Psalms 150:5 · Bible study
Psalms 150:5 Commentary: Two Kinds of Cymbals
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore why Psalm 150:5 mentions two kinds of cymbals and what they teach about the nature of praise, from clear tones to triumphant shouts.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The two cymbals represent clear, ringing praise (צלצלי שמע) and loud, triumphant praise (צלצלי תרועה), covering the full range of audible joy.
- Key words: צלצלי (tsiltselim, cymbals), שמע (shama, hearing/sound), תרועה (teruah, shout, jubilation, battle cry).
- Main debate: Whether the distinction is primarily about size (small vs large) or about function (clear tone vs festive shout).
- Theological theme: Praise is comprehensive, every sound, every volume, every expression of joy finds its place in worship of God.
- Best use: A closing psalm that calls the gathered community to exuberant, uninhibited praise, and invites every living creature to join.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Praise Him with clashing cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Praise him with loud cymbals! Praise him with resounding cymbals!
KJV King James Version 1769
Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Praise him with loud cymbals: Praise him with high sounding cymbals.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Praise Him with cymbals of sounding, Praise Him with cymbals of shouting.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Praise him with loud cymbals; praise him with high sounding cymbals.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Praise him on high sounding cymbals: praise him on cymbals of joy: let every spirit praise the Lord. Alleluia.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Alabadle con címbalos resonantes: alabadle con címbalos de júbilo.
Louvai-o com címbalos bem sonoros; louvai-o com címbalos de sons de alegria.
Louez-le avec les cymbales sonores!
Lobet ihn mit hellen Zimbeln; lobet ihn mit wohlklingenden Zimbeln!
Looft Hem met hel klinkende cimbalen; looft Hem met cimbalen van vreugdegeluid!
Lodatelo con cembali risonanti, lodatelo con cembali squillanti.
Chwalcie go na cymbałach głośnych; chwalcie go cymbałach krzykliwych.
Хвалите Его на звучных кимвалах, хвалите Его на кимвалах громогласных.
用大響 的鈸 讚美他！用高聲 的鈸 讚美他！
Give him praise with the loud brass: give him praise with the high-sounding brass.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 150:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that verse 5 names two distinct cymbals, not one described two ways. The Hebrew phrases are tsiltsēlē shāma’ (literally “cymbals of hearing”) and tsiltsēlē tərû‘â (“cymbals of shouting”). Barnes explains that the first produces a clear, ringing sound that is most audible; the second, a louder, triumphant clang echoing a victory cry. The Cambridge Bible notes that the Arabs still distinguish small, clear-sounding cymbals from larger, booming ones used in religious ceremonies. Keil and Delitzsch observe that these two kinds complete the tenfold call to praise that runs through the Psalm, a number signifying completeness and exhaustive joy. Together, the pair shows that every range of musical expression, from the sharpest ring to the deepest crash, belongs in God’s worship. Nothing is held back.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal distinction in instruments: The Hebrew terms clearly differentiate two types of cymbals (small/clear vs large/loud), as attested by Barnes, Cambridge Bible, and Keil & Delitzsch, and supported by musical practice elsewhere in the ancient Near East.
- Poetic parallelism (no real difference): Some read the two phrases as synonymous parallelism common in Hebrew poetry, where the second line restates the first with slight variation for emphasis, not to name distinct instruments.
- Symbolic of two kinds of praise: Early and medieval interpreters (e.g., some church fathers) saw the pair as representing inner and outer praise, or praise from the law and from the gospel, based on the different connotations of ‘sound’ and ‘shout.’
