Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 150:3

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

3. with the sound of the trumpet ] With blast of cornet. The ‘cornet,’ originally a ram’s or cow’s horn, perhaps in later times a metal instrument of the same shape, was mainly employed for secular purposes, while the instrument generally used in religious ceremonies was the chatstserh or straight metal trumpet. Cp. however Psa 47:5; Psa 81:3; Psa 98:6. It was ordinarily the work of the priests to blow the trumpet (1Ch 15:24; Neh 12:35; Neh 12:41; and often); Levites are often described as playing psalteries and harps and cymbals (1Ch 25:1; 1Ch 25:6; Neh 12:27); tambourines were beaten by women as they danced (Psa 68:25); the terms used for stringed instruments and pipes are not elsewhere connected with religious ceremonies. Thus the call to praise is addressed to priests, Levites, and people; and every kind of instrument is to be enlisted in the service.

psaltery and harp ] Or, harp and lyre. The nbhel and the kinnr were both stringed instruments, but the precise distinction between them is unknown. There are some reasons for thinking that the nbhel (A.V. psaltery in the Historical Books and Psalms [92] , viol in the Prophets) was the larger and more elaborate instrument. See Driver’s Joel and Amos, p. 234; and for illustrations of ancient lyres and harps, see Stainer, Music of the Bible, Chaps. i, ii.

[92] These books were in the hands of the Westminster and Cambridge companies, and the Westminster company consisted mainly of Cambridge scholars, while the Prophets were in the hands of an Oxford company. In the Apocrypha also, which was revised by a Cambridge company, psaltery is used, but not viol.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet – Margin, cornet. In this verse and the verses following there is an allusion to the instruments of music which were commonly employed in Hebrew worship. The idea is, that all these – all that could properly express praise – should be used to celebrate the praises of God. Each one, with its own distinct note, and all combined in harmony, should be employed for this purpose. Most of these instruments, and many more, are now combined in the organ, where the instruments, instead of being played on by separate performers, are so united that they can be supplied with wind from one source – the bellows – and all played by one performer. Thus one mind directs the performance, securing, if skillfully done, perfect unity and harmony. This instrument was unknown to the Hebrews. Among them, each instrument had its own performer. The trumpet was principally used to call the people together, but it was also an important instrument among those used by the bands of musicians that performed in the temple, as its tones are now important ones in the organ.

Praise him with the psaltery and harp – Hebrew, the nebel and kinnor. See these instruments described in the notes at Isa 5:12. The word here rendered psaltery is there rendered viol – And the harp and the viol, etc.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Psa 150:3-5

Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet.

Musical instruments in worship

1. Albeit the typical ceremonies of musical instruments in Gods public worship, belonging to the pedagogy of the Church, in her minority before Christ, be now abolished with the rest of the ceremonies, yet the moral duties shadowed forth by them are still to be studied, because this duty of praising God, and praising Him with all our mind, strength and soul is moral, whereunto we are perpetually obliged.

2. The variety of musical instruments, some of them made use of in the camp, as trumpets; some of them more suitable to a peaceable condition, as psalteries and harps; some of them sounding by blowing wind in them; some of them sounding by lighter touching of them, as stringed instruments; some of them by beating on them more sharply, as tabrets, drums and cymbals; some of them sounding by touching and blowing also, as organs: all of them giving some certain sound, some more quiet, and some making more noise; some of them having a harmony by themselves; some of them making a consort with other instruments, or with the motions of the body in dancings, some of them serving for one use, some of them serving for another, and all of them serving to set forth Gods glory, and to shadow forth the duty of worshippers and the privileges of the saints. The plurality and variety, I say, of these instruments, were fit to represent divers conditions of the spiritual man, and of the greatness of the joy to be found in God, and to teach what stirring up should be of the affections and powers of our soul, and one of another, unto Gods worship; what harmony should be amongst worshippers of God, what melody each should mike in himself, singing to God with grace in his heart, and to show the excellency of Gods praise, which no means nor instrument, nor any expression of the body joined thereto, could sufficiently set forth; and thus much is figured forth in these exhortations to praise God with trumpet, etc. (D. Dickson.)

