Strong G5567ψάλλω
to sing praise
- Transliteration
- psallō
- Pronunciation
- psal'-lo
- Morphology
- Greek Verb
Definition
Probably strengthened from ψάω psaō (to rub or touch the surface; compare G5597); to twitch or twang that is to play on a stringed instrument (celebrate the divine worship with music and accompanying odes): - make melody sing (psalms).
Detailed definition
ψάλλω
[in LXX chiefly for זָמַר pi. (Jdg.5:3, Psa.7:17, al.), also for נָגַן pi. (1Ki.16:16 ff, al.);]
1. to pull, twitch, twang (as a bowstring, etc.; Æsch., Eur., al.), hence,
2. absol.,
__(a) to play a stringed instrument with the fingers (Hdt., Plat., al.);
__(b) later, to sing to a harp, sing psalms (LXX); in NT, to sing a hymn, sing praise: Jas.5:13; with dative of person(s), Rom.15:9 (LXX), Eph.5:19; dative instr., 1Co.14:15.†
(AS)
[in LXX chiefly for זָמַר pi. (Jdg.5:3, Psa.7:17, al.), also for נָגַן pi. (1Ki.16:16 ff, al.);]
1. to pull, twitch, twang (as a bowstring, etc.; Æsch., Eur., al.), hence,
2. absol.,
__(a) to play a stringed instrument with the fingers (Hdt., Plat., al.);
__(b) later, to sing to a harp, sing psalms (LXX); in NT, to sing a hymn, sing praise: Jas.5:13; with dative of person(s), Rom.15:9 (LXX), Eph.5:19; dative instr., 1Co.14:15.†
(AS)
In the Bible
Strong G5567 appears in 4 verses of the KJV.
Translated in the KJV by
- sing3
- melody1
First verses
- Romans 15:9And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
- 1 Corinthians 14:15What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
- Ephesians 5:19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
- James 5:13Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
Occurrences by book
Related words
Detailed Greek dictionary
ψάλλω,
future ψᾰλῶ [LXX+NT (LXX.Judg.5.3, NT.1Cor.14.15)]: aorist ἔψηλα [LXX+5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Lysis” 209b, etc., and in LXX ἔψᾱλα LXX.Psa.9.12, +others)]:—pluck, pull, twitch, ψ. ἔθειραν pluck the hair, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Persae” 1062: especially of the bow-string, τόξων χερὶ ψάλλουσι νευράς)] twang them, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Bacchae” 784; κενὸν κρότον 3rd c.BC: Lycophron Tragicus 1453)]; ἐκ κέραος ψ. βέλος send a shaft twanging from the bow, [Refs (“APl.” 4.211 (Stat. Flacc.))]; so μιλτοχαρὴς σχοῖνος ψαλλομένη a carpenter's red line, which is twitched and then suddenly let go, so as to leave a mark, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (“Anthologia Graeca” 6.103 (1st c.AD: Philippus Epigrammaticus): _metaphorically_, γυναῖκας ἐξ ἀνδρῶν ψόγος ψάλλει, κενὸν τόξευμα 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Fragmenta” 499.)]
II mostly of the strings of musical instruments, play a stringed instrument with the fingers, and not with the plectron, ψῆλαι καὶ κρούειν τῷ πλήκτρῳ [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus)] [same place], et ibi [Refs 4th c.BC+ (Scholia; ἐάν τις ψήλας τὴν νήτην ἐπιλάβῃ 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Problemata” 919b15; μουσικώτατος ὢν χατὰ χεῖρα δίχα πλήκτρου ἔψαλλε 2nd c.AD: Athenaeus Epigrammaticus 4.183d)]; opposed to κιθαρίζω, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.155, “SIG” 578.18 (Teos, 2nd c.BC))]; πρὶν μέν σ᾽ ἑπτάτονον ψάλλον (i.e. τὴν λύραν) Ion Eleg.3.3: absolutely, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus [same place], 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Equites” 522, Hippias (?) in “PHib.” 1.13.24; κόραις 4th-3rd c.BC: Menander Comicus “Ἐπιτρέποντες” 260; ψάλλειν [οὐκ ἔνι] ἄνευ λύρας 2nd c.AD: Lucianus Sophista “Par.” 17:)] —Prov., ῥᾷον ἤ τις ἂν χορδὴν ψήλειε 'as easy as falling off a log', [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd c.AD: Aristides Rhetor “Orationes” 26(14).31.)]