What is clear: The verse concludes a tenfold call to praise, inviting every living thing to use full range of expression — from clear, ringing joy to loud, triumphant celebration — all directed to God.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Two kinds of cymbals | Most commentators recognise two distinct cymbals named in verse 5, distinguished by their sound or size. | Some (Barnes, Cambridge Bible) see smaller clear-sounding vs larger booming cymbals; others (Keil & Delitzsch) see a contrast between a sharper tone and a more triumphant clang. A minority view interprets the pair as mere poetic repetition for emphasis. |
| Symbolic meaning | The two cymbals together represent the fullness and diversity of praise, nothing is held back. | Historic interpreters sometimes allegorise them as the Old and New Testaments (clear and loud), or as the voice and the heart. Modern scholars generally keep the symbolism within the musical and liturgical context of temple worship. |
| Application for Christian worship | The verse calls for wholehearted, joyful praise expressed through whatever means are available. | Protestants frequently read the instruments as symbolic of the heart’s joy, while Pentecostal and charismatic traditions see a warrant for exuberant musical expression. Catholics and Orthodox may place the verse in the context of liturgical tradition where cymbals are not used but the principle of ordered joyful celebration remains. |
| The tenfold 'praise him' | The repeated call (ten occurrences of 'praise him') is intentional and suggests completeness or consummation. | Some (Keil, Delitzsch) link it to the number ten as a symbol of exhaustiveness. Others (Lange) are cautious about over-interpreting the counting. Kimchi connected it to thirteen divine attributes, but that is not widely accepted. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 150 closes the Psalter with a sustained summons to praise. The verses move from place (sanctuary, firmament) to reason (mighty acts, greatness) then to means, a crescendo of instruments. Cymbals appear last, as the climax of the list, before the final call that every living thing join the song.
In the temple, cymbals were played by Levites set apart for music. First Chronicles 15:19 names Heman, Asaph and Ethan as the cymbal players, who “were given cymbals of bronze to sound aloud.” Later, 1 Chronicles 25:1 and 25:6 describe whole guilds of musicians who “prophesied with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals.” These were not random noise-makers. The cymbal’s sharp clang marked turning points in the liturgy, moments of high celebration or the arrival of the ark (1 Chronicles 15:28).
The two Hebrew terms reflect this liturgical context. Shāma’ (hearing) points to a crisp, clear tone that carries; tərû‘â (shouting) evokes the blast of alarm or the shout of triumph at a king’s victory. The psalmist deliberately pairs them to cover the full spectrum of audible praise, clarity and thunder, precision and abandon. The number ten of the “hallelu” exhortations, as Keil and Delitzsch note, symbolizes completeness. So the closing Psalm does not just invite praise; it gives every creature permission to use every sound. No note is left out.
Textual Notes
No significant textual variants are noted in the supplied commentaries. The Hebrew text is stable across the manuscript traditions. The Septuagint renders the second phrase as ἐν κυμβάλοις ἀλαλαγμοῦ (“with cymbals of shouting”), which matches the Hebrew tərû‘â.
Reception History
The early church read Psalm 150 as a call to spiritual worship, often allegorising the instruments as virtues or the two testaments. Augustine saw the cymbals as the mouth and hands of the faithful praising together. In the Reformation, the Geneva Bible notes and Calvin’s comments emphasise the audible, public character of praise, not a private feeling but a corporate sound. Later hymnody drew on the verse’s energy: Isaac Watts paraphrased it in “From all that dwell below the skies.” Across traditions, Psalm 150 has been set to music as a grand finale, from Anglican choral anthems to African gospel arrangements, always using the verse as a warrant for joyful noise.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Clear and loud, Both cymbals matter. God welcomes the delicate click of the smaller cymbal and the crashing boom of the larger one. Praise is not one tone only.
- Complete praise, The tenfold “hallelu” frames the whole Psalm. The number ten signals fullness; nothing is missing. Every instrument, every voice, every kind of joy belongs.
- From sanctuary to breath, The Psalm begins in God’s sanctuary and ends with “everything that has breath.” Praise that starts in the gathered assembly overflows to all creation.
Five-point outline
- The two cymbals, What they are: one clear-sounding, one jubilant. The text does not let us settle into one mood.
- The range of instruments, Trumpets, harps, tambourines, strings, flutes, cymbals. Each brings its own character. Praise is not monotonous.
- The ten calls, The repeated “praise him” builds intensity. Repetition is not empty; it trains the heart to stay engaged.
- The place of praise, Sanctuary and heavens. Heaven and earth join. There is no corner of reality where praise is out of place.
- The final breath, Verse 6 extends the invitation to every living thing. Praise is the natural response of being alive.
Illustration hooks
- Two instruments, one song, A church orchestra where the flutist plays a delicate melody and the drummer provides a powerful beat. Both are necessary; one does not cancel the other. The congregation needs both the quiet hum and the crashing crescendo.
