Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 150:4

"Praise him with timbrel and dance: Praise him with stringed instruments and pipe." — Psalms 150:4 (ASV)

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.