Lexical Summary zamar: To sing, to make music, to praise Original Word: זָמַר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance give praise, sing forth praises, psalms A primitive root (perhaps ident. With zamar through the idea of striking with the fingers); properly, to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i.e. Play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music -- give praise, sing forth praises, psalms. see HEBREW zamar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to make music (in praise of God) NASB Translation praise (1), praise the in song (1), sing (3), sing praise (7), sing praises (35). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [זמר] verb only Pi`el make music in praise of God (׳י), only in poetry (Arabic 1 of singing to (ל) God (Yahweh) Judges 5:3; Psalm 27:6; Psalm 101:1; Psalm 104:33; Psalm 105:2 = 1 Chronicles 16:9 (all "" שׁיר verb), Psalm 9:12; Psalm 30:5 (both "" הוֺדוּ), Psalm 47:7 (לְמַלְכֵּנוּ), Psalm 66:4; Psalm 71:23 (with תְּרַנֵּנָּה שְׂפָתַי), Psalm 75:10 ("" הגיד), Psalm 146:2 ("" הלל); followed by אֶלִֿ Psalm 59:18; to his name לשׁם, Psalm 18:50 = 2 Samuel 22:50 ("" אודך), Psalm 92:2 ("" לְהֹדוֺת), Psalm 135:3 ("" הללויה); followed by suffix = sing thee, praise thee in song Psalm 30:13; Psalm 57:10; Psalm 108:4; Psalm 138:1 (all "" אודך); followed by acc ׳י Isaiah 12:5, אלהים Psalm 47:7, אלהינו Psalm 147:1, אדני Psalm 68:33 ("" שׁירו), followed by שְׁמוֺ Psalm 7:18 ("" אודה), Psalm 9:3; Psalm 61:9; Psalm 66:4; Psalm 68:5 ("" שׁידו); followed by כְּבוֺד שְׁמוֺ Psalm 66:2, גבורתך Psalm 21:14 ("" נשׁירה); followed by accusative of the song, מַשְׂכִּיל Psalm 47:8 (see ׳מ below שׂכל); absolute Psalm 57:8 ("" אשׁירה), Psalm 98:4 ("" הָרִיעוּ, מִּצְחוּ, רַנְַנוּ), Psalm 108:2 ("" אשׁירה; instrumental accompare Psalm 108:3; compare also Psalm 108:4 above), Psalm 47:7 (twice in verse). 2 of playing musical instruments בְּנֵבֶל עָשׂוֺר זַמְּרוּלֿוֺ Psalm 33:2 ("" בְּכִנּוֺר ׳הודו לי), compare Psalm 144:9 ("" אשׁירה); אזמרה לך בכנור Psalm 71:22 ("" אודך בִכְלִינֶֿבֶל); בכנ֑֑ור בכנור ׳לי ׳ז וקול זמרה Psalm 98:5; בכנור ׳לא ׳ז Psalm 147:7 ("" בתודה ׳ענו לי); בְּתֹף וכנור יזמרולֿו Psalm 149:3 ("" יהללו שׁמו בְּמָחוֺל). [זְמָר] noun [masculine] music (compare Biblical Hebrew I. [זָמַר]); — emphatic זְמָרָא Daniel 3:5,7,10,15. Topical Lexicon Core Concept of זָמַרThe verb זָמַר (zāmar) expresses the act of making music to the Lord, most often through singing accompanied by stringed instruments. It thus unites melody, instrumentation, and verbal proclamation into a single act of praise, regularly directed to the covenant Name of God. Canonical Distribution Approximately forty-six occurrences span Historical Books (Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles) and especially the Psalter, with isolated appearances in prophetic and wisdom literature. The verb is never used outside a worshipful context, underscoring its exclusively sacred orientation. Corporate Worship in Israel 1. Pre-monarchic celebration: Deborah calls all creation to join her victory song—“Hear, O kings, give ear, O rulers! I, even I, will sing to the LORD; I will make music to the LORD, the God of Israel” (Judges 5:3). Musical Accompaniment Zāmar often appears with “lyre,” “harp,” or “ten-stringed instrument” (Psalms 33:2; 144:9). Instrumentation is not ornamental but integral, reinforcing that redeemed creativity is consecrated to