3Psalm 117:1–2Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples!
4Deuteronomy 32:43Rejoice, 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 and repay those who hate Him; He will cleanse His land and His people.
5Romans 15:10–11Again, it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.”

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word מַמְלְכ֣וֹת, mam.le.Khotgenerated

The word מַמְלְכ֣וֹת (mamleḵot) is a feminine plural noun meaning 'kingdoms' or 'nations.' It derives from the root word for dominion, emphasizing the concept of rule and authority. In this context, it refers to the various kingdoms of the earth, all called to recognize and worship the supreme authority of God.

This term underlines the idea of God's sovereignty over all nations, inviting them to participate in a communal act of praise. The use of the plural form suggests a wide-reaching call to all earthly rulers and their realms, reinforcing the notion that God's dominion extends beyond Israel to encompass the entire world.


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 שִׁ֣ירוּ (sing) governs the verse, with two imperative phrases following: the first directs the kingdoms to sing to God, and the second instructs them to sing praises to the Lord. The structure emphasizes the action of singing as a response to God's greatness.

The syntax indicates a direct address to the kingdoms, establishing a clear call to worship. The imperative form of the verbs invites immediate action, suggesting urgency in the psalmist's plea for nations to join in praise.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the word for מַמְלְכ֣וֹת is rendered as ἥχουσινthey sing. This choice reflects a broader interpretation, focusing on the act of singing rather than the specific identity of kingdoms, which may suggest a more inclusive understanding of worship.

The LXX's translation emphasizes the communal aspect of worship, indicating that the call to sing is not limited to Israel but extends to all nations, aligning with the universal theme of God's sovereignty.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 68:32 calls on all kingdoms of the earth to sing praises to God. This verse emphasizes the importance of worshiping the Lord and recognizing His authority. The psalmist encourages nations to join together in song, reflecting a collective acknowledgment of God's greatness.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to sing praises to God?

Singing praises to God involves expressing worship and gratitude through music, acknowledging His greatness and sovereignty.

Why are kingdoms specifically called to sing?

Kingdoms are called to sing to recognize God's authority over all nations and to unite in worship as a demonstration of His power.

What is the significance of 'Selah' at the end of the verse?

Selah indicates a pause for reflection, encouraging the listener to consider the weight of the call to worship and the majesty of God.

How does this verse relate to the theme of God's sovereignty?

This verse highlights God's sovereignty by calling all nations to worship Him, affirming that His reign extends beyond Israel to encompass the entire earth.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I actively participate in worshiping God alongside others?
  2. How does recognizing God's sovereignty impact my daily life and decisions?
  3. What are some ways I can encourage others to praise God in their lives?
  4. How can I reflect on the significance of worship in my relationship with God?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 68:32 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth,.... Not only the Egyptian and Ethiopian kingdoms, but all the kingdoms of the world; which will now be converted to Christ, and become his, even all the

Read John Gill on Psalms 68 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah: -All the kingdoms of the earth are exhorted to praise the God of Israel (Psalms 66:1). Verse 32,33.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 68 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Not only Egypt and Ethiopia, but other kingdoms and nations also, who shall partake of the same grace with them.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 68 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 68:32 Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:Ver. 32. Siny unto God, ye kingdoms] No such joy as that of the converted; Isaiah 35:10, "The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads," &c. Bernard, for a certain time after his conversion, remained, as it were, deprived of his senses, by the excessive consolations he had from God. The like befell Cyprian, Austin, and others.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 68 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(32) Sing praises . . .—Better, play and sing. The Selah, as in some other cases, is introduced where to our sense of rhythm it is quite out of place.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 68 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 32. Sing unto God] All the inhabitants of the earth are invited to sing unto God, to acknowledge him as their God, and give him the praise due to his name.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 68 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

32–35. All nations are summoned to unite in praising Israel’s God.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 68 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth - That is - that acknowledge the true God - celebrate his praise.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 68 →

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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord— Selah

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth! Sing praises to the Lord—Selah—

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord—Selah

NETBNew English Translation2006

O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God! Sing praises to the Lord, (Selah)

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; Oh sing praises unto the Lord; [Selah

RVARevised Version, American1894

Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises to the LORD; Selah:

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Sing vnto God, O yee kingdomes of the earth: sing praise vnto the Lord, (Selah)

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Ye kingdoms of the earth, sing unto God; sing psalms of the Lord, (Selah,)

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Kingdoms of the earth, sing ye to God, Praise ye the Lord. Selah.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God, || Praise the Lord! Selah.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(68:33) Kingdoms of the earth, sing unto God; sing praises unto the Lord: Selah;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth; Selah Sing praises to Yahweh.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And it shall please God better than a young calf, that bringeth forth horns and hoofs.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Sing to God, kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to the Lord. Selah.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Make songs to God, you kingdoms of the earth; O make songs of praise to the Lord; (Selah.)

