Word-Level Semantics

Click on a highlighted word below to learn more about its meaning. For words not discussed below, visit the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew.

v. 1

1a	הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀	Praise Yah.
1b	הַֽלְלוּ־אֵ֥ל בְּקָדְשׁ֑וֹ	Praise God who is in his sanctuary.
1c	הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בִּרְקִ֥יעַ עֻזּֽוֹ	Praise him who is in his strong firmament.

2a	הַֽלְל֥וּהוּ בִגְבוּרֹתָ֑יו	Praise him for his achievements.
2b	הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ כְּרֹ֣ב גֻּדְלֽוֹ׃	Praise him according to his great greatness.

3a	הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ בְּתֵ֣קַע שׁוֹפָ֑ר׃	Praise him with the blast of a horn.
3b	הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בְּנֵ֣בֶל וְכִנּֽוֹר	Praise him with lyre and lute.

4a	הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ בְתֹ֣ף וּמָח֑וֹל	Praise him with drum and dance.
4b	הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בְּמִנִּ֥ים וְעוּגָֽב׃	Praise him with strings and flute.

5a	הַֽלְל֥וּהוּ בְצִלְצְלֵי־שָׁ֑מַע	Praise him with loud cymbals.
5b	הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בְּֽצִלְצְלֵ֥י תְרוּעָֽה ׃׃	Praise him with resounding cymbals.

6a	כֹּ֣ל הַ֭נְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּ֥ל יָ֗הּ	Let every living creature praise Yah.
6b	הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ ׃׃	Praise Yah.

Verse	Phrase	Semantic analysis	Paraphrase
v. 1a	בְּקָדְשׁ֑וֹ	sanctuary (possession) of him (possessor)	"his sanctuary"
v. 1b	בִּרְקִ֥יעַ עֻזּֽוֹ	firmament (entity) of strength (characteristic of entity) of him (possessor of entity)	"his strong firmament"
v. 2a	בִגְבוּרֹתָ֑יו	accomplishments (patient) of him (agent)	"accomplishments that he accomplished"
v. 2b	כְּרֹ֣ב גֻּדְלֽוֹ	abundance (characteristic) of greatness (possession [characteristic]) of him (possessor of characteristic)	"his abundant greatness"
v. 3a	בְּתֵ֣קַע שׁוֹפָ֑ר	blast (verbal notion) of trumpet (patient)	"blasting a trumpet"
v. 5a	בְצִלְצְלֵי־שָׁ֑מַע	cymbals (entity) of sound (result)	"cymbals that produce a sound"
v. 5b	בְּֽצִלְצְלֵ֥י תְרוּעָֽה	cymbals (entity) of loud-noise (result)	"cymbals that produce a loud noise"
v. 6a	כֹּ֣ל הַ֭נְּשָׁמָה	"Specification of undivided whole"^[1]	"the totality of the (class of) living creature"

בִּרְקִ֥יעַ עֻזּֽוֹ (v. 1b). There are at least two options for interpreting the meaning of this phrase: 1) Attribution. e.g., “his mighty heaven(s)/expanse/firmament” (RSV, NIV, ESV, NLT, NASB, CSB); 2) Apposition. e.g., “heaven, his mighty fortress” (CEV, cf. CEB). The issue depends partly on the meaning of the word, עֹז. SDBH lists this occurrence of עֹז under entry (b): “a construction that is strong and able to resist attacks.” This is consistent with the second option above (Apposition). However, the first option (Attribution with עֹז meaning “strength” rather than “fortress”) is more likely for the following reasons:
- The meaning “strength” is far more common, occurring at least 60 times according to SDBH. The meaning, “stronghold”, on the other hand, occurs only three times according to SDBH (and only once according to BDB).
- When עז is the absolute noun in a construct chain, it is very often attributive (see the many biblical and extra-biblical examples listed in DCH).
- If רקיע and עזו were co-referential, this relationship could be more naturally expressed by grammatical apposition (הרָקִי‌עַ עֻזּוֹ) than by a construct chain (רְקִיעַ עֻזּוֹ). The construct chain, on the other hand, often expresses an attributive relationship (e.g., Ps. 2:6 הר קדשי - “my holy mountain”; Ps. 4:2 אלהי צדקי “my righteous God”).

בְצִלְצְלֵי־שָׁ֑מַע...בְּֽצִלְצְלֵ֥י תְרוּעָֽה (v. 5). The meaning of these phrases is not clear since they occur nowhere else in the OT. One possibility is that two different kinds of cymbals are in view. Sachs, for example, "calls attention to the two kinds of cymbals in Tibet and Java. The harsh cymbals are the heavier and are vertically struck, while the lighter clear cymbals are horizontally struck. While there are no pictures of Hebrew cymbal beaters, the two kinds of cymbals appear in Assyrian reliefs."^[2] Another possibility is that two distinct functions of the same kind of cymbal are in view (צִלְצְלֵי־שָׁ֑מַע: summoning people to listen; צִלְצְלֵ֥י תְרוּעָֽה: summoning people to shout).^[3] The Targum offers yet another interpretation: "cymbals that sound out alone" and "cymbals that sound out with the clarion blast."^[4]

Verse	Phrase	Semantic analysis	Paraphrase
v. 1a	בְּקָדְשׁ֑וֹ	location	"in his sanctuary"
v. 1b	בִּרְקִ֥יעַ עֻזּֽוֹ	location	"in his strong firmament"
v. 2a	בִגְבוּרֹתָ֑יו	cause	"because of accomplishments"
v. 2b	כְּרֹ֣ב גֻּדְלֽוֹ	agreement	"according to his abundant greatness"
v. 3a	בְּתֵ֣קַע שׁוֹפָ֑ר	instrument	"with the blast of a horn
v. 3b	בְּנֵ֣בֶל וְכִנּֽוֹר	instrument	"with lyre and lute"
v. 4a	בְתֹ֣ף וּמָח֑וֹל	instrument	"with drum and dance"
v. 4b	בְּמִנִּ֥ים וְעוּגָֽב	instrument	"with strings and flute"
v. 5a	בְצִלְצְלֵי־שָׁ֑מַע	instrument	"with loud cymbals"
v. 5b	בְּֽצִלְצְלֵ֥י תְרוּעָֽה	instrument	"with resounding cymbals"

For semantics at the level of the sentence and above, see Psalm 150 Story behind the Psalm.

The only verb in Psalm 150 is "praise" (הלל). This active verb is durative (taking time, not instantaneous) and atelic (without a built-in endpoint; it can go on indefinitely). It is, therefore, an activity.
v. 6. The yiqtol form in v. 6 is ambiguous: it could be indicative/assertive ("every living creature will praise") or volitional/jussive ("Let every living creature praise"). The context of volitional clauses ("Praise him!") makes it highly probable that this is a jussive (so LXX, 3rd person imperative).