Psalms 81:2

Psa 81:2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.

Ver. 2. Bring hither the timbrel] These instruments then used in God s service (as a part of the Jewish pedagogy) were types of that spiritual joy which we should express in holy duties, no less than if we heard the most exquisite music. There should be continual music (habitual joy) in the temple of the Holy Ghost.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ver. 2. Take a psalm. Select a sacred song, and then raise it with your hearty voices.

And bring hither the timbrel. Beat on your tambourines, ye damsels, let the sound be loud and inspiriting. "Sound the trumpets, beat the drums." God is not to be served with misery but with mirthful music, sound ye then the loud timbrel, as of old ye smote it by "Egypt's dark sea."

The pleasant harp with the psaltery. The timbrel for sound, must be joined by the harp for sweetness, and this by other stringed instruments for variety. Let the full compass of music be holiness unto the Lord.

Ver. 2. Timbrel. The toph, English version tabret, timbrel, LXX., tumpanon, once qalthrion. It was what would now be called a tambourine, being played by the hand; and was specially used by women. It is thrice mentioned in the Ps 81:2 Ps 149:3 150:4. Joseph Francis Thrupp.

Ver. 2. The Psaltery. It is probably impossible to be sure as to what is intended by a psaltery. The Genevan version translates it viol, and the ancient viol was a six stringed guitar. In the Prayer book version, the Hebrew word is rendered lute, which instrument resembled the guitar, but was superior in tone. The Greek word "psalterion" denotes a stringed instrument played with the fingers. Cassidorus says that the psaltery was triangular in shape, and that it was played with a bow. Aben Ezra evidently considered it to be a kind of pipe, but the mass of authorities make it a stringed instrument. It was long in use, for we read of it in David's time as made of fir wood (2Sa 6:55), and in Solomon's reign, of algum trees (2Ch 9:11), and it was still in use in the days of Nebuchadnezzar.

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. (Psa 81:2) Raise the song, and beat the drum, the sweet harp with the lute (or lyre). Beat, literally give, i.e. give forth its sound, or sound it. See above, on Psa 46:6; Psa 68:33; Psa 77:17. This is to be understood as a mutual exhortation of the musicians to each other during the actual performance.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

81:2 An Israelite tambourine was a hand drum—a round frame covered with a skin, used as a percussion instrument during festivities, often to accompany dancing (68:25; 149:3; 150:4). • The sweet lyre and the harp, both stringed instruments, are the instruments most frequently mentioned in the psalms (e.g., 33:2; 57:8; 71:22; 150:3).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 2. Take a psalm] זמרה zimrah. I rather think that this was the name of a musical instrument.

Bring hither the timbrel] תף toph; some kind of drum or tom tom.

The pleasant harp] כנור kinnor. Probably a sistrum, or something like it. A STRINGED instrument.

With the psaltery.] נבל nebel, the nabla. The cithara, Septuagint.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(2) Take a psalm.—Rather, Strike up a tune (with voice and harp).

Bring hither the timbrel.—Literally, Give a timbrel (or, drum), which evidently means “sound the timbrel,” and may, perhaps, be explained by a phrase sometimes found in Hebrew—“Give a voice,” i.e., speak. Such phrases as “Let them have the drum,” “Give them the drum,” may illustrate the expression. (For the instrument, tôph, see Exo_15:20, and consult Bible Educator, 2:214 seq.)

Harp . . . psaltery.—See Note, Psa_33:2.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. Take a psalm &c.] Or, Raise a psalm and sound the timbrel. The timbrel, or tabret, was a tambourine or hand drum; the psaltery, like the harp, a stringed instrument.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Take a psalm,.... Or "lift one up" (y); hold up the book, and read and sing it; or rather, lift up the voice in singing a psalm:

and bring hither the timbrel; or "give one" (z), put the hand to one:

the pleasant harp with the psaltery; make use of all these musical instruments in singing, and so make an agreeable melody: these were used in the times of the Old Testament, and were typical of the spiritual joy and melody in the heart, expressed by vocal singing, under the New Testament; see Rev 5:8.

(y) "attollite", Piscator; "tollite", Cocceius, Amama, Gejerus. (z) "date", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Take a psalm - literally, “Lift up a psalm; perhaps, as we should say, “Raise the tune.” Or, it may mean, Take an ode, a hymn, a psalm, composed for the occasion, and accompany it with the instruments of music which are specified.

And bring hither the timbrel - For the purpose of praise. On the meaning of this word rendered “timbrel” - תף tôph - see the notes at Isa 5:12.

The pleasant harp - On the word here rendered “harp” - כנור kinnôr - see also the notes at Isa 5:12. The word translated “pleasant” - נעים nâ‛ı̂ym - means properly pleasant, agreeable, sweet, Psa 133:1; Psa 147:1. It is connected here with the word harp, as meaning that that instrument was distinguished particularly for a sweet or pleasant sound.

With the psaltery - On the meaning of the word used here - נבל nebel - see the notes at Isa 5:12. These were the common instruments of music among the Hebrews. They were employed alike on sacred occasions, and in scenes of revelry. See Isa 5:12.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

All which instruments were then prescribed and used in their solemn meetings.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. Take a psalm—Bring a song: addressed to the Levites appointed for choristers, as the “shout aloud,” (Psa_81:1,) was to the people.

Bring… the timbrel—Hebrew, תŠ, (toph,) also translated tabret; a sort of hand drum, as the tambourine. It was much used in public festivities and triumphal processions, as a bass accompaniment, and often played by women. Psa_68:25; Nah_2:7.

Harp—כנור, (kinnor,) the favourite national stringed instrument of the Hebrews, here called “the pleasant harp,” used much on occasions of joyfulness and praise, though not unsuited to meditative or solemn strains. See Psa_92:3. It had ten, sometimes twenty-four, and even forty-seven strings. Its general shape was triangular, like the modern harp, with a rounded or arched rim at its broadest end, from which last circumstance Furst supposes it derived its name, rather than from its stridulous sound, as Gesenius thinks.

Psaltery— Another harplike stringed instrument, made to accompany the voice. In Psa_33:2, (which see,) it is translated, “an instrument of ten strings,” literally, the ten-stringed psaltery.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Take a psalm; or, lift up a song. And bring hither the timbrel; rather, strike the Timbrel. the pleasant harp with the psaltery. The instruments ordinarily used in the service of the sanctuary were harps, psalteries, and cymbals. (1Ch_15:16 1Ch_16:5 1Ch_25:6 2Ch_5:12 2Ch_24:25 Neh_12:27) Here the timbrel (pto) seems to take the place of the cymbal.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

sound the shofar on Rosh Hashanah.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.