Psalm 33:2

2 Acknowledge ye to the Lord in an harp; sing ye to him in a psaltery of ten strings. (Praise ye the Lord on a harp; sing ye to him on a ten-stringed lute.)

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 Ye just men, have fully joy in the Lord; praising (al)together becometh rightful men. (Ye who be righteous, have full out joy, or rejoice, in the Lord; praising him becometh those who be upright, or obedient.)

2 Acknowledge ye to the Lord in an harp; sing ye to him in a psaltery of ten strings. (Praise ye the Lord on a harp; sing ye to him on a ten-stringed lute.)

3 Sing ye to him a new song; say ye well psalm to him in crying [out]. (Sing ye to him a new song; boldly say ye a psalm to him, and shout out loud.)

4 For the word of the Lord is rightful (For the word of the Lord is true); and all his works be (done) in faithfulness.

5 He loveth mercy and doom; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord. (He loveth righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the love of the Lord.)