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.

clauseclausenoun phraseמַמְלְכ֣וֹתO.kingdomsnoun phraseהָ֭ofאָרֶץthe.earthclauseverbשִׁ֣ירוּsingprepositional phrase · prepositionalלֵtoאלֹהִ֑יםGodclauseverbזַמְּר֖וּsing.praises.tonoun phrase · objectאֲדֹנָ֣Lordי[the]clauseסֶֽלָהSelah

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 68:32 reads, 'מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָ֭אָרֶץ שִׁ֣ירוּ לֵאלֹהִ֑ים זַמְּר֖וּ אֲדֹנָ֣י סֶֽלָה׃', which translates to 'Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord— Selah.' The Septuagint, while presenting the same essential message, has a different word order and structure, but ultimately conveys the same meaning as the Masoretic Text. There are no significant differences in the core message between these texts, as both call for the kingdoms of the earth to sing praises to God. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variants for this verse, thus supporting the agreement between the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint in this instance.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָ֭אָרֶץ שִׁ֣ירוּ לֵאלֹהִ֑ים זַמְּר֖וּ אֲדֹנָ֣י סֶֽלָה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
מַמְלְכ֣וֹתἥχουσινהָ֭אָרֶץἐχשִׁ֣ירוּαἰγύπτουלֵאלֹהִ֑יםπροφθάσειזַמְּר֖וּξεῖραאֲדֹנָ֣יαὐτῆςסֶֽלָה׃τῷ

7 of the 7 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.

Psalms 68:32מַמְלָכָהO kingdoms O kingdoms ofמַמְלָכָהאֶ֫רֶץthe earththe earthאֶ֫רֶץשִׁירsingsingשִׁיראֱלֹהִיםto Godto Godאֱלֹהִיםזמרsing praisesing praises toזמראָדוֹן[the] Lord[the] Lordאָדוֹןסֶ֫לָהSelahSelahסֶ֫לָהמָלַךְto reignto reignמָלַךְסָלָהto rejectto rejectסָלָהשׁוּרto travelto travelשׁוּרשׁוּרto seeto seeשׁוּראֱלֹהַּgodgodאֱלֹהַּזָמַרto pruneto pruneזָמַראָדוֹןlordlordאָדוֹןזמרto singto singזמרזְוָעָהhorrorhorrorזְוָעָהקָרַעto tearto tearקָרַעכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםשֹׁעֵרgatekeepergatekeeperשֹׁעֵראַחֵרanotheranotherאַחֵראֲרוֹןarkarkאֲרוֹןכִּנּוֹרlyrelyreכִּנּוֹריהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהכֹּהthusthusכֹּה
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Psalms 68:32

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.

O kingdoms of the earth sing to God sing praises to [the] Lord Selah
מַמְלְכ֣וֹתmam.le.Khot O kingdoms of H4467 Noun common · feminine plural construct
117× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a kingdom or dominion, describing a ruler's power or territory. In the Bible, it is used to describe the kingdoms of Israel and other nations, as well as God's sovereignty. It emphasizes a ruler's authority and control.
Tyndale gloss
kingdom
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַמְלָכָה (mamlakah) refers to concepts of kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, and reign. It is derived from the root word for dominion and can denote both an abstract estate of rule and a concrete realm or country. The term is noted to primarily refer to non-Israelite kingdoms in some contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַמְלָכָה n.f. kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, reign

kingdom, realm, chiefly non-Isr.

sovereignty, dominion

reign

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4467 מַמְלָכָה kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, reign . kingdom, realm, chiefly non-Isr.

. sovereignty, dominion

. reign

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4467 mamlakah mam-law-kaw'

from 4427; dominion, i.e. (abstractly) the estate (rule) or

(concretely) the country (realm):--kingdom, king's, reign,

royal.

see HEBREW for 04427

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַמְלָכָה (mam.la.khah) — kingdom.

1) kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty

1a) kingdom, realm

1b) sovereignty, dominion

1c) reign

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfpc — Noun common · feminine plural construct
HNcfpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

O kingdoms of the earth sing to God sing praises to [the] Lord Selah
הָ֭אָרֶץHa.'a.retz the earth H776 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTd/Ncfsa — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

urth ('adhamah, 'erets, 'aphar; ge, oikoumene):

In a hilly limestone country like Palestine, the small amount of iron oxide in the rocks tends to be oxidized, and thereby to give a prevailing reddish color to the soil. This is especially the case on relatively barren hills where there is little organic matter present to prevent reddening and give a more blackish tinge.

'Adhamah (compare 'adham, "a man," and Adam) is from 'adham, "to be red," and is used in the senses: "earth" (Ex 20:24), "land" (Ps 105:35), a "land" or country (Isa 14:2), "ground" (Ge 4:11), "the earth" (Ge 7:4).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Earth

(1.) In the sense of soil or ground, the translation of the word adamah’. In Gen. 9:20 “husbandman” is literally “man of the ground or earth.” Altars were to be built of earth (Ex. 20:24). Naaman asked for two mules’ burden of earth (2 Kings 5:17), under the superstitious notion that Jehovah, like the gods of the heathen, could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil.

(2). As the rendering of ’erets, it means the whole world (Gen. 1:2); the land as opposed to the sea (1:10). Erets also denotes a country (21:32); a plot of ground (23:15); the ground on which a man stands (33:3); the inhabitants of the earth (6:1; 11:1); all the world except Israel (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term is used in two widely-different senses: (1) for the material of which the earth’s surface is composed; (2) as the name of the planet on which man dwells. The Hebrew language discriminates between these two by the use of separate terms, adamah for the former, erets for the latter. Adamah is the earth in the sense of soil or ground, particularly as being susceptible of cultivation. (Genesis 2:7) Erets is applied in a more or less extended sense-- (1) to the whole world, (Genesis 1:1) (2) to land as opposed to sea, (Genesis 1:10) (3) to a country, (Genesis 21:32) (4) to a plot of ground, (Genesis 23:15) and (5) to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In both Hebrew and Greek the same word is used to denote the earth as a whole, and a particular land. Only the context can enable us to decide in which of these senses it is to be taken in a given passage.

Thus in Mt 27:45 we might, so far as the original word is concerned, render either "there was darkness over all the land," or over all the earth. The expression "all the earth" is sometimes used hyperbolically for a large portion of it, Ezr 1:2. The word is used of the whole world, etc. In a moral sense, earthly is opposed to what is heavenly, spiritual and holy, Joh 3:31 1Co 15:47 Col 3:2

O kingdoms of the earth sing to God sing praises to [the] Lord Selah
שִׁ֣ירוּShi.ru sing H7891 Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
87× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to sing, and it is used in the Bible to describe the act of singing, like when the Israelites sang after crossing the Red Sea in Exodus 15. It can also refer to a singer or songstress. The Bible often mentions singing as a way to praise God.
Tyndale gloss
to sing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׁיר (shiyr) means 'to sing' and is a denominative verb derived from a primitive root. It covers various forms of singing, including participles for singers and songstresses. The entries indicate its use in different verbal stems, such as Qal and Polel, and note its appearance in contexts like 1 Samuel 18:6.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שִׁיר] 86 vb. sing (denom.)

Qal 49 sing

Pō‛l. 36 sing

Hoph. be sung

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7891 שִׁיר sing (denom.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7891 shiyr sheer

or (the original form) shuwr (1 Sam. 18:6) {shoor}; a

primitive root (identical with 7788 through the idea of

strolling minstrelsy); to sing:--behold (by mistake for

7789), sing(-er, -ing man, - ing woman).

see HEBREW for 07788

see HEBREW for 07789

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׁיר (shir) — to sing.

1) to sing

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sing

1a2) singer, songstresses (participle)

1b) (Polel)

1b1) to sing

1b2) singer, songstress (participle)

1c) (Hophal) to be sung

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqv2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine plural
HVqv2mp
O kingdoms of the earth sing to God sing praises to [the] Lord Selah
לֵאלֹהִ֑יםle.lo.Him to God H430 Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
2,603× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for God, elohim, refers to the one supreme God, and is sometimes used to show respect to judges or magistrates. It is also used to describe angels or mighty beings. This word is closely related to the name of the Lord, Yahweh, and is often translated as God or gods in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
Elohim, the supreme Lord
Tyndale gloss
God
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱלֹהִים (elohiym) is a plural noun meaning 'gods' or 'God,' often referring to the supreme deity in the Old Testament. It encompasses divine beings, rulers, and judges, reflecting divine majesty and power. The term can also denote angels and is used in a superlative sense. Notably, it is sometimes combined with יהוה (YHWH), the personal name of God.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.

pl. in number.

rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels

angels

gods

pl. intensive

god or goddess

godlike one

works of God, or things belongng to him

God

הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God

אֱלֹהִים = God

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H430 אֱלֹהִים n. m. pl. . pl. in number. . rulers, judges, either asdivine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels

. angels

. gods

. pl. intensive . god or goddess

. godlike one

. works of God, or things belongng to him

. God

. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God

. אֱלֹהִים = God

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

430 'elohiym el-o-heem'

plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically

used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the

supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to

magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X

exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X

mighty.

see HEBREW for 0433

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — God.

This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God"

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (LORD)-Elohe.

Combined with ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068)

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (Gibeath)-elohim.

Combined with giv.ah (גִּבְעָה "Gibeath" H1389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
HR/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

god ('Elohim, 'El, [`Elyon], Shadday, Yahweh; Theos):

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE GENERAL IDEA

1. The Idea in Experience and in Thought

2. Definition of the Idea

3. The Knowledge of God

4. Ethnic Ideas of God

(1) Animism

(2) Fetishism

(3) Idolatry

(4) Polytheism

(5) Henotheism

(6) Pantheism

(7) Deism

(8) Semitic Monolatry

(9) Monotheism

II. THE IDEA OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. The Course of Its Development

2. Forms of Its Manifestation

(1) The Face or Countenance of God

(2) The Voice and Word of God

(3) The Glory of God

(4) The Angel of God

(5) The Spirit of God

(6) The Name of God

(7) Occasional Forms

3. The Names of God

(1) Generic

(2) Attributive

(3) Yahweh

4. Pre-prophetic Conceptions of God

(1) Yahweh Alone Is the God of Israel

(a) His Early Worship

(b) Popular Religion

(c) Polytheistic Tendencies

(i) Coordination

(ii) Assimilation

(iii) Disintegration

(d) No Hebrew Goddesses

(e) Human Sacrifices

Easton's Bible Dictionary

God

(A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew ’El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of ’Eloah_, plural _’Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by “LORD,” printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid of understanding (Ps. 14:1).

The arguments generally adduced by theologians in proof of the being of God are:

(1.) The a priori argument, which is the testimony afforded by reason.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(good). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures two chief names are used for the one true divine Being--ELOHIM, commonly translated God in our version, and JEHOVAH, translated Lord . Elohim is the plural of Eloah (in Arabic Allah); it is often used in the short form EL (a word signifying strength , as in EL-SHADDAI, God Almighty, the name by which God was specially known to the patriarchs. (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; Exodus 6:3) The etymology is uncertain, but it is generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect , and that it properly describes God in that character in which he is exhibited to all men in his works, as the creator, sustainer and supreme governor of the world. The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. The fanciful idea that it…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This name, the derivation of which is uncertain, we give to that eternal, infinite, perfect, and incomprehensible Being, the Creator of all things, who preserves and governs all by his almighty power and wisdom, and is the only proper object of worship. The proper Hebrew name for God is JEHOVAH, which signifies He is. But the Jews, from a feeling of reverence, avoid pronouncing this name, substituting for it, wherever it occurs in the sacred test, the word ADONAI, Lord; except in the expression, ADONAI JEHOVAH, Lord Jehovah, for which they put, ADONAI ELOHIM, Lord God. This usage, which is not without an element of superstition, is very ancient, dating its origin some centuries before Christ; but there is no good ground for assuming its existence in the days of the inspired Old Testament writers. The proper word for God is ELOHIM, which is plural in its form, being thus used to signify…

O kingdoms of the earth sing to God sing praises to [the] Lord Selah
זַמְּר֖וּza.me.Ru sing praises to H2167 Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine plural
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to sing or make music, often with praise and celebration. In the Psalms, it describes singing with instruments and voice, giving thanks to God. It's about joyful noise and worship.
Tyndale gloss
to sing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

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.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[זמר] vb. only Pi. make music in praise of God

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2167 זמר only Pi. make music in praise of God

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

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

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

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)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVpv2mp — Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine plural
HVpv2mp
O kingdoms of the earth sing to God sing praises to [the] Lord Selah
אֲדֹנָ֣י'a.do.Nai [the] Lord H136 Noun proper
440× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Adonay is a title used to refer to God, spoken in place of Yahweh as a sign of reverence and respect. It is used throughout the Bible to address God or refer to Him in a formal way. Adonay is a term of worship and devotion.
Tyndale gloss
Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲדֹנָי (Adonay) means 'Lord' and is an emphatic form of another Hebrew word for lord. It is used specifically as a title for God, often in place of Yahweh to show reverence. Variations include אֲדֹנִי and אֲדֹנַי, which help distinguish divine from human references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָדוֹן n.m. lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H136 אָדוֹן lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

136 'Adonay ad-o-noy'

am emphatic form of 113; the Lord (used as a proper name of

God only):--(my) Lord.

see HEBREW for 0113

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) — Lord.

Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence

Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpt — Noun proper
HNpt
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Lord

There are various Hebrew and Greek words so rendered.

(1.) Heb. Jehovah, has been rendered in the English Bible LORD, printed in small capitals. This is the proper name of the God of the Hebrews. The form “Jehovah” is retained only in Ex. 6:3; Ps. 83:18; Isa. 12:2; 26:4, both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.

(2.) Heb. ‘adon, means one possessed of absolute control. It denotes a master, as of slaves (Gen. 24:14, 27), or a ruler of his subjects (45:8), or a husband, as lord of his wife (18:12).

The old plural form of this Hebrew word is ’adonai. From a superstitious reverence for the name “Jehovah,” the Jews, in reading their Scriptures, whenever that name…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[GOD]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This name belongs to God by preeminence; and in this sense ought never to be given to any creature. Jesus Christ, as the Messiah, the Son of God, and equal with the Father, is often called Lord in Scripture, especially in the writing of Paul. The word LORD, in the English Bible, when printed in small capitals, stands always for JEHOVAH in the Hebrew. See JEHOVAH.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ A prince Jos 13:3; Jud 3:3; 1Sa 5:8; 6:4

→ See GOD

→ See JESUS

O kingdoms of the earth sing to God sing praises to [the] Lord Selah
סֶֽלָה׃Se.lah Selah H5542 Particle
74× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Selah is a musical term in the Bible that signals a pause or interruption in the music, like a rest in a song, often used in Psalms. It is a technical term that sets a moment for reflection and contemplation, as seen in Psalm 3:2.
Tyndale gloss
Selah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סֶ֫לָה (selah) means to lift up or exalt. It is primarily recognized as a musical term indicating a pause or interruption, often found in the Psalms. The word is derived from a root meaning 'suspension' and appears frequently in the context of music, suggesting accentuation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

סֶ֫לָה vb. lift up, or exalt;—this interpr. agrees with usage: 71 t. in 39 ψψ, 3 t. Hb 3

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5542 סֶ֫לָה lift up, or exalt

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5542 celah seh'-law

from 5541; suspension (of music), i.e. pause:--Selah.

see HEBREW for 05541

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סֶ֫לָה (se.lah) — Selah.

§ 1) to lift up, exalt

1a) Selah

1a1) a technical musical term probably showing accentuation, pause, interruption

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTj — Particle
HTj
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

se'-la.

See MUSIC, II, 1.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Selah

A word frequently found in the Book of Psalms, and also in Hab. 3:9, 13, about seventy-four times in all in Scripture. Its meaning is doubtful. Some interpret it as meaning “silence” or “pause;” others, “end,” “a louder strain,” “piano,” etc. The LXX. render the word by daplasma i.e., “a division.”

Smith's Bible Dictionary

This word, which is found only in the poetical books of the Old Testament, occurs seventy-one times in the Psalms and three times in Habakkuk. It is probably a term which had a meaning in the musical nomenclature of the Hebrews, though what that meaning may have been is now a matter of pure conjecture. (Gesenius and Ewald and others think it has much the same meaning as our interlude,--a pause in the voices singing, while the instruments perform alone.)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A musical term which occurs seventy-three times in the Psalms, and is found also in Hab 3:3,9,13. It usually occurs at the end of a period or apostrophe, but sometimes at the end only of a clause. This difficult word, it is now generally believed, was a direction for a meditative pause in the singing of a psalm, during which perhaps there was an instrumental interlude.

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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