Office of music in Divine service

Thanksgiving, a consciousness of the goodness and glory of God, the souls joy in God–how seldom do you find an utterance of this in the prayers of the sanctuary. There is a provision, even in our churches, for the excitation and expression of praise. It is the song-service of the church. But the first and most fatal difficulty in this is that we have no religious music; or, rather, that the music of the church is for the sake of music, and not for the sake of praise, it expresses the aesthetic or art-feeling about praise–not heart-feeling. It is aimed at a wholly different thing from that which music was designed to be in the sanctuary. In the household, music aims at a domestic feeling. A mothers lullaby is sung in the family. No one Would expect a mother to sit by the side of the cradle and attempt to sing Handels Messiah, or to execute the difficult passages of an opera. Something sweet–a simple carol–is the mothers song. The child knows it, and feels it. It is aimed at a domestic effect. In songs of patriotism that express and excite that feeling the music becomes subordinate. The most patriotic tunes in vogue have no merit as tunes, but they possess a subtle element that stirs up a patriotic feeling in the heart, and it therefore answers the end of music. Multitudes of tunes in the church of God are hewn out of symphonies, and oratorios, and operas. They are music as operas, and oratorios, and symphonies, but they are trash in Gods house. In many cases the better a tune is, the worse it is in the service of the sanctuary. For the office of music in Divine service is praising. (H. W. Beecher.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 3. The sound of the trumpet] sophar, from its noble, cheering, and majestic sound; for the original has this ideal meaning.

With the psaltery] nebel; the nabla, a hollow stringed instrument; perhaps like the guitar, or the old symphony.

And harp.] kinnor, another stringed instrument, played on with the hands or fingers.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

3, 4. trumpetused to callreligious assemblies;

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet,…. Which was used in calling the assembly together, for worship and on other occasions; and at the feast of blowing of trumpets, and in the year of jubilee,

Nu 10:1; and by the priests in temple service,

1Ch 16:6; and was typical of the Gospel, which gives a certain and joyful sound, and is the cause and means of praising God, Isa 27:13;

praise him with the psaltery; to which psalms were sung;

and harp; which were instruments of music, both used in divine worship under the former dispensation; and in which David was well skilled and delighted, and appointed proper persons to praise with them,

1Ch 15:20. They were typical of the spiritual melody made in the hearts of God’s people, while they are praising him in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, under the Gospel, Eph 5:19.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

3. Praise him with sound of trumpet. I do not insist upon the words in the Hebrew signifying the musical instruments; only let the reader remember that sundry different kinds are here mentioned, which were in use under the legal economy, the more forcibly to teach the children of God that they cannot apply themselves too diligently to the praises of God — as if he would enjoin them strenuously to bring to this service all their powers, and devote themselves wholly to it. Nor was it without reason that God under the law enjoined this multiplicity of songs, that he might lead men away from those vain and corrupt pleasures to which they are excessively addicted, to a holy and profitable joy. Our corrupt nature indulges in extraordinary liberties, many devising methods of gratification which are preposterous, while their highest satisfaction lies in suppressing all thoughts of God. This perverse disposition could only be corrected in the way of God’s retaining a weak and ignorant people under many restraints, and constant exercises. The Psalmist, therefore, in exhorting believers to pour forth all their joy in the praises of God, enumerates, one upon another, all the musical instruments which were then in use, and reminds them that they ought all to be consecrated to the worship of God.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(3) Trumpet.Heb., shphar. (See Psa. 81:3; Psa. 98:6. LXX., .) It was the crooked horn, sometimes also called keren. (Bble Educator, 2:231.)

Psaltery and harp.See Note, Psa. 33:2.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

3-5. Having spoken of the Being to whom this praise belongs, the places where it should be rendered, and the reasons why it should be given, (vers. 1, 2,) the psalmist now comes to mention the instrumental helps by which the widest and most acceptable expressions of joy and gratitude could be made. Twelve times in this short psalm the call for praise is made, (besides the declarative future, Psa 150:6,) and now with nine varieties of instrumental music. This variety is not proposed as a complete enumeration, but suffices as an expression of the loudest and most earnest praise, wherein each nation is called to use its own favorite instruments. The occasion is the world’s jubilee. The kingdom has come! The Lord reigneth! Nations and nature join in the swelling anthem! See Rev 5:13; Rev 19:6-7. “May we not say that in this psalm’s enumeration of musical instruments there is a reference to the variety that exists among men in the mode of expressing joy and exciting feeling? All nations come and praise! Use every energy for praise! Men in every variety of circumstances, men of every various mood, men of all capacities, come and praise! Each in his own way sing hallelujah.” Bonar.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments