Psalms 33:1–3
Sing him a new song; play skillfully, with a shout
Study it word by word1Shout for joy, righteous ones, in YHWH; for the upright praise is fitting.
2Give thanks to YHWH with the lyre; with a harp of ten strings sing psalms to him.
3Sing to him a new song; play skillfully with acclamation.
In its context
…
4For upright is the word of YHWH, and all his work is in faithfulness.
5He loves righteousness and justice; of the loyal love of YHWH the earth is full.
Its words in the original
- רַנְּנוּrannu· shout for joy
Shout for joy, sing joyfully.
- צַדִּיקִיםtsadikim· righteous
Righteous: one who does what is right before God and before others; just, innocent.
- יהוָהyhva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- יְשָׁרִיםyesharim· upright, right
Upright: what is right and just; straight.
- נָאוָהnava· lovely, fitting
Fitting, lovely: what suits someone well.
- תְהִלָּהtehila· praise
Praise; deeds worthy of praise; a song of praise.
- הוֹדוּhodu· praise, give thanks; confess
In one form of the verb, praise, give thanks. In another, confess: acknowledge sins or the name of God aloud. Its root sense is to throw.
- כִנּוֹרchinor· lyre
Lyre: a small stringed instrument.
- נֵבֶלnevel· skin bottle, jar; harp
Skin bottle: a leather bag for keeping wine or other liquids; also a jar. The same word names a stringed instrument (the harp).
- עָשׂוֹרasor· ten
Ten; a period of ten days. Also a ten-stringed instrument.
- זַמְּרוּzamru· sing praise, make music
Sing praise: sing or play a stringed instrument in praise. The word for "psalm" comes from it.
- שִׁירוּshiru· sing
Sing; singer.
- שִׁירshir· song
Song, singing.
- חָדָשׁchadash· new
New.
- הֵיטִיבוּhetivu· do well, be good
Do well, act well; go well for someone; please. Also set something right, prepare it.
- נַגֵּןnagen· play strings
Play a stringed instrument, plucking the strings with the fingers, as on a lyre; also make music in general.
- תְרוּעָהterua· shout, trumpet blast
A loud sound of acclamation: a blast of a trumpet or horn, a shout of joy or a battle cry.