Lexical Summary humneó: To sing a hymn, to praise Original Word: ὑμνέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sing to, sing a hymn of praise unto. From humnos; to hymn, i.e. Sing a religious ode; by implication, to celebrate (God) in song -- sing a hymn (praise unto). see GREEK humnos HELPS Word-studies 5214 hymnéō (from 5215 /hýmnos, "a song or hymn") – to sing a hymn. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom humnos Definition to sing to, to laud NASB Translation sing...praise (1), singing a hymn (2), singing hymns (1), singing hymns of praise (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5214: ὑμνέωὑμνέω, ύ῾μνω: imperfect ὕμνουν; future ὑμνήσω; 1 aorist participle ὑμνησας; (ὕμνος); from Hesiod down; the Sept. often for הִלֵּל, הודָה, הֵשִׁיר, זִמֵּר; 1. transitive, to sing the praise of; sing hymns to: τινα, Acts 16:25; Hebrews 2:12. 2. intransitive, to sing a hymn, to sing: Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26 (in both passages of the singing of the paschal hymns; these were Psalm 113-118 and Psalm 136, which the Jews call the 'great Hallel' (but see Ginsburg in Kitto under the word Hallel; Edersheim, The Temple etc., p. 191f; Buxtorf (edited by Fischer), p. 314f)); Psalm 64:13 The verb ὑμνέω denotes the audible, melodic declaration of God’s greatness with intentional praise rather than mere recitation. It joins the Old Testament pattern of singing Psalms (Psalm 9:11; Psalm 33:2-3) and anticipates the heavenly throng of Revelation 5:9, where worship is likewise expressed in song. While prose, prayer, and proclamation all glorify the Lord, ὑμνέω highlights the congregational, poetic, and celebratory dimension of that glory. Occurrences in the New Testament • Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26 – At the close of the Passover meal, “when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” The singular verb portrays the Twelve singing with Jesus in one voice. Liturgical and devotional context First-century Jewish practice reserved ὑμνέω chiefly for the Hallel Psalms (Psalms 113-118) and the Great Hallel (Psalm 136), sung at Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The Last Supper scene therefore suggests Jesus and the disciples chanting Psalm 118, a Messianic text forecasting the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone (Psalm 118:22). In the prison at Philippi, Paul and Silas import that same heritage into Gentile territory, demonstrating that gospel worship transcends locale and circumstance. Christological significance Hebrews 2:12 reveals the Lord Himself as the chief Cantor of the redeemed community. By inserting the Messiah into Psalm 22’s praise, the epistle affirms that the crucified and risen Jesus both receives and offers worship. His leadership in song validates congregational praise as an ongoing participation in His own priestly ministry (Hebrews 13:15). Missional and pastoral implications 1. Evangelistic witness: The prison hymn preceded the earthquake and the jailer’s conversion (Acts 16:30-34), illustrating the Spirit’s use of praise to soften hearts. Intertestamental and early church usage Jewish sources (e.g., the Dead Sea Scrolls’ Hodayot) and early Christian writings (Pliny the Younger’s letter to Trajan, A.D. 112) confirm that believers “sing hymns to Christ as to a god.” By the second century, ὑμνέω-based worship shaped morning and evening liturgies, eventually forming the core of the canonical hours. The apostolic pattern thus laid the groundwork for centuries of hymnody. Practical application for worship today • Select Scripture-rich hymns that exalt God’s redemptive acts, anchoring worship in revelation rather than sentiment. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 26:30 V-APA-NMPGRK: Καὶ ὑμνήσαντες ἐξῆλθον εἰς NAS: After singing a hymn, they went KJV: And when they had sung an hymn, they went out INT: And having sung a hymn they went out to Mark 14:26 V-APA-NMP Acts 16:25 V-IIA-3P Hebrews 2:12 V-FIA-1S Strong's Greek 5214 |
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