Worship: The 7 Hebrew Words of Praise
Worship: The 7 Hebrew Words of Praise
The Difference between Worship and Praise
1praise \ˈprāz\ verb
praised; prais•ing [Middle English preisen, from Anglo-French preiser, priser to appraise, esteem—more at PRIZE] verb transitive 13th century
1: to express a favorable judgment of: COMMEND
2: to glorify (a god or saint) especially by the attribution of perfections verb intransitive: to express praise—prais•er noun
1. Halal
2146 II. הָלַל (hā·lǎl): v.; ≡ Str 1984; TWOT 499—1. LN 33.354–33.364 (piel) praise, cheer, brag on, extol, i.e., extol the greatness or excellence of a person, object, or event; (pual) be praised, be worthy of praise (2Sa 22:4; 1Ch 16:25; Ps 18:4; 48:2; 78:63; 96:4; 113:3; 145:3; Pr 12:8; Eze 26:17+), note: also verbal song and singing with the same themes; (hitp) boast in, praise, glory in, i.e., express words of excellence, with a focus on the confidence one has in the object, person, or event (1Ch 16:10; Ps 34:3[EB 2]; 52:3[EB 1]; 63:12[EB 11]; 64:11[EB 10]; 105:3; 106:5; Pr 31:30; Isa 41:16; 45:25; Jer 4:2+), see also domain LN 33.109–33.116; 2. LN 33.368–33.373 (piel) boast, brag, formally, praise about, i.e., speak words which show confidence in an object, which is not deity (Ps 10:3; 53:3[EB 1]); (hitp) boast, brag (1Ki 20:11; Ps 49:7[EB 6]; 97:7; Pr 20:14; 25:14; 27:1; Jer 9:22(3×)[EB 23(3×)],23(2×)[EB 24(2×)]; 49:4+), note: in some contexts this can be improper confidence, so be haughty, see also domain LN 88.206–88.222; note: see also 2149
2. Barak
1385 II. בָּרַךְ (bā·rǎḵ): v.; ≡ Str 1288; TWOT 285—1. LN 33.470–33.475 (piel) bless another, commend, i.e., speak words invoking divine favor, with the intent that the object will have favorable circumstances or state at a future time (Ge 1:22); (qal pass.)
22 And God blessed them, saying, iBe fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
13 For owhen God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, qhe sware by himself, 14 Saying, rSurely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
2328 εὐλογέω (eulogeō): vb.; ≡ DBLHebr 1385; Str 2127; TDNT 2.754—1. LN 33.356 praise, give thanks to, speak well of (Jas 3:9); 2. LN 33.470 bless (Ro 12:14); 3. LN 88.69 act. kindly toward, bless, provide benefits (Eph 1:3; Ac 3:25 v.r.)
5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and hoffered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and icursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job †continually.
29 Let people serve thee,
And nations bow down to thee:
wBe lord over thy brethren,
And xlet thy mother’s sons bow down to thee:
yCursed be every one that curseth thee,
And blessed be he that blesseth thee.
3. Yadah
3344 II. יָדָה (yā·ḏā(h)): v.; ≡ Str 3034; TWOT 847—1. LN 33.354–33.364 (hif) express praise, extol, i.e., make a public confession of the attributes and acts of power of a person (2Sa 22:50), (hitp) (2Ch 30:22) note: there is a focus on the content of praise, spoken out-loud, usually in the context of the community; 2. LN 33.349–33.353 (hif) give thanks, i.e., give an expression of praise for a person, with a particular focus on the subject being engaged in the expression of thanks or praise (1Ch 29:13); 3. LN 33.275–33.277 (hif) confess, make an admission, i.e., to publicly admit to something, usually a wrong of some kind (Ps 32:5; Pr 28:13); (hitp) (Lev 5:5; Da 9:4)
1 aO give thanks unto the LORD; bfor he is good:
cFor his mercy endureth for ever.
4. Shabach
10693 שְׁבַח (šeḇǎḥ): v.; ≡ DBLHebr 8655 Str 7624; TWOT 3014—LN 33.354–33.364 (pael) praise, laud, i.e., acclaim one’s excellence, implying the acknowledgment of high status to the recipient (Da 2:23; 4:31[EB 34],34[EB 37]; 5:4, 23+)
שׁבח verb
peal 1 JBA part. pass. praiseworthy
5. Zamar
2376 I. זָמַר (zā·mǎr): v.; ≡ Str 2167; TWOT 558—1. LN 33.109–33.116 (piel) sing praises, i.e., praise as an act. of worship to God in a chanting or melody, with the voice as the instrument (2Sa 22:50; Ps 9:3[EB 2]); 2. LN 6.83–6.95 play notes on instrument, i.e., make music (Ps 33:2; 98:4; 144:9; 147:7; 149:3), note: this may be only the accompaniment of an instrument to the main focus of singing words
2 Praise the LORD with charp:
Sing unto him with the cpsaltery dand an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing unto him ea new song;
Play skilfully fwith a loud noise.
6. Towdah
9343 תּוֹדָה (tô·ḏā(h)): n.fem.; ≡ Str 8426; TWOT 847b—1. LN 53.16–53.27 thank offering (Am 4:5); 2. LN 33.349–33.353 thanksgiving, a confession of thankfulness, i.e., to speak works of personal praise (Lev 7:12; Ps 100:4); 3. LN 33.109–33.116 song of thanksgiving (Ps 147:7; Jer 30:19; Jnh 2:10[EB 9]), see also domain LN 33.349–33.353; 4. LN 53.66–53.95 choir for thanksgiving, i.e., a musical worship group (Ne 12:31), see also domain LN 33.109–33.116; 5. LN 33.275–33.277 confession, i.e., to make a public admission of a wrong (Ezr 10:11); 6. LN 33.354–33.364 praise, extol, i.e., to give an expression of the character or acts of a person (Ps 26:7)
12 I abeseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye bpresent your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, cacceptable unto God, which is your dreasonable eservice.
7. Tehillah
9335 תְּהִלָּה (tehil·lā(h)): n.fem.; ≡ Str 8416; TWOT 500c—1. LN 33.354–33.364 praise, adoration, thanksgiving, i.e., speak positive words about the excellence of another (2Ch 20:22; Ps 22:26[EB 25]), note: often these words are in the context of being sung, see domain LN 33.109–33.116; 2. LN 33.365–33.367 renown, reputation, i.e., words that characterize a person or people (Jer 49:25); 3. LN 76 glory, i.e., a manifestation of power which causes wonder (Ex 15:11; Dt 10:21); 4. LN 42.7–42.28 deeds that are praiseworthy (Ps 78:4)
(tĕhillâ). n. fem. praise, thanksgiving. Describes praise and thanksgiving to God.
This noun is related to the verb הָלַל (hālal, “to praise”). It usually refers to praise offered to God. Sometimes a worshiper declares an intent to praise God, as in Psa 71:14: “I will hope continually and increase your praise (tĕhillâ)” (see also Psa 51:15; 106:47; Isa 42:12; 43:21). In other instances, the word is used in an exhortation to praise the Lord (e.g., Psa 66:8: “Bless our God, O peoples, and cause sound of his praise (tĕhillâ) to be heard”). In several instances, the Scriptures attest to a process by which God enables worshipers to become “a praise (tĕhillâ).” For example, in Isa 61:11 Yahweh “will make righteousness sprout, and praise (tĕhillâ) before the nations” (see also Jer 13:9; Deut 26:19), and in Zeph 3:19, he empowers the people such that their shame is turned into praise (tĕhillâ). Ultimate praise is suitably directed only to God, not to idols (Isa 42:8).
CONCLUSION: The Highest Praise: הַלְלוּ־יָהּ Hallelujah
2149 הַלְלוּיָהּ (hǎl·lû·yāh): inj. [oth 2146 imv. + 3363]; ≡ Str 1984, 3050;—LN 33.354–33.364 Hallelujah!, Praise the LORD!, i.e., a marker of the beginning or ending of a psalm of praise (Ps 111:1), see also 2146 and 3363