Psalms 33:2

2 Celebrate unto the LORD with harp; sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

Psalms 33:2 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 33:2

Praise the Lord with harp
An instrument David was well skilled in the use of, the inventor of which was Jubal, ( Genesis 4:21 ) ;

sing unto, him with the psaltery;
the name of this instrument is in the Hebrew language "nebel": the account which Josephus F23 gives of this, and of the former, is,

``the harp is extended with ten strings, and is plucked with a quill; the "nabla", or psaltery, has twelve sounds, and is played upon with the fingers;''

some make this and the next to be the same:

[and] an instrument of ten strings;
and read them together thus, "with the psaltery of ten strings": and so the Targum, Septuagint, and other versions F24: but it seems from Josephus that it was not a stringed instrument, but had holes, and those twelve; and besides it is distinguished from the instrument of ten strings, ( Psalms 92:3 ) ; it was in the form of a bottle, from whence it had its name.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 12. s. 3.
F24 Vid. Jarchium in loc. & R. Mosem in Aben Ezra in loc.

Psalms 33:2 In-Context

1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous, for to the upright praise is beautiful.
2 Celebrate unto the LORD with harp; sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing unto him a new song; play unto excellence with joy.
4 For the word of the LORD is right, and all his works are done in truth.
5 He loves righteousness and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the LORD.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010