God. Personal Devotion in the Psalms Many first-person declarations model private worship: • “I will praise You, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders” (Psalms 9:1-2). Such texts legitimize individual expression while binding it to communal confession. Covenantal and Redemptive Themes Zāmar frames major salvation milestones: • Exodus memory: Psalms 105:2 calls Israel to “sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders,” intertwining music and testimony. Eschatological Anticipation Prophetic literature links zāmar to future restoration: “Sing praises, O inhabitants of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 12:6). The final Psalm summons everything that has breath, foreshadowing cosmic praise fulfilled in Revelation’s new song. Ministry Implications 1. Worship Leadership: Biblical precedent authorizes trained, dedicated musicians who combine skill and consecration (1 Chronicles 25:1-7). Summary זָמַר embodies Israel’s—and by extension the Church’s—calling to celebrate the Lord with vocal and instrumental excellence. Whether echoing in a solitary heart or resounding through assembled multitudes, it advances God’s redemptive narrative, nourishes faith, and heralds the consummation when every tongue will “sing a new song before the throne” (Revelation 14:3). Forms and Transliterations אֲ֝זַמְּרָ֗ה אֲ֝זַמֶּרְךָ֗ אֲזַמְּרֶֽךָּ׃ אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה אֲזַמְּרָ֣ה אֲזַמְּרָה־ אֲזַמֵּ֑רָה אֲזַמֵּ֕ר אֲזַמֵּֽרָה׃ אֲזַמֵּֽר׃ אזמר אזמר׃ אזמרה אזמרה־ אזמרה׃ אזמרך אזמרך׃ וְזַמֵּֽרוּ׃ וִֽיזַמְּרוּ־ וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה וַ֝אֲזַמֶּרְךָ֗ וַאֲזַמֵּֽרָה׃ וּֽ֝נְזַמְּרָה וּלְזַמֵּ֖ר ואזמרה ואזמרה׃ ואזמרך וזמרו׃ ויזמרו־ ולזמר ונזמרה זַמְּר֖וּ זַמְּר֗וּ זַמְּר֣וּ זַמְּר֥וּ זַמְּר֪וּ זַמְּרָ֣ה זַמְּרוּ־ זַמֵּ֑רוּ זַמֵּֽרוּ׃ זמרה זמרו זמרו־ זמרו׃ יְזַמְּר֖וּ יְזַמְּרוּ־ יְזַמֶּרְךָ֣ יזמרו יזמרו־ יזמרך מַגְדִּיל֮ מגדיל ’ă·zam·mê·rāh ’ă·zam·mə·rāh ’ă·zam·mə·rāh- ’ă·zam·mə·re·kā ’ă·zam·mêr ’ă·zam·mer·ḵā ’ăzammêr ’ăzammêrāh ’ăzammərāh ’ăzammərāh- ’ăzammərekā ’ăzammerḵā azamMer azammeRah azammercha azammeReka maḡ·dîl magDil maḡdîl ū·lə·zam·mêr ū·nə·zam·mə·rāh ulezamMer ūləzammêr Unezammerah ūnəzammərāh vaazammeRah vaazammercha vezamMeru vizammeru wa’ăzammêrāh wa’ăzammərāh wa’ăzammerḵā wa·’ă·zam·mê·rāh wa·’ă·zam·mə·rāh wa·’ă·zam·mer·ḵā wə·zam·mê·rū wəzammêrū wî·zam·mə·rū- wîzammərū- yə·zam·mə·rū yə·zam·mə·rū- yə·zam·mer·ḵā yezammerCha yəzammerḵā yezammeRu yəzammərū yəzammərū- zam·mə·rāh zam·mê·rū zam·mə·rū zam·mə·rū- zammeRah zammərāh zammeru zammêrū zammərū zammərū-Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 5:3 HEB: אָנֹכִ֣י אָשִׁ֔ירָה אֲזַמֵּ֕ר לַֽיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י NAS: I will sing, I will sing praise to the LORD, KJV: unto the LORD; I will sing [praise] to the LORD INT: I will sing will sing to the LORD the God 2 Samuel 22:50 1 Chronicles 16:9 Psalm 7:17 Psalm 9:2 Psalm 9:11 Psalm 18:49 Psalm 18:50 Psalm 21:13 Psalm 27:6 Psalm 30:4 Psalm 30:12 Psalm 33:2 Psalm 47:6 Psalm 47:6 Psalm 47:6 Psalm 47:6 Psalm 47:7 Psalm 57:7 Psalm 57:9 Psalm 59:17 Psalm 61:8 Psalm 66:2 Psalm 66:4 Psalm 66:4 46 Occurrences |
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pipe, play on a reed; Aramaic 
, זַמֵּר and derivatives; Ethiopic 
in derived conjugations; on an original meaning hum, murmur, compare HupZKM iii, (1840) 394 ff. iv, 139 ff. IdPsalm. Einl. § 7, 2 De4 on