Psalms 96:1–9

In its context

Its words in the original

• שִׁירוּshiru· sing

  Sing; singer.

• 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.

• שִׁירshir· song

  Song, singing.

• חָדָשׁchadash· new

  New.

• אָרֶץarets· earth, land

  The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").

• בָּרֲכוּbarachu· bless, kneel

  Bless. When God blesses, he gives good: life, children, fruit, prosperity. When a person "blesses God", he gives him nothing: he praises and thanks him. Between people, it is wishing the other the good that comes from God; also greet. The root also means kneel.

• שְׁמshem· name

  Name. In the Bible a name says who someone is; so it also means fame, renown or reputation.

• בַּשְּׂרוּbasru· bring news

  Bring news, announce it. Almost always good news; sometimes the news of a defeat (1 Samuel 4:17).

• יּוֹםyom· day

  Day: the hours of light, or a whole day from one evening to the next. Also an indefinite time or age ("in the day that...", "in those days").

• יְשׁוּעָתyeshuat· salvation

  Salvation: the help with which God delivers from danger; also victory. The name "Jesus" (Yeshua) comes from the same root.

• סַפְּרוּsapru· count, tell

  Count (numbers) and also tell (relate, recount). From here comes the word for "scribe".

• גּוֹיִםgoyim· nation

  Nation, a people with its land. In the plural, "the nations": all the peoples of the world, and especially those who are not Israel.

• כְּבוֹדkevod· glory, honor

  Weight, importance; from there glory, honor, splendor. Sometimes wealth: what makes someone "weigh".

• עַמִּיםamim· people

  People: a human group joined by kinship, history and destiny. "My people", said by God, is Israel. Also the people as a crowd, or troops.

• נִפְלְאוֹתָיniflotay· be wonderful, too hard

  Be extraordinary, beyond what one can do; be wonderful. "Is anything too hard for YHWH?"

• גָדוֹלgadol· great

  Great in size, number, age or importance; also "the elder" of two; "high priest" is "great priest".

• מְהֻלָּלmehulal· praise; boast

  Praise, extol. "Hallelujah" comes from this verb. In other forms, boast; also act like a madman.

• מְאֹדmeod· very, much

  Very, greatly, exceedingly; a word that strengthens what goes with it. As a noun, strength, might.

• נוֹרָאnora· fear

  Fear. It can be fright before a danger or deep reverence before God ("fear YHWH"). In some forms, be fearsome, awesome.

• אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods

  The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.

• אֱלִילִיםelilim· worthless things, idols

  Idols; the word calls them "worthless things". It also means worthless, of no value.

• שָׁמַיִםshamayim· heavens, sky

  The heavens: what is above, where the clouds, the sun and the stars are seen; also the dwelling of God. In Hebrew it is always plural. With birds, "the sky".

• עָשָׂהasa· do, make

  Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.

• הוֹדhod· majesty, splendor

  Majesty, splendor: the dignity and authority seen in someone.

• הָדָרhadar· splendor, beauty

  Splendor, beauty, majesty.

• פָנָיfanay· face, presence

  Face. From there "surface" (the face of something) and "presence" (being before someone's face); with a preposition it means "before" or "in front of".

• עֹזoz· strength, might

  Strength, power.

• תִפְאֶרֶתtiferet· beauty, glory

  Beauty, splendor; what someone takes pride in.

• מִקְדָּשׁmikdash· sanctuary

  Sanctuary: a place set apart for God; also a holy thing. Said too of the shrines of other gods.

• הָבוּhavu· give, come!

  Give. In the imperative it is used to urge: "come!", "come on!"

• מִשְׁפְּחוֹתmishpchot· family, clan

  Family in a wide sense: clan, a group of relatives; of animals, kind.

• שְׂאוּseu· lift, carry, bear

  Lift up, carry, bear. "Bear sin" is to suffer its consequences; said of God, "taking away" sin is forgiving it. "Lift up the eyes" is to look.

• מִנְחָהmincha· offering, gift

  Offering, a gift presented to someone greater. Offered to God it can be of animals or of produce; in the later laws it means above all the grain offering. Also tribute.

• בֹאוּvou· come, go in, bring

  Come, arrive, go in, enter. In the causative form, "bring" or "carry in". "Go in to" a woman is to have marital relations with her.

• חַצְרוֹתָיchatsrotay· court; village

  Enclosed court, courtyard; also an unwalled village.

• הִשְׁתַּחֲווּhishtachavu· bow down, worship

  Bow down: bend down to the ground. It was the gesture of respect before someone greater (a king, a visitor) and also the gesture of worshiping God.

• הַדְרַתhadrat· splendor, adornment

  Splendor, adornment: beauty that gives honor. In "the splendor of holiness" it may refer to the holy place or to the garments of those who come before YHWH.

• קֹדֶשׁkodesh· holiness, holy place

  Holiness: what is set apart for God. Also a holy place or a holy thing; "the holy of holies" is the most holy place.

• חִילוּchilu· writhe; wait

  Writhe, tremble, be in labor pains; also dance. In another form, wait anxiously.