II.2 later, sing to a harp, [LXX+NT (LXX.Psa.7.18, 9.12, +others; τῇ καρδίᾳ NT.Eph.5.19)]; τῷ πνεύματι [NT (NT.1Cor.[prev. cited])]
II.3 passive, of the instrument, to be struck or played, ψαλλομένη χορδή [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Problemata” 919b2)]; also of persons, to be played to on the harp, [Refs 3rd c.BC+ (3rd c.BC: Macho Comicus cited in 2nd c.AD: Athenaeus Epigrammaticus 8.348f.)]
future ψᾰλῶ [LXX+NT (LXX.Judg.5.3, NT.1Cor.14.15)]: aorist ἔψηλα [LXX+5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Lysis” 209b, etc., and in LXX ἔψᾱλα LXX.Psa.9.12, +others)]:—pluck, pull, twitch, ψ. ἔθειραν pluck the hair, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Persae” 1062: especially of the bow-string, τόξων χερὶ ψάλλουσι νευράς)] twang them, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Bacchae” 784; κενὸν κρότον 3rd c.BC: Lycophron Tragicus 1453)]; ἐκ κέραος ψ. βέλος send a shaft twanging from the bow, [Refs (“APl.” 4.211 (Stat. Flacc.))]; so μιλτοχαρὴς σχοῖνος ψαλλομένη a carpenter's red line, which is twitched and then suddenly let go, so as to leave a mark, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (“Anthologia Graeca” 6.103 (1st c.AD: Philippus Epigrammaticus): _metaphorically_, γυναῖκας ἐξ ἀνδρῶν ψόγος ψάλλει, κενὸν τόξευμα 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Fragmenta” 499.)]
II mostly of the strings of musical instruments, play a stringed instrument with the fingers, and not with the plectron, ψῆλαι καὶ κρούειν τῷ πλήκτρῳ [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus)] [same place], et ibi [Refs 4th c.BC+ (Scholia; ἐάν τις ψήλας τὴν νήτην ἐπιλάβῃ 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Problemata” 919b15; μουσικώτατος ὢν χατὰ χεῖρα δίχα πλήκτρου ἔψαλλε 2nd c.AD: Athenaeus Epigrammaticus 4.183d)]; opposed to κιθαρίζω, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.155, “SIG” 578.18 (Teos, 2nd c.BC))]; πρὶν μέν σ᾽ ἑπτάτονον ψάλλον (i.e. τὴν λύραν) Ion Eleg.3.3: absolutely, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus [same place], 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Equites” 522, Hippias (?) in “PHib.” 1.13.24; κόραις 4th-3rd c.BC: Menander Comicus “Ἐπιτρέποντες” 260; ψάλλειν [οὐκ ἔνι] ἄνευ λύρας 2nd c.AD: Lucianus Sophista “Par.” 17:)] —Prov., ῥᾷον ἤ τις ἂν χορδὴν ψήλειε 'as easy as falling off a log', [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd c.AD: Aristides Rhetor “Orationes” 26(14).31.)]
II.2 later, sing to a harp, [LXX+NT (LXX.Psa.7.18, 9.12, +others; τῇ καρδίᾳ NT.Eph.5.19)]; τῷ πνεύματι [NT (NT.1Cor.[prev. cited])]
II.3 passive, of the instrument, to be struck or played, ψαλλομένη χορδή [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Problemata” 919b2)]; also of persons, to be played to on the harp, [Refs 3rd c.BC+ (3rd c.BC: Macho Comicus cited in 2nd c.AD: Athenaeus Epigrammaticus 8.348f.)]