Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 150

Praise ye the Lord - See the notes at Psalms 146:1.

Praise God in his sanctuary - His holy place; the place where he dwells. The allusion here is, probably, to the temple, the place of his abode on earth.

Praise him in the firmament of his power - The whole expression is equivalent to earth and heaven; Praise him on earth; praise him in heaven. The word rendered firmament is the same which is used in Genesis 1:6. It properly means an expanse—a thing spread out.

The verb from which the word is derived means to beat; then, to beat out—that is, to spread out by beating, as gold is; and then, simply to spread out, to expand. Compare Psalms 136:6; Isaiah 42:5; Isaiah 44:24. In Syriac, the word means to make firm, but this idea is not necessarily in the Hebrew word.

The idea of a firmament as something firm is derived from the Septuagint—in Genesis 1:6, στερέωμα stereōma—in this place, ἐν στερεώματι en stereōmati. The Hebrew, however, merely means “an expanse”—something spread out, as the heavens seem to us to be “stretched out;” and the call here is on all that dwell above that expanse—in heaven—to unite with those on earth in his praise. It is called “the expanse of his power” because it is in the heavens—in the sun, the moon, the stars—that the power of God seems to be principally displayed.

Praise him for his mighty acts - See the notes at Psalms 145:4: One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. The Hebrew word is the same. The reference is to that which displays the power of God; the things which manifest his omnipotence.

Praise him according to his excellent greatness - Hebrew, the multitude of his greatness. Let the praise in elevation correspond with this; let it be such as shall properly express this; let all be employed that will contribute to make this known, or that will be appropriate to this. Hence, the psalmist proceeds to call on all to make use of everything, by instrument and voice, that would in any manner set forth the praise of God.

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet—Margin, cornet. In this verse and the verses following, there is an allusion to the instruments of music that were commonly employed in Hebrew worship. The idea is that all these—all that could properly express praise—should be used to celebrate the praises of God. Each one, with its own distinct note, and all combined in harmony, should be employed for this purpose.

Most of these instruments, and many more, are now combined in the organ, where the instruments, instead of being played by separate performers, are so united that they can be supplied with wind from one source—the bellows—and all played by one performer. Thus, one mind directs the performance, securing, if skillfully done, perfect unity and harmony. This instrument was unknown to the Hebrews. Among them, each instrument had its own performer.

The trumpet was principally used to call the people together, but it was also an important instrument among those used by the bands of musicians that performed in the temple, as its tones are now important ones in the organ.

Praise him with the psaltery and harp—Hebrew, the נבל nebel and כנור kinnôr. See these instruments described in the notes on Isaiah 5:12. The word here rendered psaltery is there rendered viol—And the harp and the viol, etc.

Praise him with the timbrel - Hebrew, תף tôph. This is described in the notes at Isaiah 5:12.

It is rendered "tabret" and "tabrets" in Genesis 31:27; 1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Samuel 18:6; Isaiah 5:12; Isaiah 24:8; Isaiah 30:32; Jeremiah 31:4; and Ezekiel 28:13. It is also rendered "timbrel" and "timbrels" in Exodus 15:20; Judges 11:34; 2 Samuel 6:5; 1 Chronicles 13:8; Job 21:12; Psalms 81:2; Psalms 149:3; and in the margin in Jeremiah 31:4.

The word does not occur elsewhere. It was an instrument that was struck with the hands.

And dance - This word is explained in the notes at Psalm 149:3. Dancing among the Hebrews seems to have accompanied the timbrel or tabret. See Exodus 15:20.

Praise him with stringed instruments - Hebrew, מנים minniym. This word means strings, from a verb that means to divide; and the proper reference would be to slender threads, as if they were divided, or made small. It is nowhere else applied to instruments of music but might be properly applied to a harp, a violin, a bass-viol, etc. The word "strings" is indeed applied elsewhere to instruments of music (Psalms 33:2; Psalms 144:9; 1 Samuel 18:16; Isaiah 38:20; Habakkuk 3:19), but the Hebrew word is different. Such instruments were commonly used in the praise of God. See the notes at Psalm 33:2.

And organs - Hebrew, עוגב ‛ûgâb. This word is explained in the notes at Job 21:12.

It occurs elsewhere only in Genesis 4:21; Job 21:12; and Job 30:31, in all of which places it is rendered organ.

The word is derived from a verb meaning to breathe or to blow, and would be applicable to any wind instrument. It here represents the whole class of wind instruments.

The word "organ" is a Greek word and is found in the Septuagint in this place; hence, our word "organ" has been introduced into the translation. The Greek word properly denotes:

1. something by which work is accomplished, as a machine;
2. a musical instrument;
3. the material from which anything is made;
4. the work itself (Passow, Lexicon).

Our word "organ," as used in music, suggests the idea of a combination of instruments or sounds. That idea is not found in the Hebrew word. It denotes merely a wind instrument. Neither the Hebrews nor any of the ancient nations had an instrument that corresponded with the organ as we now use the term.

Praise him upon the loud cymbals - literally, “the cymbals of sound” or hearing. That is, let joy be audibly expressed. The allusion here is to an instrument of music that was most distinctly heard in union with other instruments. The sound of the cymbal would be most clearly audible in its accompaniment of the other instruments referred to, much as the sound of cymbals, or the “triangle,” would be today.

The Hebrew word rendered cymbal means a tinkling, clanging, or ringing, as of metal or arms; then, a whirring, as of wings (compare the notes at Isaiah 18:1); then, any tinkling or clanging instrument, such as a fish-spear or harpoon; then, cymbals, instruments of music.

The cymbal, as used today, is an instrument of brass, circular in form like a dish, producing a sharp, ringing sound when two are struck together (Webster). An instrument of this kind is evidently referred to here. The word occurs in the Bible in the following places only: Deuteronomy 28:42, rendered locust; 2 Samuel 6:5, rendered, as here, cymbal; Job 41:7, rendered fish-spears; and Isaiah 18:1, rendered shadowing with.

Praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals - that is, the cymbals of joyful voice. Regarding the word teruah, rendered high, see the notes at Psalm 89:16. A loud, lofty sound or shout, such as on the reception of a conqueror, is the idea here; and the meaning is that God’s praise was to be celebrated with what would, in the highest sense, express joy and triumph.