- A family dinner, Some family members tell stories in a calm voice; others laugh loudly. Both set the table for celebration. The cymbals remind us that praise takes many volumes, and each has its place.
- Sports stadium, When a team scores, fans shout and clap. Some use thundersticks, others wave flags. The noise is not chaos; it is the sound of joy with no reservation. The two cymbals evoke that kind of unrestrained celebration.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God really care what instruments we use in worship, or is this just Old Testament culture?
- I am not a naturally loud or expressive person. Is quiet, inward praise enough?
- What does exuberance in worship have to do with everyday obedience or suffering?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 150:5 lands at the end of the Psalter with two different kinds of cymbals. The question is not whether we play cymbals in church today; the question is what the range of sound teaches us about the range of praise. This discussion helps a small group explore how the verse invites them to express joy fully and freely.
Discussion questions
- Look at the list of instruments in verses 3, 5. Why do you think the psalmist includes so many different ones? What does that variety suggest about praise?
- The Hebrew phrases for the two cymbals are “cymbals of hearing” and “cymbals of shouting.” What different images do those words bring to mind?
- Verse 5 comes right before “let everything that has breath praise.” How does the variety of instruments prepare for that final summons?
- Some Christians prefer quiet, reflective worship; others prefer loud, energetic songs. How does this verse speak to that difference? Does it favor one over the other?
- The number ten appears in the repeated “praise him” calls. How might the idea of completeness shape the way you think about praising God?
- Think of a time when you felt like shouting with joy, or a time when you felt like a quiet, clear “ring.” Which cymbal describes your current season of life? Why?
- How does knowing that both cymbals belong in praise help you welcome others whose expressions of worship differ from yours?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Samuel 6:5 | David and all the house of Israel played before Yahweh with all kinds of instruments made of cypress wood, with harps, with stringed instruments, with tambourines, with castanets, and with cymbals. |
| I Chronicles 13:8 | David and all Israel played before God with all their might, even with songs, with harps, with stringed instruments, with tambourines, with cymbals, and with trumpets. |
| I Chronicles 15:16 | David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers with instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up their voices with joy. |
| I Chronicles 15:19 | So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were given cymbals of bronze to sound aloud; |
| I Chronicles 15:28 | Thus all Israel brought the ark of Yahweh’s covenant up with shouting, with sound of the cornet, with trumpets, and with cymbals, sounding aloud with stringed instruments and harps. |
| I Chronicles 16:5 | Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with stringed instruments and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud; |
| I Chronicles 25:1 | Moreover, David and the captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals. The number of those who did the work according to their service was: |
| I Chronicles 25:6 | All these were under the hands of their father for song in Yahweh’s house, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps, for the service of God’s house: Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman being under the order of the king. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies the "loud cymbals" as two hollow brass plates struck together to make a sharp clanging sound, an instrument still used in his day. He admits uncertainty about the "high-sounding cymbals" but suggests they may have been larger cymbals struck above the head for a louder sound.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the cymbals described are the instruments most clearly heard with others, producing a sharp, ringing sound. Their purpose is audible joy and triumph: the loud, high-sounding noise expresses the highest celebration and the welcoming of a conqueror in worship.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary distinguishes two kinds of cymbals in the psalm: smaller ones producing a sharp, clear sound, likely used with dancers, and larger ones producing a booming, clanging sound for religious ceremonies. This liturgical distinction shapes how the verse's praise is understood.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Prayse ye him with sounding cymbales: prayse ye him with high sounding cymbales.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill treats these loud and high-sounding cymbals as symbols, not prescriptions for worship. He notes that the Hebrew phrases describe joyful, triumphant sounds from temple worship, but their real purpose here is to illustrate the heartiness, agreement, and unified highest praise that should mark New Testament believers.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
cymbals —suited to loud praise ( Ne 12:27 ).
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the tenfold call to praise, framed by two Hallelujahs, as deliberate: the number ten symbolizes completion and exhausted possibility. He reads "sanctuary" and "firmament" together as the earthly and heavenly places of worship, indicating that praise should fill both realms universally.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that the repeated call to praise shows how naturally reluctant and cold we are toward this duty, needing constant prompting. He stresses that praise should rise first from God's sanctuary, where He displays His glory and gives grace, and also from the witness of His holy people.