שִׁיר (shir)
shir
song
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 48 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun shir simply means song, but in the Bible it carries a specific weight of structured, often musical expression. It appears forty-eight times across Scripture, with a heavy concentration in Psalms, Isaiah, and II Chronicles. This is not casual humming; it refers to composed lyrics set to melody, frequently intended for public worship or royal celebration.
A key distinction lies in its usage for Levitical choirs. In II Chronicles, shir describes the organized music led by appointed singers during temple services. This suggests a formal, liturgical quality. The word often pairs with verbs like "sing" or nouns like "praise," creating a rich tapestry of auditory worship that defines Israel's corporate religious life.
The theological significance emerges in Isaiah, where shir marks songs of deliverance and hope. When the people sing a new song to the Lord, it reflects a response to divine action. The term anchors the idea that praise is not just an emotion but a crafted offering, reflecting order and gratitude within the covenant community.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word shir refers to more than just casual humming or spontaneous noise. It describes a structured song, often set to melody and intended for communal expression. In the ancient world, this was a crafted offering of praise, reflecting order and gratitude within the covenant community. When you encounter this term in Scripture, it reminds us that worship is both an emotion and a deliberate act of devotion.
Consider the moment in Exodus 15:1 when Moses and the Israelites sang after crossing the Red Sea. This was not a quiet whisper but a powerful declaration of deliverance. Such songs served as witnesses to God's faithfulness, anchoring the people's memory in His saving acts. You can find similar expressions in the Psalms and Chronicles, where appointed singers led the congregation in thanksgiving.
For your own life, this word invites you to view your praise as a meaningful response to divine action. Whether in times of joy or reflection, crafting words of gratitude helps structure your faith. It is an invitation to join the long line of believers who have used song to declare God's goodness, turning personal experience into corporate worship.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 48 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ song10×
- a song8×
- song5×
- [the] song of4×
- <the>/ song4×
- <the> song of3×
- with <the>/ song2×
- songs/ your2×
- and/ with/ songs2×
- and/ with/ song2×
- the/ songs1×
- songs of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שִׁ֣יר7×
- שִׁ֥יר3×
- שִׁיר\־2×
- שִֽׁיר\׃2×
- הַ/שִּׁירָ֥ה2×
- הַ/שִּׁירָ֣ה2×
- הַ/שִּׁירָ֖ה2×
- שִׁרֶ֑י/ךָ1×
- שִׁירַ֥ת1×
- שִׁיר֤וֹת1×
- שִֽׁירֵי/כֶם֙1×
- שִׁ֭יר1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 15:1
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to Yahweh, and said, “I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously. He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea.
This verse captures the immediate response of deliverance, where Moses leads a composed song that serves as a public testimony of God's triumph.
-
Deuteronomy 31:19
“Now therefore write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
Here the song is given a specific legal function, acting as a witness against Israel to remind them of their covenant obligations.
-
II Chronicles 29:27
Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, Yahweh’s song also began, along with the trumpets and instruments of David king of Israel.
This occurrence highlights the liturgical role of shir during Hezekiah's reforms, where the song began simultaneously with the burnt offering.