Psalm 33:2

2 Give thanks to the Lord with harps, sing to him with stringed instruments.

Psalm 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Psalm 33:2 In-Context

1 All you that are righteous, shout for joy for what the Lord has done; praise him, all you that obey him.

2 Give thanks to the Lord with harps, sing to him with stringed instruments.

3 Sing a new song to him, play the harp with skill, and shout for joy!

4 The words of the Lord are true, and all his works are dependable.

5 The Lord loves what is righteous and just; his constant love fills the earth.